Term: Fixative

A liquid preservative that is applied to pencil, charcoal and pastel drawings to prevent smudging. The liquid consists of a transparent resin, such as shellac, that is dissolved in alcohol and sprayed over a drawing. The resin particles hold (or fix) the loose pigments on the support, which is usually paper. Fixatives tend to darken and dull pastel colors.

There are two types of fixatives. Each is applied at a different stage of development. The first is workable fixative which is applied while the drawing us being created. This type of fixative helps isolate layers of pigment so that the artist can work more easily over the existing color. The newly applied pigments adhere easily to the tooth left by the workable fixative. If needed, the workable fixative can also be erased. Final fixative is applied only when an artist is finished with a drawing. It is used to hold and protect the pigment but it does not preserve the support in any way.