WHAT SEALER DO I USE FOR CHARCOAL DRAWING.

by RAY
(BEAVERTON OR)

Mixed Media Art Questions for Milliande


WHAT SEALER FOR ART CHARCOAL DRAWING

Mixed Media Art Questions answered by Milliande

Hi,

Charcoal is a soft pigmented art supply so traditional sealers that are applied with a brush like gel medium or varnish will not work as the artwork will be smudged

For Pastels and Charcoal as well as watersoluble art supplies I use a spray fixative first .. the spray fixative will seal in the top layer of the charcoal or pastel and if I then still want to add a protective varnish I can .. as the loose pigments are now fixed to the canvas / paper etc.

If the charcoal drawing is just used for practice and the actual drawing only needs to be fixed for transport , many of my fellow students in the lifedrawing class I attend use some cheap hairspray to fix the charcoal into place .

This method of course is not archival but cheaper than Pastel / Charcoal spray fixative and does an ok job if the drawing is just for practice.

hope this helps
...milliande