Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

i use this in my art journaling where i use all manner of pens pencils watercolour acrylics and everything inbetween...spectrafix has NOT let me down i do alot of portraits over paint and it works fab

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I use SpectraFix for pastels, Conte crayons, graphite, and charcoal. I found out the hard way that something in its formula attacks fountain pen ink and makes it feather quite severely on the page. On drawings where I use a dip pen and India ink there is no problem, but if I draw with a fountain pen in addition to pastel I have to use a different fixative. SpectraFix is odorless and once dry is invisible. The film resists all but the toughest abrasion and holds up well in the long term.

I would have rated it it 4+ stars but I do much of my base drawing with a fountain pen, and have ruined several drawings with the fixative.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I am so happy to find a product that is non aerosol and low aroma that I can use when I'm art journaling and it doesn't affect my asthma like the aerosol fixatives. Highly recommend and I purchased several bottles for friends with respiratory illnesses.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I endorse this product because it's versatile, easy to use and travels well. I don't have to worry about harmful fumes, disposal or interference to the archival quality of finished work. I am careful about application, making sure the nozzle is clear and try it on an extra piece first to be sure I get the result I will need. I also appreciate its price range and recommend it to my students and fellow artists alike.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I use a heavy application of SpectraFix between layers of pastel to seal the undercolor so I can apply more colors or values on top without mixing the two, and to sometimes add more texture to otherwise already textured papers. It works extremely well for this application. The undercolor is not darkened after it has dried even though sometimes I wet it to the point of dripping. I sometimes use it lighly as a final fixative on pieces that have many layers,and even my lightest light colors remain as they were before spraying.

I've used it on UArt and Mi Tientes Touch papers without either of them buckling, and I do not tape the edges first.

I found early on that so long as I keep the spray nozzle clean there are no heavy splotches or splats of liquid, and the spray is always even and misty. I have both the premixed version, and the concentrate version which I mix with cheap vodka so the odor is almost nonexistant. This I can use in a classroom or take on airplanes in 3 oz bottles in my stowed luggage without any problems.

I ship my paintings with confidence knowing SpectraFix holds the pastel dust in place, and they arrive at their destination looking as clean and fresh as the day they left home.

I have just one caution for anyone using it for the first time. Practice using it first on a scrape of the paper you will be using & with the brands of pastel you will be using. Take the time to know the product. It is very versatile once you know what it can do.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

quick drying for layering pastels with out darkening value of palette.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

The surface created by the fixative is much darker than a typical matte cover. It is also rather fragile and picks up with any vigorous blending. I am not sure if it is because it needs a long drying time or because it is inherently fragile.

I am looking for a fixative I can carry in air luggage, and this is not the one.

It is simply not worth the money and does not reflect the quality of other Blick offerings.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I've used Spectrafix both straight from the spray bottle and via my airbrush and the results have always been outstanding. My charcoal/pastel drawings only become darker until the Spectrafix fully dries. And I've also used the concentrate formula mixed with Everclear alcohol for faster drying time and reduced water content that may cause buckling on lighter weight papers.

And for those negative reviewers all I have to say is that you should have exercised a modicum of common sense and tested out the spray on a "throw-away" piece before applying it to something final; I certainly did to gauge how much to spray and what results I might expect.

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

This product should not be on the market as far as I am concerned. I created a large pastel drawing using the best materials. This piece was going to go in a solo show I am in. I used this spray thinking it was non toxic and it has fairly good reviews. I sprayed it far from my piece and it completely left my entire piece dark, full of huge blotches!!! You can't even see the pastels hardly from all the horrible dark spots. THe sad thing is, it was my best piece yet before this happened and now my artwork is completely ruined!!!

Comments about SpectraFix Spray Fixative:

I just tried this on a few of my pastel paintings but it makes the colors get TOO DARK. I have since ordered 3 different types of fixatives - so hopefully one of them will work better than this Spectra fix. I haven't received any of them yet - so I'll let you know how the others do.