Using a Fixative Spray or not?
Should You Spray Your Pastel Portraits or Leave Them Exactly As They Are?
Have you ever finished an animal portrait and wondered… “Should I use a fixative to protect it?”
This is one of the most common questions I receive from artists working with pastel pencils.
After spending hours drawing animals and carefully building layers, it feels natural to want to protect the finished artwork.
But does spraying a fixative actually help?
Or could it change the look of your portrait in ways you might not like?
Today, I’d like to share my personal experience and approach when it comes to using fixative on pastel pencil portraits.
1. TRUST THE PAPER, NOT THE SPRAY
I would never spray the finished picture with a fixative. If you use high-quality pastel paper, such as Pastelmat, the pastel pigments adhere so well that it is unnecessary.
A quality paper is designed to hold pastel layers securely.
In many cases, the paper itself does a better job than a finishing spray.
2. COLORS BECOME DARKER
When you spray the image, much of the color’s luminosity is lost. Your portrait becomes darker, the light colors darken, and details disappear. If you drew light hair or whiskers, they become almost invisible.
This was one of the biggest surprises when I first experimented with fixatives.
The brighter and lighter details were often the first things to disappear.
3. HAIRSPRAY IS A NO-GO
I would definitely advise against it! And please do not use hairspray. I often see this tip, but it is not a long-lasting solution. Hairspray is not aging-resistant, so your artwork will soon turn yellow.
It might seem like a quick fix, but it can damage your artwork over time.
For artwork you care about, it’s simply not worth the risk.
4. USING FIXATIVE STRATEGICALLY
Exceptionally, you can use spray fixative during the drawing process. I use it to secure white base layers when too much pastel pigment accumulates. In such cases, an intermediate fixative layer can be helpful.
I view fixative as a drawing tool rather than a finishing tool.
Used carefully at the right moment, it can help you continue layering when the paper becomes saturated.
Final thought:
For me, the key is simple: trust good pastel paper, preserve your bright colors, avoid hairspray completely, and only use fixative strategically when your layers need support.
That way, your pastel pencil animal portraits keep their beautiful luminosity, delicate whiskers, and soft fur textures exactly as you intended.
Do you want to learn how to draw a sweet little cat with pastel pencils? Join my beginner-friendly cat drawing workshop here!
Want to start drawing realistic animals today? Click here!
If you like this kind of topics, don’t forget to follow me on my Youtube channel
or
if you want to learn how to draw realistic animal portraits, join the Animal Artclub Waitlist!
Do you believe, that you could draw beautiful animal portraits like these?
Learn step by step how to draw realistic animal portraits.
