Fixative help!
 

Hi everyone!

My local scrap shop had a big blowout sale a few months ago, and I ended up getting a heap of mini Tsukineko's really cheap. I'm in the middle of playing with them, and my fave thing to do with them is to dab a variety of colours on a texture stamp to get a nice shaded look, and I want to do the same to plain cardstock scraps so I can punch out unique looking snowflakes. But I've noticed that the chalk inks are smearing slightly after drying. I know I need a fixative, but I'm a bit uncertain as to what sort. Do I use hairspray, clear top coat, some kind of spray glue... I have absolutely no idea :-D. I've looked at some older posts/threads, but I got a little bit confused. Any help would be appreciated!

xo MandiJdeR

I have a can of Grumbacher's spray fixative that you can find in the artist aisle. Usually works for artists chalks, charcoal, pencils and other mediums that would smudge.

Krylon also makes several different sheens of clear acrylic sprays - matte, satin, gloss...

Thanks for the help! I'll have a look at my local artshop.

Just a tip when using a fixative: use a very light coat to begin with and let it dry. You can then build up from there. If you go too heavy with your first coat you run the risk of things wicking out because your paper is wet.

Cheap hairspray does work extremely well. Make sure it is a really cheap brand though- you want one that does not have conditioners/ additives in it. And a fine mist spray, which most have anyway. It does actually smell nicer than most 'proper' fixatives, so if you don't like solvent type smells ( they give me a headache) it may be a better choice.

First, try heat sealing, lots of times a little heat will set the ink...If not then try this...

GASS...
Gum Arabic Sealing Solution (GASS)

GASS seals things like Whisper White and Very Vanilla craft pads, metallic pads, Versamark with PE, and Poppin' Pastels to keep them from smudging.

Lots of people use hairspray as a sealant and/or PE base; however, while it has polymers that will give you the bond that you're looking for, it also has chemicals that are not acid-free. Because it is *not* acid-free, deterioration will begin in a fairly short period of time, yellowing your creation.

1 Part *LIQUID* Gum Arabic (I use powdered and it is just fine, add the alcohol before the water)
4 Parts Distilled Water
2 Parts Alcohol

Shake *well* before each use.

I agree, and should have said, sorry, that hairspray isn't archival. I was just looking up a link for a similar thread, and found this product inthe USA, Crafters Companion Satin a spray varnish designed for decoupage etc,