As an artist, the quality of your work is primarily determined by your skills and the resources you have available. In particular, choosing the right resources for your art projects can have a significant impact on your results. Take, for instance, the best fixative for charcoal. Did you know that you can use charcoal to draw portraits, buildings, and even to perform basic color shading activities?
Aside from being reliable for artwork projects, you also have to apply a product to help maintain the artwork. In this case, the best fixative for charcoal should be an excellent recommendation for your needs. It’s a product that you apply to artwork, to help provide longevity benefits. The best part about using fixatives is that they are durable, and will improve the lifespan of your artwork significantly.
Below are some of the top fixatives for charcoal for you to consider:
Our Recommendations
- Krylon Fixative Aerosol Spray – Best Overall
- Grumbacher Final Fixative Gloss Spray – Best For Any Surface
- Winsor & Newton Artists’ Aerosols Workable Fixative – Best Easy-To-Use Fixative
- SpectraFix SFX-31270 12 oz Fixative Spray – Best In Quality
Krylon Fixative Aerosol Spray
Take your artwork results to the next level when you have the Krylon Fixative Aerosol Spray. This spray will provide long-lasting protection for your charcoal artwork. The Krylon brand has made an excellent product, which is acid-free and archival safe. It will protect your charcoal work from smudging, yellowing, or even wrinkling. Plus, you erase through the coating to rework the artwork if required.
The Aerosol spray also dries fast and can be ready to handle in as little as 1 hour. You will find this product highly dynamic and suitable to use on many types of surfaces. These include surfaces such as wood, metal, plastic, paper mache glass, dried flowers, and more. More so, the spray tip also requires less force when compared to other products, and you don’t have to overspray for the best results.
When purchasing the best fixative, it’s also good for you to evaluate the longevity of each package. Each 11 0z package of this product can provide well over 20 square feet of coverage for the best application results.
The Good
- Acid-free product suitable for use with kids
- Protects against wrinkling and smudging issues
- Allows easy rework and high-quality fixative material
The Bad
- Has a rather pungent smell when fresh
Grumbacher Final Fixative Gloss Spray
Are you searching for the perfect way to increase the longevity of your charcoal artwork? We highly recommend the Grumbacher Final Fixative Gloss Spray as it can improve the outcome of your projects. The fixative gloss spray is dynamic, and you can use it on many different types of surfaces. These include paper, photographs, printed material, and ceramics.
Furthermore, the fixative gloss spray is also non-yellowing, colorless, and flexible, to make it perfect for various types of artwork. As one of the best fixatives for charcoal on the market, this unit is also fast-drying and will provide a glossy finish to your artwork. It is easy to spray, and each application should provide several months of reliable protection. Even more, you will be pleased that this fixative spray does not have a pungent smell, which can be discomforting.
The Good
- Won’t lead to yellowing and is colorless
- Fast drying and has a gloss finish
The Bad
- Requires shaking before use
Winsor & Newton Artists’ Aerosols Workable Fixative
Take your artwork results to the next level when you have the Winsor & Newton Artists Aerosol spray. Applying this spray to your artwork is easy, and it also makes it easy to work the art surface continually. Even more, the fixative works well for longevity, and it will prevent issues such as smudges as you work. It’s a colorless medium, which you can apply to works of charcoal, and won’t lead to issues such as yellowing.
Even more, this fixative will not compromise the color of the pastel, even if you may come across some darkening issues. That said, you should expect that the fixative helps improve the adhesion of particles to the surface, and their longevity as well. Unlike most fixatives that only aim to improve the longevity of your artwork, this particular fixative also enhances the appeal of your product. Thus, if you are using charcoal as a shading mechanism, expect a better finish quality than when using most fixatives on the market.
The Good
- Colorless fixative won’t lead to yellowing and smudging
- Suitable for use on charcoal, pencil, and even chalk drawings
- Available with an ergonomic spraying unit
The Bad
- Has a rather pungent scent
SpectraFix SFX-31270 12 oz Fixative Spray
The SpectraFix SFX-37270 Fixative spray is also an excellent recommendation if you want to improve the longevity and quality of your artwork. Available in a large 12 oz bottle, you are sure of adequate fixative spray for your needs. You will be pleased with the fact that this unit won’t produce any blemishes on your paper surfaces. Also, the fixative works well on different types of artwork surfaces, and it won’t lead to yellowing issues.
With just a few layers of application, you can be sure that this fixative will provide optimal longevity. It is also made using acid-free products, which makes it safe to use for children or when exposed to pets.
The Good
- Available with a large 12 oz bottle
- Requires just a few layers of application
- Made using acid-free products and is safe for children
The Bad
- N/A
Conclusion
The quality of your art projects relates to various factors. Among some of these crucial factors is owning the correct artwork resources. Thus, in this artwork guide, we have identified some of the best fixatives charcoal brands for you to consider. These are products that are available in unique aerosol sprays. You can use these sprays to improve the quality and longevity of your images significantly. Never has it been this easy to take the results of your art projects to the next level. The best part about using these products is that they are simple to apply and is safe for human use.