Attention artists: Is there a way to prevent the drawings in my sketchbook from smudging?

[ghostsofgiants]

And from rubbing graphite off onto other pages?

[RadiationTherapy]

1. Tape a piece of tracing paper over each page. Lift the paper to view. nt

[ghostsofgiants]

2. I can see that becoming a pain in the ass though, haha.

[RadiationTherapy]

10. Well, scan them all hi-res and make a website.

Spray-fix works, but is verboten in our art studios because it gets on everything.

[ghostsofgiants]

12. I do scan, but I wanna keep the originals in good shape too.

I think I'm gonna get some fixative.

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. There's some kinda spray stuff for this

I reckon art supply stores have it.



Sorry I can't remember what it's called. :shrug:

[graywarrior]

4. Spray them with fixative.

If you lightly spray, you can still work on them later.

[Gonzo Gardener]

5. Try a spray fixative

Some allow you to spray and then continue to work on the drawing. In that case you want a WORKABLE fixative. Do this in a very well ventilated area!!!

Good luck!

:hi:

[Lorien]

33. Yep. Was about to say the same thing. Here's a link:

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply/catalogs/0034755000000

[Dangerously Amused]

6. we used to just insert a page of same size tracing paper over the pages we wanted to protect.

Less fuss than taping them and you don't have to worry about ripping the paper when you pull the tape off. On the downside, sometimes they do fall out. Might want to put a rubber band around the tablet, or secure it with binder clips to prevent that.

[ghostsofgiants]

14. I have a Moleskine sketchbook, already has an elastic band around it.

So if I am forced to go that route, I'm set. :P

[Dangerously Amused]

20. Good deal. Those are very nice sketchbooks.

=cough cough sketchbook snob cough cough=





;)

[ghostsofgiants]

23. Hahaha, damn straight.

:P

It was actually a gift from Call Me Wesley and Heidi.

[Dangerously Amused]

25. Aw, sweet. They are the coolest people on the planet.

[ghostsofgiants]

26. Hells yeah they are.

[LadyoftheRabbits]

7. I use a spray fixative that's awesome

:thumbsup:

[ghostsofgiants]

9. What's it called?

I wanna know what I'm looking for, haha.

[LadyoftheRabbits]

16. Oh, goodness...

I know it's in an orange-ish can, but until I pack it to move, I can't find it. :blush: Really, any fixative for drawings ought to be good. :)

[ghostsofgiants]

17. Haha, thanks anyway.

Now, to actually find the time to make my way to the art store. x(

[Gonzo Gardener]

8. link to utrecht products...

http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_search.cfm?Status=1&Keywords=fixative

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Great, thanks.

:)

[Call Me Wesley]

13. I'll bookmark this for Heidi;

she knows about this stuff and sure will reply to you tomorrow morning. ;)

Darn, I am looking for a CGI animation (real dark and sinister, but top notch) I saw once for days now and can't find it - I thought of you when I saw it but forgot to bookmark it. As soon as I find it again, I'll let you know.

:hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

15. Woot.

And it's for the sketchbook you and Heidi gave me, so that would be fitting. :)

Dark and sinister, eh? Sound slike my kinda stuff, haha.

[Call Me Wesley]

18. If I only could find it again.

I know it was from a portfolio at cgtalk ... No youtube, but nice clear flash movie. Really, really awkward and good.

[ghostsofgiants]

19. Well I won't be able to watch it until I get home from work anyway...

So you've got plenty of time to find it.

[DarkTirade]

21. Spray fixative or hairspray aughtta do it, I'd suggest only doing that once you're done with each

page.

[ghostsofgiants]

24. Yeah, it's not until after I finish and close the book up that it really smudges.

[XemaSab]

22. Fixative

It's toxic waste, but it'll prevent smudging.

Like, seriously, don't huff it unless you don't mind not having kidneys. :P

[Rabrrrrrr]

27. Yeah, stop being a commie pinko liberal america-hating atheist.

Actually, you have two options on that one - one is to make sure you have books that are solid and in which the pages don't slide around: hardbound versus spiral bound, that is.

Second, you can also spray a coating of "clear coat" on the pages, such as Krylon's: http://www.merriartist.com/KRYLON_CRYST_CLR_SPRAY_11oz_p/kr1303.htm

[ghostsofgiants]

28. My book is hardbound, so the spray is the route I need to go I think.

But I'm not technically a liberal, I identify as a socialist, so NYAH! :P

[Hawkeye-X]

35. Careful..

He sniffs Krylon...

[khashka]

29. Spray fixative

You can get it vat any art supply or hobby store. In a fix you can use hairspray. Just let it dry first.

Khash.

[ghostsofgiants]

30. Seems to be the consensus.

Thanks. Just have to find the time to go buy a can now, ahah.

[noamnety]

31. It all depends on budget and availability

snooty artiste: fixative.
practical but starving artist: hair spray
fratboy artist: flat beer in a spray bottle
civil war soldier dudes: skim milk

[ghostsofgiants]

32. I could use my girlfriend's hairspray I guess but that stuff smells like ass.

If I still lived with my old roommates I could steal their beer, ahha.

[Heidi]

34. Unless you want your pages to stick together, please don't use hairspray

or any fixative containing vinyl, glue or resin. Commercial graphite fixatives are excellent for stand-alone work, and I use them for that purpose. However, in a sketchbook that will be closed with the pages touching one another, it's my experience that it's much better to use isopropyl alcohol (70 percent).

Pour the isopropyl alchol into a small pump diffuser (I use a small glass diffuser that originally contained deoderant). Before spraying the alcohol onto the page, slip a piece of blotting paper behind the page to be sprayed. Spritz the drawing lightly with isopropyl alcohol and let it air dry. Needless to say, you shouldn't be anywhere near a flame when you do this.

Isopropyl alcohol dries quickly with matt finish (not at all glossy and doesn't seem to discolor the paper) and is a workable fixative: you can go back into the drawing to darken lines if you want to. On some papers, depending on the coating, you can also erase after fixing with isopropyl alcohol.

Added bonuses are that isopropyl alcohol isn't nearly as stinky as many commercial fixatives, and it's much less expensive for studies and sketch work which need not necessarily be archival.

Hope this helps! :hi:

[ghostsofgiants]

44. Got me a bottle of isopropyl alcohol that came with it's own diffuser pump.

Woot. :P

[bridgit]

36. Fixative, or vellum slips till you are done working...

[Heidi]

37. !!!!

:hug: :hug:

[bridgit]

40. Dahlink!

:bounce: :hi: :hug:

[Heidi]

41. !!!

:loveya:

:hug:

:*

[Doug.Goodall]

38. Hit it with Krylon Clear Spray

<>

[My Good Babushka]

39. Don't buy an expensive fixative

A cheap can of hairspray works excellently.

[RetroLounge]

42. I used to weather model trains with artists chalk

I sprayed it with testors dullcote when done.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tes/tes1260.htm

Art supply stores probably have it in larger cans and less expensive versions.

A couple examples, using nothing but artist chalk to make the locomotive look "used and abused." Sprayed lightly with dullcote to set.





RL

[ghostsofgiants]

43. That is pretty neat.