# Artists: Question Regarding Fixative (Or:) Holy Crap This Stuff Stinks!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-question-regarding-fixative-or-holy-crap-this-stuff-stinks/287315
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 29, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-question-regarding-fixative-or-holy-crap-this-stuff-stinks/287315 "2005-01-29T19:07:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-question-regarding-fixative-or-holy-crap-this-stuff-stinks/287315/1 "2005-01-29T19:07:19Z")
I’ve recently bought fixative. After drawing a picture, I went outside, followed all the directions CLOSELY, and waited for it to dry. It did smell a bit high, but I figured the scent would leave as soon as it finished drying .
It smells still! Is this normal? Is there a way to cut down on the high scent of it?
Did I do something wrong?
Oh, art gods and goddesses of the Straight Dope, I need your help.
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### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-question-regarding-fixative-or-holy-crap-this-stuff-stinks/287315/2 "2005-01-29T22:38:22Z")
Fixative is seriously overwhelming. You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just got fumes that would knock over a bear. I does go away _eventually_. I use a workable fixative when I’m working with conté and layering it on pretty thick.
I also use to use it in my sketchbook, since I use a messy medium, and there’s a lot of transfer of the image to the back of the preceding page. So to keep the pages rubbing the images off each other, I use fixative. The “book” aspect of the sketchbook tends to hold the fumes I find. But it’s been awhile. If I sniff the book I can still tell there’s fixative, but it no longer makes my eyes water to look at the pages.
For _really UNIMPORTANT_ stuff, say like sketchbook doodles that I do to prep and study something for a real painting/drawing, I use unscented aerosol hairspray. But that’s for _really, really, unimportant stuff_. Stuff I’m not going to exhibit or sell or frame. Stuff that’s NOT important and I don’t ultimately care if it gets ruined.
The hairspray is cheap and not-so-stinky and works just fine for that purpose of sealing the medium to the page. So does Scotchguard. However, I’ve no idea what the long-term effects will be. So far, there hasn’t been any yellowing or obvious degradation on drawings I’ve had for ten years.
But again, **I would never use hairspray on my real artwork**. But it comes in handy for the messy junk you still want to keep on file and perhaps develop into a good idea later – old sketchbooks, preparation sketches you’re going to toss out later. Stuff like that.
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### Author:  [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-question-regarding-fixative-or-holy-crap-this-stuff-stinks/287315/3 "2005-01-29T22:57:09Z")
It should air out eventually.
In the mean time: stop sniffing it, ya junky! 😉
Is the drawing purty?
Care to share?