# Illustration question: Fixative for heavy, toothy graphite application?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 9, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860 "2003-12-09T04:17:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860/1 "2003-12-09T04:17:56Z")
I’m using a 2B jumbo pencil (LYRA 1772 2B) to apply a heaping lot full of graphite onto certain parts of this picture, and I am concerned, because I don’t have any fixatives to put over it while I work on the rest of the piece.
I draw with my left hand. Since we “write” from left to right, I smear letters sometimes with my left hand while writing. Is there a way to protect those areas from future smearing without having to buy something?
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### Author:  [@Holden\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Holden_West)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860/2 "2003-12-09T05:07:55Z")
You could rotate the drawing periodically so your hand is always resting
on a clean part of the paper, or do like the old masters and prop your
arm with a long stick; more practical when using an easel.
You could use a fine mist of cheap hairspray, but test first on a scrap
piece of paper to make sure the pencil marks aren’t damaged and
that you can still make good marks on top of the dried hairspray.
But the safest, easiest method is to splurge on a can of “workable
fixative”.
OR…
“If I have not fixed your drawing, or if after I have fixed it I have worked
on it again here and there, so that there are places which are unpleasantly
shiny, then don’t hesitate to throw a big glass of milk, or water and milk,
over it”
-Vincent Van Gogh, letter to his brother Theo
[try at your own risk 🙂]
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### Author:  [@GraphicsGal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraphicsGal)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860/3 "2003-12-09T18:01:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by criminalcatalog \*
> \*\*I’m using a 2B jumbo pencil (LYRA 1772 2B) to apply a heaping lot full of graphite onto certain parts of this picture, and I am concerned, because I don’t have any fixatives to put over it while I work on the rest of the piece.
>
> I draw with my left hand. Since we “write” from left to right, I smear letters sometimes with my left hand while writing. Is there a way to protect those areas from future smearing without having to buy something? \*\*
You could make yourself a maas stick (not sure if spelling is correct).
Essentially what this is is a sturdy dowel longer than your drawing is wide. On the end, you affix some sort of padded rubber “foot” (you could cut up a pait of rubber gloves and tie this on with string).
While working on your drawing, you put the rubber end of the maas stick on the drawing board off the paper and support your drawing hand with the stick. You could support the stick itself with your right arm. You’ll have to play around to get this to work comfortably for you.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illustration-question-fixative-for-heavy-toothy-graphite-application/217860/4 "2003-12-09T18:38:13Z")
Why don’t you just set a clean piece of paper over the area you’re not working on. You can tape it on the underside of the drawing if you are afraid of it moving.
I can actually draw/paint with both hands (lucky me), so I mostly avoid the problem, however on large pieces sometimes it can’t be avoided.