How do i prevent pencil art from smudging on canvas?

Question

i just completed a piece of art on canvas using pencil and i am looking for a way to keep the pencil from smudging further, looking for somthing to possibly spray on?

Answer 1

Hairspray! It has many uses! Keeping things locked into place is the main one though. It doesn't have to be hair though!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

You can get a matt spray from art shops or I've found it at those cheap shops that sell everything for $2. Don't know if you have them in NY but they sell everything from kids crafts, bathroom needs to household goods & crappy clothes. They are nearly all made in the same place & it was about a third of the price as in art shops. Hairspray can work too but whatever you use, make sure you hold the can a fair distance from canvas so you get a nice light, even spray. Spraying it too close can make it too thick in areas or too runny.

Answer 4

You can get a matt spray from art shops or I've found it at those cheap shops that sell everything for $2. Don't know if you have them in NY but they sell everything from kids crafts, bathroom needs to household goods & crappy clothes. They are nearly all made in the same place & it was about a third of the price as in art shops. Hairspray can work too but whatever you use, make sure you hold the can a fair distance from canvas so you get a nice light, even spray. Spraying it too close can make it too thick in areas or too runny.

Answer 5

There are two good ways that I know of to tack your graphite work on the support system you're using; one is from the masters of old. What they did to combat the smudging of their charcoal work was dilute the gesso they were using and thinly brush it over the the work.(I would suggest that you take some practise runs on some scrap, and inconsequential pieces before you put this practise into use, it is an acquired skill but extremely useful as it maintains a continuity in the media you are working in) Second; you can use a workable fixative spray put out by "KRYLON". It can be found in any decent art supply store.

Answer 6

I agree with most about the fixatives, but beware!!!!! I work in a frame shop framing art and I have seen allot of artwork that has been sprayed and some have yellowed over time. Have you thought about framing it to preserve it under glass? If you do, remember to use a mat or frame spacers so that the glass doesn't touch your canvas.
Good Luck!!!!!!!!!
P.S. If you do use a fixative, do a practice run first because the cans can spit out little globs that might look pretty yucky.

Answer 7

While hair spray may be fine for pencil artwork on paper you say you did yours on canvas. An artwork on canvas under glass will look awkward, raise alot of questions by viewers and in itself become a distraction. I suggest buying yourself a can of spray varnish, flat or semi-gloss and applying several even light coats then go out and buy a suitable frame (no glass) for it.

Answer 8

An acrylic medium paint might work, but first I would take a blank canvas and draw on it with the pencil you used and test different things out to see what works.

Answer 9

If you want to discover ways to draw the right image all you want is time and Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery guide from here https://tr.im/JheSB to stay the best path.
The lessons from Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery guide contain 208 pages and a total of 605 illustrations.  The basic strategy used is that you start with a photo, draw a mild outline of the function, and then shade it in.
Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery is the right allied to help make the perfect draw.

Answer 10

Only the softer lead smudges. A number 2-6H will not smear but it also wont blend. Once you get the picture exactly the way you want it, use an aerosol hairspray. They sell special spray at the craft store, but hairspray is cheaper with the same results.

Answer 11

So..
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I highly recommend it for both the experienced and the inexperienced artists alike.
Bye Bye