ALL ABOUT FIXATIVES AND MAKING YOUR GRAPHITE DARKS POP!

Using Workable Fixatives and removing the shine from graphite pencil to make your darks POP!
Everything you need to know about Fixatives for pencil drawings. The differences between fixative types; the many benefits of using a Workable fixative; and practical advice on fixing your own drawings.
Fixatives protect your precious pencil drawing from smudging and the harmful rays of sunlight, but they have many more uses - such as building up graphite layers to maximise intensity.
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Draw With Mike is a division of MikeSibleyFineArt.com - the Graphite Pencil Studio.

[@BenOrmstad]

This is the best, most thorough video about fixatives I've seen. Great work!

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Ben. I sort of like to know how things work, so I understand them. Then I know what I'm doing and, more importantly, why. And then it makes sense to pass it on. So I'm happy you found it helpful.

[@nihilx1666]

Thanks a lot fot this video, it is very informative and to the point! It also was really nice listening to you, you give off a lot of calmness and have a pleasant voice.

[@drawwithmike]

That's made my day! And thank you for taking the time to let me know.

[@desleighfisher980]

This was awesome - great information explained succinctly and with reasons.

[@cspartz]

Incredible video! You were very thorough and straightforward. Thank you it is perfect. In all my years of art school I’ve never heard of holding the can upside down til air comes out. I will always do this from now on! 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@drawwithmike]

Clearing the nozzle is something you really MUST do. When you don't, dried fixative will clog the nozzle and at best cause spitting next time; and at worst, block it completely. Good to hear you found the video helpful.

[@tayloredart]

Thank you very informative

[@louisebraatz5471]

So glad I found you on here Mike. Your Drawing from Line to Life book is the most helpful and inspiring book I’ve ever owned, the one I’m always and will always refer to. And now I can watch and learn more. Thanks for sharing.

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Louise! I have a long list of subjects to work through for YT videos... but my time is taken up more than I anticipated making the HOW-TO videos for Draw With Mike. Those videos are based on my online courses that are based on the book, so they all tie together.

[@maryriley6163]

Thank you very much for sharing your expertise about workable fixative and telling us just what “workable” means and how to prep a drawing before spraying and through the completion of spraying. I’m so relieved to have this information. I love your drawings. The catnip growing behind the puppy is so well done that I recognized it straight away. You are a very good narrator with a nice, easy sense of humor. I’m going to recommend your tutorial and lovely art to everyone I know.😊

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Mary. Your comment really means a lot to me.

[@lw8281]

Thank you...your explanation for the proper use of fixatives was excellent. The only thing better ... your drawings!

[@drawwithmike]

Thank you!

[@COUNDFOUNDINT]

I’m mighty glad to hear your excellent advice in using fixatives.

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Raymond. Happy to be of help.

[@davidrivas165]

Got your book line to life when I was a kid. Helped so much with shading over the years. Thanks so much!

[@drawwithmike]

"...as a kid"! Now I'm feeling even older than I already am, David :) :) There are plenty more videos to be made for KZbin - hopefully, one a month. Well, that's the plan...

[@davidrivas165]

@@drawwithmike Looking forward to watching them!

[@hArtyTruffle]

Great info. Thanks Mike 👍🏼 Subbed. ✨

[@drawwithmike]

You're very welcome. And thanks for the 'thanks'. 😀 I'll have a new video for you this weekend.

[@alkannahcartwright4984]

Am also an artist .best lesson i have come across by far

[@pedrodavila8927]

Excelente video muy interesante con diferente tipos.de.fijados o fixer yo en lo personal ignoraba varias cosas pero ya me di cuenta Lo importante en sus utilidad Muchas gracias un saludo desde Honduras

[@drawwithmike]

Happy to help, Pedro :)

[@andyhowden7655]

Cheers mate some good info here

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Andy. Happy I could help.

[@landonstahly4070]

Great information! Thank you so much for putting this together.

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Landon. No point in keeping all this stuff to myself :)

[@pranavm5173]

Wow! Thank u so much! U gave a perfect and a detailed explanation!

[@drawwithmike]

Thank you! I like to cut out the fluff and get right to the meat :) And having 40 years experience helps too.

[@dbasser1]

Thank you for this video. Really helpful. Got your book for my birthday and absolutely love it.

[@drawwithmike]

I'm glad you're finding it useful - and thanks for your comments! I haven't time at present to make another KZbin-specific video, but I will reformat an existing one from Draw With Mike for you ASAP.

[@sheilasinghal2922]

Another great video! I've been terrified of fixatives ever since I turned a drawing into a translucent plastic-like sheet when I was in middle school (yep, I sprayed it about a dozen times, until the paper was completely drenched and I was basically high as a kite, haha!). I love the way you cover everything we need to know on any given topic in such an organized and measured way. I just discovered your channel, but I'm going to start telling every artist I know about it. :D

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Sheila. I have more to come - honest! But I'm learning as I go, and making the videos for DrawWithMike.net is taking almost all of my time. Give me a couple of weeks and I'll reformat a DWM video for KZbin.

[@sheilasinghal2922]

@@drawwithmike Yaaay! And thanks for the link. I tried to find it via Google but missed the "Sibley" connection.

[@rhonda5780]

Thank you very much for such detailed explanations. I just found your channel, and your drawings are amazing. I've learned so much.

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks, Rhonda. I wish I had time to post more regularly here, but most of my time is taken up making videos for my own site. But I'll have a new one for you soon.

[@suzannevega2289]

Great, Thank you very much!💓

[@drawwithmike]

Happy to help. And if you get the same thrill as I do when workable fixative removes the shine and the blacks pop.... you're in good company. :)

[@suzannevega2289]

@@drawwithmike 😉

[@carlosgalaviz349]

beautiful rooster

[@drawwithmike]

That would be Horace! Lovely boy. Died of natural causes - replaced by vicious Billy... who was eaten by the fox, along with all but one of his ladies. We now have ten young redheads, who are laying far too many eggs, and no rooster.

[@alkannahcartwright4984]

Great lesson .very educational

[@drawwithmike]

Thanks! :) I'm glad you found it useful.

[@owengarrattwriter]

Gah! Where were you 25 years ago?! I would've saved SO much time screwing around!!! :)

[@drawwithmike]

Yeah... but you learn so much more when you're screwing around. How do you think I found out? See? I was doing you a favour. :)

[@TmHudsonArt]

Just found you...I started doing charcoal studies but i do use white charcoal as well and it does seem to dull down some when fixative has been used. A lot of pastel artists won't use it either for the same reason. Do you think it is to do with brand or application?

[@alkannahcartwright4984]

In your opinion Which kelvin is best to work in with light bulbs, an do you work in high cri? Also it seems like layering with fixative is like glazing in oil painting .

[@MrsCurios]

This was really a great demonstration, thank you! One question, you discarded the Spectralfix because it's manual, and I indeed had bad experience with blobs. Is it possible to pass by the problem by buying an empty aerosol bottle?

[@drawwithmike]

I honestly don't know, because I moved to aerosols and stayed with them. It might solve the spitting problem, but I'm not willing to take that chance. If I've spent three months on a drawing, I really don't want to risk damage by using a possibly unsuitable fixative. I use Winsor & Newtons Workable fixative these days - and I KNOW that works.

[@MrsCurios]

@@drawwithmike Thank you, Sir, I was so much in favor of this non toxic variety. I'll try to get the one you recommend. One of these days your paper will arrive here, cannot wait to see and feel it!

[@TheLittleAwkwardAuthor]

Can you please show a link of where I can bye the workable fixative?

[@drawwithmike]

They're readily available. Look for either "workable" or "matte". I use Winsor & Newton, but there are many other brands. Amazon (UK): www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=matte+fixative+spray The one I use: www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-Newton-Artists-Fixative-Transparent/dp/B000KNJ6J8

[@Dantick09]

How many layers do you use?

[@drawwithmike]

Three for the Cockatoo example - but "as many as it needs" would be more accurate. For simply fixing the final drawing... much the same. A few LIGHT coats, with additional fixative floated lightly over any particularly dark areas. That's not so much to fix those areas as it is to remove, or at least dull, the graphite shine. And that dulling really does make the darks POP!