If you've ever finished a pastel drawing and smudged it with your sleeve minutes later, you already understand the job fixative spray does. Fixative spray for pastels, charcoal and soft pencil work (sometimes sold as a drawing sealant) is a fine mist that settles into the surface of a drawing and holds loose pigment in place, so your work survives handling, framing and time. Pastel and charcoal sit on top of the paper rather than soaking in, which is why even a light knock can lift pigment and dull the finish. A good fixative does more than stop smudges, though. It also helps guard against fading and discolouration, so it's really part of caring for a piece you want to keep for years rather than a quick tidy-up at the end.

Reworkable vs permanent fixative: which do you need?

The main decision you'll face is between a reworkable and a permanent fixative, and the names describe exactly what each one does. A reworkable fixative sets the layer you've drawn so far while still letting you draw, blend and build on top of it afterwards. A permanent fixative locks the work in place for good, sealing the surface so nothing shifts.

Neither is better in the abstract. They suit different moments. Reworkable fixative is the one to reach for mid-piece, when you want to protect a busy underlayer before adding more charcoal or pastel on top without disturbing what's underneath. Permanent fixative is the final seal, applied once you're confident the drawing is finished.

Fixative spray for pastels, charcoal and pencil

By medium, soft pastel and charcoal shed the most pigment, so they gain the most from fixing, whether that's mid-work or as a final coat. Graphite pencil is more stable but still worth sealing on detailed or heavily worked drawings where the graphite can burnish and smudge. Coloured pencil usually needs the least, though a light final layer can even out patchy sheen.

Our own Artway fixative spray is reworkable, which makes it a flexible default. You can use it to protect stages as you go, then again as a final layer once you're done. If your process involves building up layers, that flexibility is genuinely useful rather than a compromise.

How to apply fixative spray

Getting a clean, even result comes down to three habits:

1. Work in a well-ventilated room. Open a window or step outside. The mist is fine and you don't want to be breathing it in.
2. Hold the nozzle 20–30cm from the artwork. Too close and the spray pools and darkens the pigment; the right distance keeps the coat even.
3. Apply in several thin layers rather than one heavy pass, letting each layer dry before the next. Thin coats protect the work without flattening the texture of your pastel or charcoal.

A quick caution: fixative sprays are flammable and can irritate the eyes, so keep them away from naked flames and avoid spraying towards your face.

See it in action

Protect your work

If you're ready to seal a piece, our fixative spray is reworkable, so it works as both a mid-drawing guard and a final seal across pastel, charcoal and pencil.