Artists' fixative vs hairspray?

Question: Artists' fixative vs hairspray!?

I read somewhere that you can use a cheap hairspray for charcoal drawings instead of proper artists' fixative!.!.!. tried it and it worked!. At about 15% of the price it seems a no-brainer - am I missing something!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I always used a mixture of hairspray or fixative at university, depending on the work!. Hairspray is cheaper then fixative and works just as well on a finished piece!. With hairspray (unperfumed is best) you cannot work over the top of the spray if you are wanting to build up layers of work!. also you can loose some of the colour and it can mark the background paper if you are not careful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Fixative makes drawings stiffer, and less sticky, I believe that it protects color a lot more!.!.!. both you should use in a ventilated space!.!.!. (Mostly the fixative, it does bad things to your lungs) The Hairspray doesn't spray as evenly and is stickier and it will stay sticky!. also, it's easier to draw over fixative then it is to draw over hairspray!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hairspray works just as well in the short term, but can cause yellowing of the work with time, so it depends on how much of a masterpiece you have made!.
also, use only the cheapest kind, lot of shellac and no conditioners!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

seems ok A-level art students are recommended it
the teachers say they use it all the time dont see the problem
may not preserve for as long a period as the proper stuff but were talking decades to hundreds of yearsWww@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, hairspray works just as well!. When I used to do charcoal drawings i always used it and never had any problems!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is true :)
and cheaper at where I liveWww@QuestionHome@Com

hair spray!! used it for years as a student!! works better than fix, and loads cheaper!!Www@QuestionHome@Com