Anyone fixed chalk to canvas successfully?

[Jason Bowen]

So I recently did a self portrait which I am very happy about, learnt a lot. But my problem was I chalked out my face on the canvas then came to fix it like i would charcoal and the fixative made my drawing vanish! I ended up trying spray varnish and pastel fixative. The varnish made chalk vanish and the pastel fixative just about worked but got rid a lot of the drawing... is there a way to save all the chalk?

[TessaW]

What pastel fixative did you use? Was is for oil pastels? If it was, that might be your problem. You would be better off using workable fixative to start out.

Curious as to why you are using chalks for your under-painting?

[Jason Bowen]

@tessaw I'm following the way the masters did it. I've tried every way to start an oil and I found chalk to be my new favourite to get everything on the canvas quickly. It is dry pastel fixative... I've since read it's a normal problem. Wish I new what they used 100 years ago I'm sure it would be something simple. I've read they use to fix drawings with boiled milk. But how they fixed chalk no idea.

[TessaW]

Not familiar with the chalk method, I've only done under-painting with thinned oil paint on a toned background, to establish the darks, wiping away light areas if necessary. Were the old masters applying the chalk dry or did they suspend it in some sort of liquid, like water, first?

[Jason Bowen]

They did it dry. Early days they use to draw on paper then prick holes in the drawing and put it on the canvas then tap the chalk through the paper onto the canvas. Then they used the chalk to mass in the lights. Then they would fix it somehow. I'm thinking with a blow atomiser and a liquid fixative of sorts... then you just get painting.... personally I drew straight on the canvas for speed.

[Jason Bowen]

@tessaw the wipe out method is a great way too worked for rembrandt.

[Kevin Longueil]

@jason-bowen Hairspray is what we used in art school (many years ago) the brand of choice was aqua net I believe .......strange but true

[Jason Bowen]

@kevin-longueil haha I'm using it at the moment before I test how milk performs. Thanks

[chrisaakins]

@kevin-longueil hahaha I remember that!