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12" x 9" Graphite pencil on Paper

This is a pencil sketch from one of last week's live portrait sessions. Any sketches I make using dry mediums - graphite, charcoal and sometimes pastel - are sprayed with something to make them smudge resistant. That something is workable fixative. A light coating of fixative helps protect the drawing, and allows you to work on the drawing more if you want.

Damar varnish, which also comes in spray cans, is a heavier application used to protect dry oil paintings.

When I went to spray the sketch shown above with fixative, I accidentally grabbed the varnish instead. I realized the mix-up as soon as the drawing was sprayed. No harm done, really, but I probably should check the labels of whatever I'm using before one day I mistake damar varnish for something like air freshener or deodorant. It has that fresh piney scent, to be sure, but damar varnish isn't something you want a lot of personal contact with!

For more about drawing sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "sketching" or "drawing."