7
votes
How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?
Spray fixative should make the drawing more matte as well as protecting it.
You could also try a layer of acrylic matte medium, sprayed or brushed, but that would be a little more involved and ...
- 3,159
6
votes
Accepted
Can an artist use graphite powder made for dry lubricant?
Yes, you can use it if you're careful about the material and the purpose. Graphite, itself, can be purchased virtually pure. It's available in different particle sizes, but the typical graphite ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
Should I spray my graphite drawing with fixative before shipping it or should I advise my customer to spray it when it arrives?
Fixative only takes 5-7 minutes to dry thoroughly. If the graphite drawing isn't sprayed with fixative and is shipped, it could cause smudging once the piece is rolled up.
It can be common for buyers ...
- 1,771
5
votes
Should I spray my graphite drawing with fixative before shipping it or should I advise my customer to spray it when it arrives?
There is no reason to assume it will cause problems as long as the fixative has had sufficient drying time (as indicated on the can or bottle).
You will likely face more problems without fixing it, as ...
- 10.6k
3
votes
How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?
If you use graphite, then you have the properties of graphite: it conducts electricity and it shines.
To make it less shiny after using it, you most likely need to apply a layer of something which ...
- 1,768
3
votes
How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?
There is a type of spray that is often used by film production teams called “dulling spray”. It is a spray that kills reflections on anything, because in movies you DO NOT WANT HIGHLIGHTS.
The spray ...
- 2,812
3
votes
Is it possible that the wood used in newer pencils could be a bit better than old ones from same series? Or wood could degrade with time?
Since you're asking about the specifics of a brand, I took a long and enjoyable dive into some of the information that is quite readily available.
As Stephie mentioned in the comments on the question ...
- 10.6k
3
votes
Accepted
Is it possible that the wood used in newer pencils could be a bit better than old ones from same series? Or wood could degrade with time?
My personal experience is that high quality pencils tend to have better quality wood which can be sharpened easily, while cheaper pencils can have varying quality of wood. Sometimes it's pure chance ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
3
votes
What are the pros and cons of graphite as opposed to charcoal?
In my experience, the biggest difference between the two is controllability.
CHARCOAL
With charcoal it is easy to set up a tonal sketch. Depending on the quality and type of paper, it can be ...
- 10.6k
2
votes
Accepted
What are the pros and cons of graphite as opposed to charcoal?
A short quote from this site:
Choosing Between Graphite and Charcoal
Charcoal and Graphite both bring different properties to your work.
Beginners may find it useful to weigh up the pros and cons of ...
- 1,768
2
votes
Accepted
Are there any pros and cons of using more than 5-6 grades of pencils for a single drawing especially a portrait?
I think this may be a very opinion-based topic, however I'll give what I think is my best take on it. I am married to a proper artist, I studied technical drawing and architecture at school, and one ...
- 303
2
votes
Accepted
Does creating lighter shades from darker pencils actually increase the chances of it getting smudged and smeared?
Yes, it does.
First of all, as fixer1234 mentions in the comments, softer pencils relatively contain more graphite (hence they can produce darker tones). As relatively more graphite is deposited into ...
- 10.6k
2
votes
Accepted
How do I mix charcoal and graphite correctly?
Depending on the paper and pressure you apply to your pencil, when you use graphite over charcoal, you will just scratch away most of the charcoal powder. Fixating the charcoal first won't help much, ...
- 10.6k
2
votes
How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?
Vertruvian Fine Art Studio, an online drawing and painting school has a very good answer to your question, provided by instructor David Jamieson.
The shininess is "burnishing" which happens ...
- 29
1
vote
How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?
Actually I doubt that there's a way to do that. Every drawing medium has its own traits and one of graphite is to be shiny. (To be honest, I like that a lot about graphite, so it's not a bad thing). ...
- 11
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