All you need to know about Pastel auxiliaries
One of the specific characteristics of a pastel painting is its velvety appearance. Fixing the painting will change this appearance, depending on the amount of fixative. If too much fixative is applied, the colours darken from one moment to the next and even then the painting is not smudge-proof. For the sake of specific appearance, there are painters who do not fixate their work at all and therefore accept vulnerability. A safe way is to lightly fixate each layer of applied pastel in between with Talens concentrated fixative 064. Depending on requirements, the last layer can either not be fixed or also lightly fixed. There are also painters who do varnish their work heavily, taking into account the darkening of the colours. This, of course, requires experience.
A fixative cannot be used indefinitely. If too much fixative is applied, the colours darken from one moment to the next and even then the painting is not smudge-proof. For the sake of specific appearance, there are painters who do not fixate their work at all and therefore take vulnerability at face value.