Hair Spray As Fixative

Hello All

Does anyone have any experience of using hair spay as a print fixative? I've just done a few prints and given it a go, it works well and definitely adds to the thing, brings out some extra depth of colour.

Has anyone done this? Does it last or does it cause premature yellowing?

Any thoughts?

Why don't you go to an arts and crafts shop and just buy the proper thing? Who knows what's in hair spray!

Why do you feel the need to fix what should be pretty permanent anyway?

I'd imagine that in the longer term, there will be some sort of chemical reaction between the lacquer and the printing ink. As Ken suggests, I'd pop into the local A & C shop near you. Not sure of any particular brands, but I'm guessing the 3M website would be a good place to look for a suitable product, then go from there.

Popular Aerosol Sealants
Coating brands that have developed followings with digital printers include Clearstar ClearShield and ClearJet, Superfrog Frog Juice, Lyson Print Guard, Bulldog Ultra Coating, Krylon Crystal Clear and UV-Clear and Sureguard and Lacquer-Mat. Other brands that rated high with consumers are Premier Art Print Shield and Preserve Your Memories II Spray.

Hairspray works. An old trick I learnt a long long time ago, in art class at secondary school I think. We used to use it on chalk & pastel drawings. Something I've remember all my life, used it as a fixative on all sorts of similar things included ink on paper

The prints are going to be displayed outside in all weathers and even though, as you say, its pretty permanent anyway, the fixative adds an extra layer of protection, andI agree in the long term it will probably react, but how long is that term?

And as to why hair spray
Dodge, do you have any that have lasted? How long?

I'm guessing you are using L'OREAL HAIRSPRAY - because they're worth it!! (Okay... I'll get my coat!!)

Lasted as long as I 've had them, last time I used it was on CD labels to stop the printer ink smearing. They are white and haven't noticed any coloration. That was about a year ago and they are still fine and unsmeared, I hesitate to put my neck on the line but I imagine it lasts long enough...

Just need to build careful with application, like many similar things, keep a good distance and more light coats rather than one heavy one

It actually IS Lo'real!!

Hairspray must be water soluble or you wouldn't be
able to wash it off!

For outside laminating is probably the best plus seal the
edges with some clear outdoor tape.

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Good point! We'll see, I have some side by side, one naked, one hairspray'd and the last one laminated.
They're out on a local nature reserve pointing things of interest out to the public. Part of a riverside project I'm helping out.

Water does enter behind the lamination by capillary action.
It needs to be sealed.

You can get laminating pouches that are uv resistant and specifically designed for photographs

If you spray a wasp with hair lacquer it stiffens it and it can only glide