Can I use varnish or spray fixative on oil pastels?

Question

What is the best way to protect my oil pastel artwork without framing it with a spacer behind glass? Are there any brands you could recommend?

Answer 1

I would be inclined to listen to someone from the Oil Pastel Society:  http://www.oilpastelsociety.com/OP%20Pri...

Why create something wonderful and then not give it proper protection?  Once you get the hang of proper framing, it is not that difficult.   I cut my own mats and frame all my own art, including unfixed soft pastels.  

Answer 2

Any good art store will be able to sell you a spray fixative to fix pastels.

It'll slightly dull the colours but with a fixative aplied you can add even more colour to your painting.

Nick

Answer 3

Oil pastels NEVER dry. Since they never dry, there is no fixative or varnish that will keep them from smudging enough that they can be framed without glass.

Retouch varnish in spray form may give some nominal protection, but it is not a final varnish. Test a sample first. Further, I would avoid the use of any other product on top of oil pastels to keep from discolouring them.