Compositions and methods for printing on specialty media are disclosed. The methods comprise the steps of providing a fixing fluid, providing a dye- or pigment-based ink-jet ink containing an effective amount of a polyvinyl(alcohol-acetate) species, jetting the fixing fluid onto the specialty media forming a coated substrate, and jetting the ink-jet ink onto the coated substrate. Additionally, a gelled printed image on a substrate is disclosed comprising a fixing fluid containing a fixing agent and an aqueous ink-jet ink containing a polyvinyl(alcohol-acetate) species. In both the method and with respect to the image, the polyvinyl(alcohol-acetate) species used can be a known species, or one of a number of new graft copolymers containing a polyvinyl(alcohol-acetate) polymer as one of the constituents of the copolymer.