Wow, I got a lot of great info about paint safety! First of all, if you're really interested, you might check out the Painter's Keys - they have in-depth discussions about everything art.
Otherwise, things to keep in mind:
1. Even if you use Gamsol or other oderless solvents, you still need to use good ventilation
2. It's a good rule not to eat or drink in the studio
3. When pigment mixes with liquid (esp solvent) it is better able to get under the skin and into the blood stream, so if you get a lot of it on you, wipe it with something dry first, then wash your hands
4. For everything else, wash your hands religiously!
5. There are lots of glove options including "nitrile exam gloves" which don't suffocate hands so much, and gloves in a bottle, or just try getting a size too large
6. Another option for cleaning brushes, besides walnut oil (which can also be used as a medium) is plain vegetable oil
7. A safer alternative to oil paint is water-mixable oils - they don't have the same cadmiums and other harmful stuff, but then your colors won't be as bright...
Thanks everyone, for your input!
5 comments:
For cleaning my brushes I use Johnson´s Baby, probably more expensive than vegetable oil (3 €, in Spain).
The colors in this painting are just stunning! Wow!
Hey Carol,
Just one comment on point #7. The water mixable oils do contain the same cadmiums and come with the same harzard warnings. The difference, and I'm citing the Winsor Newton website is,
"The linseed oil and safflower oil vehicles have been modified to allow the colour to accept water, creating a stable emulsion, while retaining the working characteristics of conventional oil colour."
So, you can avoid using solvents for clean up but still need to be mindful of getting it on your skin.
I've been using the water mixable oils for about 2 years now and get good results although I think I'd be slightly happier with the traditional oils.
Thanks for all the great info and love the painting...very powerful color combos!
Laurie
wow, the colours really make the piece glow! fantastic!
Holbein Duo Water Mixable Oils now have cadmiums.
Post a Comment