Title: Oil Paints — How Safe Are They? | Artists Network
Headings: Oil Paints — How Safe Are They?
Oil Paints — How Safe Are They?
Q. I’ve heard people say that painting with traditional and water-soluble oils poses health hazards for the painter. Some say even people with whom the painter comes in close contact, such as family members, are at risk. Just how safe or unsafe are oil paints?
1. Drying Oils
2. Stabilizers
3. Soaplike Substance
Safe-Use Practices for Oils
Q. What safety precautions should I follow when painting with oils?
1. Keep paint and solvents off your skin.
2. Paint in a well-ventilated area.
Waste Management for Oils
Q. How can I safely dispose of oil painting materials?
How to Use a Solvent Can
What to Do When the Solvent Can is Full
LEARN MORE

Content: Remove the inner basket from the solvent can containing the pigment waste. Pour the pigment sludge onto a flat piece of aluminum foil folded around the edges to create a shallow pan. Make sure you support the foil with a palette or sturdy piece of cardboard. Let the sludge dry outdoors in a safe place that won’t be disturbed. Fold the aluminum foil around the dry sludge, and take it to your local waste processing facility for disposal. Many counties have paint and hazardous waste reclamation programs for properly disposing of these types of materials. Another option is to let the paint waste dry and then mix it with an alkyd medium to make a paint-like material that you can use to tone canvases or panels for future paintings. With an adequate, well-ventilated space and a waste disposal method that limits solvents escaping into the studio, a family can live safely with an oil painting artist. LEARN MORE
FREE download: Learn oil painting basics with Mediapedia: