Title: Section 10: Painting and Drawing | Environmental Health & Safety | Baylor University
Headings: Section 10: Painting and Drawing
Section 10: Painting and Drawing
► Pigments
► Water-Based Paints
► Non Water-Based Paints
► Airbrush, Spray Cans and Spray Guns
► Dry Drawing Media
► Liquid Drawing Media
Pigments
Water-Based Paints
Non Water-Based Paints
Recommendation: During pregnancy and nursing, switch to water-based paints to avoid exposure to solvents.
Airbrush, Spray Cans, and Spray Guns
Dry Drawing Media
Liquid Drawing Media

Content: Pigments
Painters use pigments in oil paints, acrylics, watercolor paints, gouache, encaustic, poster paints, casein paints and tempera. Sometimes commercial paints such as oil, enamel, epoxy paints and automobile paints are used. Paints are pigments mixed with a vehicle or binder. Both inorganic and organic pigments are used as colorants. Dry pigments are especially hazardous because they are easily inhaled and ingested. They are used in encaustic, paper-marbleizing and in the fabrication of paint products, and will be discussed more thoroughly in the section below on pastels. Pigments vs. Hues
Most paints used in Visual Arts do not contain metal pigments and are considered non-toxic. These are most easily identified by the product name. If the paint is described as hue, such as "chromium yellow hue", there is no (or too little to be concerned about) toxic metal contained in the product. Hazards
Poisoning can occur if toxic pigments are inhaled or ingested.