A Few Tips on Staying Healthy when Painting with Oils

Tonight I wanted to write about some health issues with regard to painting with oil paints. If you can I hope to just give you some helpful tips on working with this type of medium. First, always paint in a well lighted area. Painting is a very "visual" art and you need to have good lighting to be able to see the colours you are working with. For lighting if you can have some good windows that let plenty of light in and be able to open them for ventilation is great. Have a well ventilated work space for your painting area. If you can open a window or try to use the low odour or odourless turp to clean and thin your paints with. There are water soluble oil paints on the market that you just use water with also. Another issue to think about, health wise, is try avoid skin contact with your paint, especially the cadmium oil paints. Some artist use rubber gloves to protect their skin from exposure to the materials in the paint and the solvents. Another tip to try to remember is to wear clothes you don't really care if you get paint on or wear an apron over your clothes to protect them. If you get the paint on your clothes, I believe it is very difficult to get it out. I got some oil paint accidently on the sleeve on one of my sweatshirts and have never really gotten it completely out after numerous washings. Another health issue is to never put your paint brush in your mouth like a pencil. some people will put the end of their pen or pencil in their mouth (a nervous habit) and this should never be done with your paint brush. The paints would be toxic to you if injested. Another important safety thing to remember is to never light a match or lighter to smoke around the solvent such as turp or mineral spirits. These fluids are highly flammable and you could set fire to yourself and your house/studio. Hopefully this information is helpful.