Painting with oils and safety?

[Mary Sparrow]

I have a little happy news to share, I am expecting baby #3! But have a few safety concerns, and I am sure I am not the first woman painter in this dilemma.

Currently I work mostly in oils, I have at least five commissions waiting to be done, all in oil. Basically all I use are oil paints, some liquin and or retouch varnish and mineral spirits. However, I know these are hazardous and I need to find good alternatives while I am pregnant. I really need to do these, as they are my income.

Are the Gamblin products safe enough for me to use? and which ones do you suggest I use to replace the liquin and mineral spirits.

Does anyone know anything about the water mixable oils? Would this be a safer alternative?

Any guidance would be appreciated, I didn't have to worry about this last time I was pregnant because I was in the middle of an adoption as well and just didn't have time!

Thanks,
Mary

[Marvin Mattelson]

First of all, congratulations. I

[Michael Georges]

Ya know Marvin, I make a great salad dressing with turpentine, blood orange vinegar and olive oil...no just kidding!

Mary: Regardless of what the rest of us do, Marvin is absolutely right - this has to be perfect, so don't take any chances.

Talk to your doctor before you use any oil painting products, ventilation, ventilation, ventilation, and definitely use products that are touted to be safer than traditional oil painting materials. Don't eat or drink while you are painting. Wash your hands often, and please have a healthy baby!

[Susan Ballinger]

I don't have any advice, but I just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!!

Be sure to take lots of pictures when he/she is born with one source natural lighting. Ha ha! My little girl has been such a great model for me- she's celebrating her 1st birthday this weekend.

Susan

[Karin Wells]

DON'T EVEN THINK of using traditional oil paints, thinners or mediums while you are pregnant!

NO, Gamblin is NOT safe enough!

Consider Genesis to get through your backlog of commissions...see postings elsewhere. But contact them first and get a manufacturer's safety data sheet (called an "MSDS"). If there is any concern whatsoever about painting with this product, don't use it and ask your clients to wait.

So what if you lose some clients, a healthy baby is more important than a painting...don't take any chances (most especially) in your first trimester.

[Renee Price]

This has been an issue for me recently, too. I am not pregnant unfortunately, but I have a rare degenerative nerve disease. I have noticed that I have gotten much worse since I have been painting more often. I have recently consulted a nutritionist because modern medicine is not working. He suggested getting rid of all toxins in my environment. I like the idea of substituting baby oil for turpenoid, but I use a LOT of Liquin. What is a good substitute for that? I don't want to switch from traditional oil paints, so should I just avoid all paints marked with CL?

By the way, trying to live without chocolate is its own h***.

Renee Price

[Marta Prime]

Renee,

I've mentioned this in other threads, but I picked up some Walnut Oil after reading about it in one of William Whittaker's posts; it really is nice to work with. Although Liquin makes things dry quicker, I like working with the Walnut Oil, it works equally well as a medium and I like it a lot better than baby oil for the brushes. I am still experimenting with Neo-megilp, but for your purposes, Walnut Oil is at least totally non-toxic, unless of course you are allergic to walnuts! I've picked up so many wonderful ideas and suggestions from the full-time professional artists on this site. Sometimes they themselves don't agree, but I just kind of sift through and experiment and find what works best for me. Some suggested Poppyseed Oil too, but I've never tried it. Oh, and working with these oils doesn't give you that "airplane glue buzz" from the smell either!

[Jean Kelly]

First: Congratulations, Mary! Have a happy and healthy baby.

Second: Marvin, baby oil? I tried it tonight and it worked just fine, thank you, thank you, thank you. No smell, no dried up, awful feeling hands. And my brushes looked fine!

Gratefully,
Jean