alternative to solvents?

[usmafia86]

My current studio space has very poor ventilation. I haven't been painting with oils for this reason, because the fumes become unbareable. I remember hearing that certain cooking oils (vegetable, canola,etc.) are good alternatives to solvents. Is anybody familiar with this?

[Andrew]

Outside of a small quantity of turpentine that I use in my medium formulations, my oil painting is solvent free.

I typically clean my brush in either linseed oil or walnut oil, then with soap and water at the end of the session or painting if I can keep enough continuous work on it to leave them sit with out a wash.

Works great, and my brushes last longer.

Andrew

[wsrea]

I agree with Andrew and would add that you don't want to use "cooking oils." I don't know that the walnut oil sold in a health food store for cooking is the same as the walnut oil sold in an art store (although I don't know it isn't, either).

I'd hesitate to eat food cooked in oil from an art store; I'd also hesitate to use cooking oil in a painting I'm spending a bunch of hours on--what if it never dries, colors migrate, etc?

[knoxawe]

Most cooking oils are non-drying oils and would ruin an oil painting. A lot of people work solvent free, using linseed, walnut, poppy, or stand oils to thin and clean their brush.

[Einion]

Hi, welcome to WC and the forum.

Originally Posted by usmafia86

I remember hearing that certain cooking oils (vegetable, canola,etc.) are good alternatives to solvents. Is anybody familiar with this?

For what purpose exactly?

Originally Posted by usmafia86

My current studio space has very poor ventilation. I haven't been painting with oils for this reason, because the fumes become unbareable.

Just as a general thing, this probably indicates that you're leaving a container of turps/spirits open continually while you work which is something you can tackle directly. Other than capping the solvent when it's not in use you can switch to a low-odour variety of mineral spirits (which are materially safer in two interrelated ways) for some jobs without having to forego spirits entirely.

Einion

[dirtysteev]

I use very little solvent in my studio. I use safflower oil from the grocery store for washing out my brushes, and for getting paint off of my hands. Safflower oil is on the higher end of the semi-drying oil spectrum, and is used extensively in paint formulation. Minute amounts that might creep into your paintings will not be detrimental. Warm water and murphy's oil soap for final clean up.

[Use Her Name]

If this is for cleaning brushes, there is linseed oil soap and pink soap and other non-toxic, non-ester type cleaners at art stores. You can also use artist's linseed oil to clean brushes. You can also use dish-washing detergent, or other soap to clean brushes. Do not use non-drying oils because eventually they will cross contaminate a painting.

Thinning paint is another matter. You might think on oil over acrylic techniques.

[usmafia86]

Thanks, you've all been very helpful.

[maleaco]

Can we order these things offline or only an art store?

[generallaserfist]

I used cooking oil to clean oil paint off my brushes and it works

[Basalt]

I've used citrus solvent instead of mineral spirits to thin out Tung Oil for wood finishing. Actually got it from here:
http://www.realmilkpaint.com/citrus.html
now I see it at Home Depot. Also used it for removing paint.

How it affects Archival Quality of your work is another story.

[Five]

If you don't mind spending a little more money, you can use alcohol (Everclear) for thinning your paint. I use it in my oil paints and for washing in colored pencil and pastel.

[FloatingDove]

Great Idea Five...Everclear is 150 proof, real alcohol. I haven't seen it here, but, they do sell 100 proof Virginia Lightening corn whisky moonshine, one of the few legal moonshines made in the USA. I think I am off to experiment.

http://www.southernliving.com/travel...0417000070779/

PS I really like your master reproductions, good job.