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  • #457712
    Patrick1
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        I always wear gloves when working, but inevitably I get small amounts of oil paint on my skin – especially when washing up. It’s especially not good when I sometimes have small cuts on my hands.

        I know that some oil paints contain small amounts of cobalt siccatives and I want to completely avoid this if possible. Are there any oil paints which are nothing but oil & pigment? (nontoxic inert fillers are ok). I heard M. Graham Oils are just oil & pigment – which would be perfect. Any others?

        I avoid real Cobalt and Cadmium pigments – but I’m asking about oil paint ingredients other than pigments (decent pigment toxicity info is not hard to find).

        Similar question about drying oils and mediums – are there any that don’t have cobalt siccatives and are essentially nontoxic for incidental/accidental skin contact? Thanks in advance.

        #643588
        Don Ketchek
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            Since oil paint companies never (or rarely) list any driers or fillers on their tubes or on their websites, i would strongly recommend contacting them directly. Some companies, such as Gamblin, have always answered my questions through their website. Golden, makers of Williamson, are also very helpful in my experience. Harding might be another I would contact. I think you will have more luck with the smaller companies in getting them to respond. If you are that concerned about toxicity, I would not rely on any information posted on an internet forum.

            Don

            #643604
            Ellis Ammons
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                Well.. M. Graham oils are the only paints I could find that had a comprehensive MSDS. MSDS http://www.dick-blick.com/msds/DBH_SDS_01573XXXX.pdf They list all their toxic pigments and paints on one sheet. It’s also a solvent free system so all in all pretty good. I use a limited palette from them which titanium and burnt umber are toxic. Titanium and Burnt Umber have zinc/manganese which I’m not sure it’s an actual health hazard unless you get crazy with it. Zinc is sold as a multivitamin supplement and manganese is normally found in the body and also in some foods. You can look at the MSDS and choose paints from them you feel safe with.

                It doesn’t look so good from other manufactures. I looked at Winsor and Newton and the correct MSDS isn’t listed on Blick. And their website has only a few listed. Not sure if thats intentional to trick you or not. They are supposed to conform to ASTM d4236. Frowny face there. Gamblins MSDS on blick says isn’t warranted to be safe. So you kinda have to take their word for it. :(

                So yea I guess the best you can do is look up specific pigment in the paint that you buy and see if it is toxic. But beware some manufactures use solvents and other toxic additives directly in their paints. Personally I only use M. Graham. I’m not sponsored I just feel it’s the safest and best all around.

                Check out my work in the acrylics Hall of Fame Camellia WIP
                oil and acrylic paintings..

                #643592
                Gigalot
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                    titanium and burnt umber are toxic.

                    They are worrying about Lead content into Titanium white and they put Titanium White to toxic pigment group due to a Lead content, and not because of Zinc White. MSDS is intended and checked for lawyers, not for healthy reading. Unless you get crazy with it.

                    #643605
                    Ellis Ammons
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                        They are worrying about Lead content into Titanium white and they put Titanium White to toxic pigment group due to a Lead content, and not because of Zinc White. MSDS is intended and checked for lawyers, not for healthy reading. Unless you get crazy with it.

                        Alex, zinc is toxic and it’s why it’s listed specifically as zinc. There is no lead in the M. Graham titanium white.

                        The listed substances of M. Graham oil paint that may prove to be a health risk are cadmium, cobalt, chromium, manganese, quinacridones, phtyalocyaninies, walnut oil, walnut alkyd medium, zinc. These substances are found in different paints and are again listed on the MSDS. I use zinc and manganese I don’t feel there is a significant health risk unless I eat it.

                        Of interest is the walnut alkyd medium is certified non-toxic but it produces a laxative effect if ingested. I guess you probably shouldn’t handle walnut oil if your allergic to walnuts either.

                        Check out my work in the acrylics Hall of Fame Camellia WIP
                        oil and acrylic paintings..

                        #643593
                        Gigalot
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                            Alex, zinc is toxic and it’s why it’s listed specifically as zinc. There is no lead in the M. Graham titanium white.

                            They are worry about Lead, not Zinc. I know that for sure. This is a very specific worry, industrial processed Zinc White has impurities into it. After preparing Zinc White from crude ore or from metallic Zinc, Lead impurities goes to ZnO pigment. Therefore, some sort of Zinc White can have 0,5% – 1% of litharge PbO. That was a main reason to add Titanium White to toxic pigments (for Lawyers).
                            I know that because I was talked about such strange thing with guys who knew that problem. You can ask paint manufacturer specialists about such Titanium White toxicity and they will tell you the same thing. I am pretty sure.

                            Medical grade Zinc oxide has no Lead contaminants and widely used in medicine, for baby powders and antiseptic balms. But painting grade Zinc White is not as pure as medical stuff. Therefore, government regulation lawyers decided to put Titanium White (which has always Zinc White added there to toxic group of pigments) for another lawyers to reduce possible troubles with law.

                            #643606
                            Ellis Ammons
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                                They are worry about Lead, not Zinc. This is a very specific worry, industrial processed Zinc White has impurities into it. After preparing Zinc White from crude ore or from metallic Zinc, Lead impurities goes to ZnO pigment. Therefore, some sort of Zinc White can have 0,5% – 1% of litharge PbO. That was a main reason to add Titanium White to toxic pigments (for Lawyers).
                                I know that because I was talked about such strange thing with guys who knew that problem. You can ask paint manufacturer specialists about such Titanium White toxicity and they will tell you the same thing. I am pretty sure.

                                It’s possible I guess. The M. Graham titanium white conforms to ASTM d4236 so anything toxic like lead should be reported. Which it’s not.

                                Check out my work in the acrylics Hall of Fame Camellia WIP
                                oil and acrylic paintings..

                                #643594
                                Gigalot
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                                    It’s possible I guess. The M. Graham titanium white conforms to ASTM d4236 so anything toxic like lead should be reported. Which it’s not.

                                    I said i know that for sure. By fact if you like. If you do not trust, ask directly painting manufacturers about that strange thing. You can’t find that in MSDS sheets.

                                    #643601
                                    Pinguino
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                                        Zinc oxide is not toxic in reasonable quantities. It is used as sunscreen. But unless refined to pharmaceutical grade (unlikely with paints), zinc oxide is likely to contain toxic contaminants such as lead compounds.

                                        Titanium dioxide does not necessarily have much lead or other toxic materials. Depends on preparation.

                                        #643607
                                        Ellis Ammons
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                                            I said i know that for sure. By fact if you like. If you do not trust, ask directly painting manufacturers about that strange thing.

                                            I’ll take your word for it. Personally I’m not concerned with barely trace amounts of lead. I try not to eat it. Thats about as much as I care.

                                            Some people do care though. ASTM D4236 means that anything that can cause chronic health problems.. like lead, have to be listed and proper care instructions provided. So if it does really contain lead someone should complain. Persoanally I don’t live in a bubble so.. meh.

                                            Check out my work in the acrylics Hall of Fame Camellia WIP
                                            oil and acrylic paintings..

                                            #643595
                                            Gigalot
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                                                I’ll take your word for it. Personally I’m not concerned with barely trace amounts of lead. I try not to eat it. Thats about as much as I care.

                                                I can’t comment a reason to do such strange decision. 0,1%
                                                -0,01% lead content into paint is not a problem for me. But may be people must worry about and do not try to use Titanium White oil paint as a food grade additive.

                                                #643619
                                                contumacious
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                                                    Make your own paints. Then you will know exactly what is in them.

                                                    #643616
                                                    p_nathan
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                                                        I directly asked m graham about this a while back, they add some alkyd driers to their regular oil paint. Regarding toxicity, this is what the rep had to say about the results of their toxicologist assessment:

                                                        > The one we use had deemed it non toxic and solvent free for it’s intended use.

                                                        One of Natural Pigments big selling points is their “only oil and pigment” shtick. They might be what you’re looking for. I like how they handle, myself.

                                                        And, frankly, to be completely honest, I don’t worry about non-lead paint that’s been bound in oil. I don’t generally sand my works.

                                                        What is of more concern IMO are solvents; their vapors tend to be damaging to the human body, and getting them on your skin is also often damaging. And there are often flammability concerns with turpentine.

                                                        hobbyist in oil.

                                                        #643608
                                                        Ellis Ammons
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                                                            I directly asked m graham about this a while back, they add some alkyd driers to their regular oil paint. Regarding toxicity, this is what the rep had to say about the results of their toxicologist assessment:

                                                            > The one we use had deemed it non toxic and solvent free for it’s intended use.

                                                            One of Natural Pigments big selling points is their “only oil and pigment” shtick. They might be what you’re looking for. I like how they handle, myself.

                                                            And, frankly, to be completely honest, I don’t [I]worry[/I] about non-lead paint that’s been bound in oil. I don’t generally sand my works.

                                                            What is of more concern IMO are solvents; their vapors tend to be damaging to the human body, and getting them on your skin is also often damaging. And there are often flammability concerns with turpentine.

                                                            they only put alkyd in their fast drying white. As stated its non toxic alkyd anyway.

                                                            Also I looked into Natural Pigments line. They aren’t on Blick. So they aren’t nearly as reputable as M.Graham or W&N. Also I didn’t see “conforms to ASTM 4236” on any of their stuff. So they’re another one you have to take their word for it..

                                                            Check out my work in the acrylics Hall of Fame Camellia WIP
                                                            oil and acrylic paintings..

                                                            #643617
                                                            p_nathan
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                                                                I’m not sure “on blick” is a qualifier for reputability, myself. Boutique shops aren’t always going to be able to sell to major vendors. NP is available in some brick and mortar retails too. If that helps. In any case, I’ve found their paint very nice, as well as their customer support. :)

                                                                re credibility – the entire NP business is built on the idea of “just oil and pigment” – being credible about the materials used. If it came out that they were dinking with their formulations without labelling it or being transparent about it, their business would more or less collapse IMO. I have no comment on their adherence to the ASTM 4236 standard, but I’d be curious as to their official response (but not curious enough to write in and ask).

                                                                hobbyist in oil.

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