The following text is a list of
mediums used in drawing and painting.
They are accompanied by their
potential
hazards and precautions.
Dry Drawing
Media: charcoal,
pastels
Pencils: These are now made with
graphite, not lead. Colored pencils have
pigments, but these are in such small
amounts that they are not a risk.
Charcoal: Charcoal is usually
made from willow or vine sticks, where wood
cellulose has been heated without moisture
to create the black color. Charcoal, when inhaled in large amounts,
can cause chronic lung problems. A lot of inhalation comes from blowing
on drawings to get the excess charcoal off.
Graphite: Like charcoal, graphite
offers no significant hazard, but inhalation of
large amounts of it over years of use
can cause a benign pneumoconiosis. Graphite and charcoal create dust
that is heavy and falls the ground easily.
Colored chalk: The main hazard
of chalk is dust, it can aggravate dust
allergies.
Pastels: These are made of
pigments bound into solid form by a resin.
Inhaling pastel dust is hazardous.
Some pastels contain toxic pigments
such as chrome or cadmium (see pigments).
Again, blowing excess pastel off of drawings is a major way in which people
inhale the dust.
Crayons and oil pastels: These
are safer than pastels, since they do not create
dust. Oil pastels can contain toxic
pigments, but they are harder to ingest in this form. Oil pastels
are basically pastels with added oils and waxes to eliminate dusting.
Oil pastels have pigments, linseed oil, and wax. Crayons are made
of pigments, fillers, and wax. Conte crayons use high quality pigments
with clay and wax.
Permanent and workable spray fix:
These both contain toxic solvents. There is
a high exposure risk here, since they
are sprayed. You can inhale the solvents, as well as the plastic
fixative itself.
Precautions:
Use the least dusty pastels
and chalks. People with asthma might want to use oil pastels rather than
regular pastels.
Spray fixing should be done in a spray booth. If that’s not available, you can use them outside, but use a respirator with organic vapor cartridges and dust and mist filters.
Don’t blow off your drawings. Instead, tap them so that dust falls to the floor.
Wet-mop and wet-wipe all surfaces – do not sweep first! This will send the dust back into the air.
Keep solvents, which can occur
in inks and markers, off of your skin, and use them in a ventilated area.
Liquid Drawing
Media: Water & solvent-based pen and ink, felt tip markers
Permanent felt-tip markers:
These do contain solvents. Xylene is the most
Markers: These do not have
inhalation hazards, but there has been concern
Precautions:
Alcohol-based markers are less
toxic than solvent-based markers.
Solvent-based drawing inks
and markers should be used with ventilation, like a window exhaust fan.
Do not apply markers or drawing
inks directly to the skin. Pigments can be organic or non-organic.
Organic pigments are made from natural sources such as madder root, or
they are synthesized from organic chemicals. Inorganic
pigments come from the earth (ochres). They come from minerals or
can be manufactured from metals or minerals.
Pigments can be poisonous if they are ingested.
This can happen through
Toxic Pigments The following are
known or probable carcinogens:
Moderately toxic pigments:
Precautions:
Do not eat, drink, or smoke
in your studio.
The names on the tubes may
not always tell you which pigments are in the paint. Try to get MSDSs
(Material Safety Data Sheets) on your paints.
Use the least toxic pigments
available, do not use lead or carcinogenic paints.
Avoid mixing dry pigments!!
This is the easiest way to ingest a lot of dangerous substances. If you
need to do this, do it inside a glove box (a box with a plexi top and holes
in the sides for arms) or inside a fume hood.
When using dry pigments, wear
a respirator and wet mop all surfaces.
Do not use dishes, containers,
or utensils from the kitchen to mix and store paints and pigments.
Water based paints: Watercolor,
acrylic, gouache, tempera, casein
Non-water based paints: Oils,
encaustic, and egg tempera
All solvents cause defatting of the skin
and dermatitis from too much exposure. Turpentine can cause allergies
and can be absorbed through the skin. Inhalation of turpentine, mineral
spirits, and other solvents can cause narcosis, which includes symptoms
of dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, nausea, fatigue, loss of coordination,
coma, and respiratory irritation. Odorless mineral spirits are less
harmful since the aromatic hydorcarbons have been removed, but still require
caution.
Solvent safety & Precautions:
Citrus and pine solvents, while
safer, can still cause irritation to the eyes and skin, handle them with care.
Try to set up your workstation
3 feet from a window that has a fan at work level and pulls vapors away.
Techniques involving solvent washes
need a lot of ventilation, because a lot of solvent will evaporate in a short
period of time. Acrylic paint washes are a good substitute for an underpainting
(rather than solvent-based oil washes).
Wear neoprene gloves when cleaning
brushes with solvent.
Baby oil can be used to clean
paint off your hands, followed by soap and water.
Pregnancy: Do not use any
solvents, switch to water-based paints.
Things That
Spray: Fixative,
spray paint, varnishes, adhesives Precautions:
When possible, brush rather
than spray!
Try to use water-based rather
than solvent-based paints and inks.
Use spray cans in a spray booth
when possible. Make sure there is nothing that can cause ignition (electric
switches, motors, flames) within 10 feet of the booth.
If you cannot find adequate
ventilation, use a respirator. Try a respirator equipped with
dust and mist filters for spraying water-based paints, and a respirator with
organic vapor cartridges and dusts and mists prefilters for solvent based paint.
1. Keep your materials out of
eating and living areas, and do not eat or smoke in the studio. There
are many artists who eat while they work , and this is an easy way for toxins
to enter your system. Some foods can even attract vapors, so even if you
do not get materials directly on your food, it is possible to ingest harmful
things just by having food and materials in the same space. There
have been many cases of poisoning because of this.
2. Do not chew on paintbrushes,
and be aware of touching your face or mouth with your hands when working with
pigments or other hazardous materials.
3. Keep your hands clean.
This sounds obvious, but it’s important. Keep pigments and solvents off
of them. When you wash your hands, use mild soap. If the soap isn’t
enough, try baby oil or a waterless cleaner. Never use any kind
of solvent to get paint stains off of your skin. Make sure you clean under
your fingernails, it’s very easy for substances to hide there.
4. Keep a set of studio clothes,
do not mix them with your other clothes, and wash them often and separately.
A auto-mechanic style coverall is a good example, it covers most of the body
and they can be found in thrift stores. Also, have a separate pair of
shoes for the studio.
Inks: Most drawing inks are
water based, but watch out for solvent-based inks.
These can contain toxic solvents.
common ingredient, it is a highly toxic
aromatic hydrocarbon. Some pens have propyl alcohol instead, which
is also toxic. Inhalation can come of using a lot of these at close
range for extended periods of time.
about the dyes used in them.
Use water-based inks and markers
whenever possible.
Pigments are colorants that are mixed
with a vehicle, or binder, to create paints
and pastels. Dyes and pigments originally
sprang from natural products like berries, roots, minerals, and insects.
Pigments are found in most paints and some pastels. Oils, acrylics,
watercolor, gouache, encaustic, casein, and tempera paints all have pigments.
Dry pigments are the most hazardous since they can be inhaled easily.
eating, drinking, or smoking while handling
materials. Even brushing your hand against your mouth, in a moment
of deep thought or disgust, can transfer pigments. Spraying, heating,
or sanding objects with pigment on them can also lead to ingestion.
Poor working habits and constant contact with pigments can cause chronic
exposure.
Antimony white (antimony trioxide)
Barium yellow (barium chromate)
Burnt umber or raw umber (iron oxides,
manganese silicates or dioxide)
Cadmium red or orange (cadmium sulfide,
cadmium selenide)
Cadmium yellow (cadmium sulfide)
Cadmium barium colors (cadmium colors
and barium sulfate)
Cadmium barium yellow (cadmium sulfide,
cadmium selenide, barium sulfate, zinc sulfide)
Chrome green (prussian blue, lead chromate)
Chrome orange (basic lead carbonate)
Chrome yellow (lead chromate)
Cobalt violet (cobalt arsenate or cobalt
phosphate)
Cobalt yellow (potassium colbaltinitrate)
Lead or flake white (basic lead
carbonate)
Lithol red (sodium, barium and calcium
salts of soluable azo pigment)
Manganese violet (manganese ammonium pyrophosphate)
Molybdate orange (lead chromate, lead
molybdate, lead sulfate)
Naples yellow (lead antimonate)
Stontium yellow (strontium chromate)
Vermillion (mercuric sulfide)
Zinc sulfide
Zinc yellow (zinc chromate)
Alizarin crimson (lakes of 1,2-dihydroxyanthaquinone
or insoluble anthraquinone pigment)
Carbon black (carbon)
Cerulean blue (cobalt stannate)
Cobalt blue (cobalt stannate)
Cobalt green (calcined cobalt, zinc and
aluminum oxides)
Chromium oxide green (chromic oxide)
Manganese blue (barium manganate, barium
sulfate)
Prussian blue (ferric ferrocyanide)
Toluidine red (insoluble azo pigment)
Toluidine yellow (insoluble azo pigment)
Viridian (hydrated chromic oxide)
Zinc white (zinc oxide)
Keep paint off of your hands
and skin. Wear good gloves when coming into contact with paints containing toxic
pigments.
These all have pigment hazards.
Acrylics may have ammonia in them, which can cause eye, nose, and throat
irritation. Acrylics and some gouache have small amounts of formaldehyde,
some people are allergic to this.
All water based paints contain a preservative
to stop mold growth; this can cause allergic reactions.
These paints use linseed oil, way and
egg as binders. Solvents are used as a thinner and for cleaning.
Solvents are used in almost every kind
of art material. They are in paints, varnishes, inks, and thinners,
in aerosol spray products, felt tip pens, glues and adhesives. The
word “solvents” refers to liquid organic chemicals used to dissolve solid
materials. Some solvents are: turpentine, acetone, and kersosene.
Solvents are used because of their ability to dissolve resins, plastics,
and other materials, and because they evaporate quickly.
All solvents are toxic in liquid and vapor
states. There are no safe solvents.
When you can, replace turpentine
and mineral spirits with less toxic odorless mineral spirits.
These are really hazardous, since they
are so easy to inhale. Sometimes
spray paint can contain solvents as well
as dangerous pigments, so it’s doubly bad. Aerosols contain propellants,
(isobutanes and propane) which are very flammable. Do not spray this
stuff with a cigarette in your mouth.
Toxins enter the body in three ways,
they are:
1. ingested into the digestive system
2. inhaled into the respiratory system
3. absorbed through the eyes and
skin