03 |
WORKING SAFELY WITH OR WITHOUT SOLVENTS |
I tend to avoid using solvents. While solvents have long been popular for thinning paint in initial layers and for cleaning brushes, they are, frankly, the only inherently toxic material in oil painting. All solvents (like turpentine, mineral spirits, and spike lavender oil) produce fumes that are irritating and potentially damaging to humans. Even "odorless" mineral spirits produce fumes and can be damaging to human tissue (eyes, mouth, skin).
If you absolutely must use solvents, you can mitigate the risks by taking serious precautions:
Keep containers airtight: Only open your solvent container just before you're about to dip your brush and close it immediately after. Glass or steel containers ...
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