Non-toxic and low-toxic oil portray solvents are an excellent resolution for anybody with environmental or well being issues contemplating working with oil paints, but the selection between merchandise in the marketplace might be overwhelming. On this information, I’ll discover seven merchandise to find out their differing qualities, from drying time to move, brush mark retention, odor, end, worth for cash, and packaging. For merchandise which will appear very related on the outset, I discovered a compelling diploma of distinction between each.
What’s the Greatest Non-Poisonous Oil Portray Solvent?
Is Oil Portray At all times Poisonous?
In actuality, each substance has a toxicity to a point, even water. The definition of toxicity is the extent to which a substance could cause hurt to the physique. It’s the extent of publicity, the efficiency of a substance, or the dosage that basically units aside the extra extremely hazardous substances that we might typically perceive as ‘poisonous’. For instance, water has a really low degree of efficiency, so it could take a big dosage to trigger hurt to the physique, whereas a substance reminiscent of arsenic may be very potent and solely a small quantity has an impact on the physique.
Typically there’s a false impression that oil paints on their very own have poisonous properties as a medium. In actuality, they’re secure alone, manufactured from pigment, an oil binder like linseed or safflower oil, and typically stabilising components. The ‘poisonous’ side of oil portray comes primarily from the selection of medium you make. With so many various mediums to select from except for conventional turpentine, we’re free to have a non-toxic or low-toxic portray follow if we so select, with out sacrificing oil paint as a medium.
Why Use a Non-Poisonous or Low-Poisonous Portray Medium?
As artists, our well being ought to all the time be a precedence, particularly when long-term circumstances attributable to our supplies might be utterly prevented. Extended publicity to turpentine fumes in unventilated areas might create everlasting well being circumstances, particularly affecting our eyes and lungs. In fact, there are secure methods to color with ‘poisonous’ conventional oil mediums, like working in a well-ventilated room. Nevertheless, a rising variety of folks would like to keep away from the dangers nearly utterly, by utilizing non-toxic and low-toxic mediums as an alternative.
The injury to the surroundings solvents could cause when disposed of incorrectly is extraordinarily dangerous, poisoning waterways and wildlife. Non-toxic and low-toxic mediums step in to considerably alleviate this concern since they are typically much less potent. Many of those merchandise have branding that incorporates phrases like ‘pure’ in an effort to appease environmental issues, but a few of these are nonetheless poisonous, and nonetheless do comprise warning labels about their disposal. For instance, turpentine is a pure substance sourced from the processing of pine resin, however it’s nonetheless hazardous. It’s vital to concentrate on these merchandise, so we are able to deal with them correctly.
Is Non-Poisonous Oil Portray New?
Historically painters have used mediums like walnut oil or pure linseed oil to make oil work in the event that they wished to forego solvent. We’re fortunate now to have an expansive alternative of mediums designed to simulate qualities of solvents that pure oils don’t have, just like the heightened drying time, or thinned high quality of paint dealing with. It actually is dependent upon the end of portray that you simply need to obtain, which I’ll element in my checks.
Are Low-Odour Solvents Non-Poisonous?
Virtually all solvents are made of various blends of hydrocarbon chain polymers, and essentially the most fragrant hydrocarbons occur to be extra hazardous than the non-aromatic hydrocarbons. Low-odour solvents are much less poisonous as a result of a lot of the dangerous fragrant hydrocarbons have been eliminated by means of a technique of refining. It is very important underline that most of the ‘low-odour’ solvents in the marketplace are nonetheless poisonous, and will nonetheless be dealt with like every other solvent. They’ve simply been handled to offer off much less fumes, quite than none. Many merchandise of this kind have added citrus oil to masks the chemical fringe of the core components. I’ll spotlight which of the next merchandise are low-toxic, and the odor they’ve.
Are Any Oil Mediums Fully Non-Poisonous?
Amazingly, one of many mediums I examined is labelled as non-toxic and represents strides in improvement in the way forward for security in oil portray. The one slight downside is that since it’s an progressive product, the ingredient record is deliberately imprecise. Now we have some notes of allergens it could comprise, however in case you want a full ingredient record to be assured in your medium, this medium will not be for you.
Seven Non-Poisonous and Low-Poisonous Mediums – Packaging, Odour, and Toxicity
For this comparative article, I examined seven completely different non-toxic and low-toxic mediums obtainable at this time. I discover it vital to notice their affordability, alongside particulars like odour, and security warnings. Typically bottle design could make it troublesome for sure artists to open merchandise, so I’ll element the sort of lids they’ve too.
Michael Harding Miracle Medium
Sizes obtainable: 100 ml, 250 ml, and 1000 ml
Odour: Gentle – like linseed oil
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
The Michael Harding Miracle Medium is low-toxic, secure to journey with, and produced from plant components. It doesn’t have an effect on the drying time of oil paints in any respect and evaporates utterly. It has a light-weight, non-intrusive odor like faint linseed oil. The bottle has a security lock cap, which takes some strain to click on open. It is available in three sizes and is relatively on the costlier finish of those merchandise. When it comes to allergens, it’s unsafe for these with a soy allergy. The components record is secret, however we’ve got affirmation that it’s 100% derived from vegetation and incorporates no palm oil. It’s value noting, that as a model new product, the long-term results of utilizing this medium might not but be recognized.
Gamblin Gamsol Odourless Mineral Spirit
Sizes obtainable: 125 ml, 500 ml, 1000 ml, and 3780 ml
Odour: None
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
Gamblin Gamsol Odourless Mineral Spirit is a low-toxic solvent, designed particularly to be a safer oil portray medium in school settings. It’s low-toxic as a result of almost all of the dangerous fragrant hydrocarbons have been eliminated in order that lower than 0.005% stays. It’s designed to quickly velocity up the drying time of oil paint, and amazingly, is totally odourless. The bottle has a security lid that takes some strain to click on open. It is available in 4 sizes, and price-wise is relatively within the center vary of those merchandise. It’s produced from petroleum distillates.
Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent
Sizes obtainable: 500 ml, 1000 ml, and 2500 ml
Odour: Gentle – like turpentine
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent is strictly what it’s titled – a low-odour solvent. It’s a safer various to turpentine and white spirit as a result of most of the dangerous fragrant hydrocarbons within the solvent have been eliminated. It has a fast drying time and is designed for portray and cleansing. To open the product it’s important to twist the highest off of a plastic pouring tube that pulls out from the can. On first impression, it’s on the troublesome facet to open and shut, however with use, it turns into simpler. It is available in three sizes and is the most affordable per ml of all of the merchandise I’m reviewing.
C. Roberson & Co Studio Protected Orange Solvent
Sizes obtainable: 250 ml, 500 ml, 1000 ml, and 2000 ml
Odour: Medium – orange scent
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
C. Roberson & Co Studio Protected Orange Solvent is a low-toxic solvent, with citrus oil added to offer it a noticeable orange scent. It has a fast drying time and is designed for portray and cleansing. It has a warning label for environmental hazards (so is poisonous to marine environments) and a ‘Dangerous if swallowed’ warning. The bottle has a security cap which takes some strain to click on open. It is available in 4 sizes and is on the decrease finish of the value vary per ml.
Dimension obtainable: 500 ml
Odour: Very Gentle
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
Langridge Solvent 75 is a low-toxic solvent, produced from petroleum distillates, with just about no scent. There’s a slight trace of solvent odor very shut up, which doesn’t journey into the air. The bottle has a security cap that clicks down and solely is available in one measurement. It’s on the decrease finish of the value vary per ml.
Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner
Sizes obtainable: 118 ml and 236 ml
Odour: Sturdy – lavender
Toxicity: Label says Non-Poisonous
The Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner is designed to be a brush cleaner however works properly as a portray medium too. It’s produced from pure components, particularly lavender, which supplies it a robust floral odor. Since it’s an progressive product, the ingredient record is deliberately imprecise, and this medium will not be for you if it is advisable to know the complete ingredient record earlier than you begin utilizing it as a portray medium. Because it doesn’t comprise petroleum distillates, the bottle comes with a screw-off cap, as an alternative of a security lock. Each Chelsea Classical Studio merchandise are the simplest to open on this choice. It’s on the higher finish of the value vary per ml.
Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil Essence
Sizes obtainable: 118 ml and 236 ml
Odour: Sturdy – lavender
Toxicity: Low-Poisonous
The Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil Essence is a low-toxic medium that has been used for the reason that Renaissance. It performs equally to turpentine however is barely oily to make use of. This product additionally has a robust lavender scent, which is as much as desire. I discover it very nice and never headache-inducing. This product additionally has a traditional screw high lid and is the costliest of the merchandise I’m testing.
Staining/Yellowing Check
For my first take a look at of the non-toxic and low-toxic mediums, I utilized each to my Jackson’s Oil Paper alone, to check for any staining or discolouration left behind by the product itself, earlier than I attempted it with any paints. Practically each medium dried utterly clear, with no ghost impression of the place the product had been utilized. The one one which left a slight impression was Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent, however that is so slight it could have virtually no impact on an precise portray. When it comes to drying time, Gamblin Gamsol was undoubtedly the quickest to the touch dry, with the slowest being the Michael Harding Miracle Medium. The remaining have been all contact dry inside a day.
It’s value noting that the slowest drying mediums are likely to have a better flashpoint (which means they’ve decrease flammability), and this implies they’ve extra time to unfold out and trigger ghosting. Nevertheless, it does make the solvent safer within the sense that it’s much less flammable and fewer evaporates into the air at any given time. This info might be discovered within the SDS (security information sheet) for every solvent.
Non-Poisonous and Low-Poisonous Solvents with Opaque Oil Color
I examined mixing and making use of each medium with an opaque oil paint, to distinguish between their end and dealing with. For this take a look at, I used Jackson’s Skilled Oil Color in Indigo. Seeing them subsequent to one another, there are a number of variations between the manufacturers. The next observations are from two days post-application.
Michael Harding Miracle Medium is essentially the most slick, shiny, and moist of all of the samples. It feels nearly as contemporary as after I utilized it two days in the past. The brilliance of the Indigo color is nice although, and the payoff is strongest on this pattern. This outcome might be as a result of it evaporates slower than the opposite mediums on this take a look at, so, over time, it could have a end barely nearer to the others. The Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent is contact dry, and matt in end. The C. Roberson & Co Studio Protected Orange Solvent is cheesy to the contact, with some sheen. Langridge Solvent 75 has dried down utterly and is matt in end. The Gamblin Gamsol may be very matt and contact dry as properly, and has been since yesterday. It’s simply the quickest drying of all of them and leaves the pigment with no sheen in a short time after software. The Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner is contact dry however has retained some sheen. Lastly, the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil is contact dry and has a stunning shiny end, enhancing the color.
Between checks, there isn’t an enormous variation within the opaque color checks in brushstroke retention, as they largely dried evenly. We will see some brushstrokes within the checks that retained sheen, whereas the matt ones are extraordinarily flattened.
As soon as they have been all totally dried down after per week, a lot of the merchandise made the paint matt in end. The one exceptions are the Michael Harding Miracle Medium and the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil. That is spectacular, with out combining these non-toxic mediums with any further oils.
Non-Poisonous and Low-Poisonous Solvents with Semi-Clear Oil Color
Subsequent, I carried out the identical take a look at however with a semi-transparent oil paint – Magenta. I used to be curious to see if the outcomes after two days can be any completely different from the opaque color, and general, I discovered all of them to have dried down faster, with typically much less sheen. This time the Michael Harding Miracle Medium was cheesy to the contact and glossy. The Jackson’s, C. Roberson, Langridge, and Gamblin mediums have been all contact dry and matt. The Chelsea Classical Studio Brush Cleaner was contact dry too however with some sheen, whereas the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil was contact dry and really shiny.
When it comes to brushstroke impact, we are able to see rather more within the semi-opaque checks. I feel that all of them have retained some impressions from the comb, with the Gamblin Gamsol retaining the least. I feel the Jackson’s, Michael Harding, and Roberson mediums all held a comparable medium degree of brushstroke retention. Essentially the most outlined of the dried-down brushstrokes have been in each Chelsea Classical Studio merchandise, and Langridge Solvent 75.
After per week and totally dried down, once more solely the Michael Harding Miracle Medium and Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil remained shiny in end.
Non-Poisonous and Low-Poisonous Solvents with Clear Oil Color
To finish the trifecta, I additionally examined every medium with a clear oil paint – Inexperienced Lake. In brief, each pattern was already contact dry and matt in end after two days of drying time. From testing the mediums with these three opacity ranges, it’s very clear that it has an enormous impact on the drying time and end in interplay with every of those mediums.
Within the clear Inexperienced Lake, we are able to see the best instance of brushstroke retention in every medium. Every product has at the least a medium degree of brush marks left within the dried samples. I’d say, nevertheless, that there are examples right here of the pigment not drying down evenly distributed. To my commentary, I feel that the Chelsea Classical Studio merchandise, Michael Harding Miracle Medium, and Gamblin Gamsol have essentially the most even distribution of color.
Distribution and Move Check
For my subsequent take a look at, I wished to see how every medium dealt with and appeared when spreading a really small, single dab of paint, throughout a much bigger floor space. I realise that for a few of these merchandise, it is strongly recommended to not use the medium in this sort of ratio with oil paint, however I wished to push the mediums to actually reveal their differing properties in a stark means. For every pattern, I used one dip of the comb in medium, with a tiny quantity of paint, which I’ve painted an instance of on the sheets. I used Cobalt Teal for these checks, which is opaque.
When it comes to evenness of distribution, the Michael Harding Miracle Medium and Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent dried down essentially the most evenly, with few brush marks, intently adopted by the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil. The Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner has a small enhance in brush marks. I feel the Gamblin Gamsol, Langridge Solvent 75, and C Roberson & Co Orange Solvent have excessive ranges of brush mark retention, with the Gamblin Gamsol having essentially the most uneven end.
When it comes to move, the Michael Harding and each Chelsea Classical Studio mediums have been essentially the most slick to color with and will have continued masking a bigger floor space.
Activating Pre-Utilized Paint
For my remaining take a look at sheet, I wished to see how every medium carried out when used to unfold a blob of paint that had already been utilized two hours prior. I wished to simulate what it could be wish to be actively engaged on a moist portray, and utilizing every medium to maneuver an space of pure paint that had already been utilized. I dabbed the same-sized small blob down the left-hand facet of the sheet, and unfold each to the appropriate in a single stroke, with a single dip of medium.
From my commentary, I discover that the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil is the perfect performing, each within the depth of color within the brush stroke, and evenness. The Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner and Gamblin Gamsol each did a superb job when it comes to the depth of color, however I discovered the end to be barely irregular. The Jackson’s Pure-Sol Low Odour Solvent, C. Roberson & Co, and Langridge Solvent 75 are comparable in evenness and barely lighter in end.
As in all my checks, the outcomes are as ‘good’ because the end you want to obtain along with your portray. I received’t say {that a} quick or sluggish drying time, or matt or shiny end is preferable as a result of it actually is dependent upon what you want your oil mediums to do. It’s startling how a lot selection might be present in the identical oil colors when they’re dealt with with completely different non-toxic and low-toxic mediums. Personally, I’m very excited by the outcomes of the Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Spike Oil, with its fast drying time, nice floral odor, and customarily shiny end. Hopefully, this information provides you all the data you might want when deciding on your individual solvent.
Additional Studying
Chelsea Classical Studio: Renaissance Recipes for Fashionable Painters
A Information to Studio Security
Langridge Solvent 75 and Protected-Clear-Up
Solvent Security Information: Taking Care With Oil Paint Solvents
Store Oil Portray Solvents on jacksonsart.com
