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Painting without solvents ?

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GuerrierdeRohan:
Hi Socko47,
sorry for the delay in answering, and thanks for the 2 pages. I have many books on painting (not about painting flats) and indeed, as you say "Her statement about cooking oil surprised me".
As Hannibal pointed out, solvents are not that dangerous, except perhaps if you have been a chain smoker (as I was).

Best Regards,
Jean-Marc

socko47:
Jean-Marc,
   I just opened a recently purchased book on painting. Portrait Painting Atelier by Suzanne Brooker.
Attached are two pages from her book. Her statement about cooking oil surprised me. Murphy’s soap or dishwashing soap I’ve heard before.

Hannibal:
OK! I use odorless commercial white spirit since years; I have suffered of cardiac issues (triple bypass) due to food, fat and stress, rather than toxic effects in my body and I am chemist and feels in good health at 77... But I close the little metallic device containing WS when not using (only open a few seconds), not keeping a large glass contaioner in front of me all the time of painting ... and I use WS or turpentine to dilute oil paint instead of oil, as it dries faster, allowing two or three painting sessions a day.  (When sun shows up, I let the flat dry half an hour to one hour in the sun, before starting the next painting session....).


We are all subjected to micro-particles, plastic, noise, stress at work, smoke, gas and car fumes in cities ... this solvent issue on some sessions of painting is not a major contribution to health degradation, I believe [size=78%] and would not force me to wear a gas mask to paint with oil paint of Humbrol vapours and diluents.[/size]
[size=78%]But I understand professionals painters should have a concern to enxgtended esposures and could use small ventilators to expell fumes, if necessary or paint in open spaces, not in tiny rooms.[/size]

Henry:

Hi, I can add that, for the same safety concerns, I'm willing to try orange turpentine instead of Venetian turpentine, that is, basically limonene, a food additive https://www.atamanchemicals.com/d-limonene_u24225/


I still have to give it a try, so I don't have the results yet. Anyhow, turpentine (or mineral turpentine, or white spirit) which is much more toxic than Venitian turpentine, should not be used as an oil color medium, as it will not allow the pigment to last over time. Instead, Venitian turpentine is a resin extracted from pine trees. Accordingly to oil painters, the only usage for turpentine/mineral turpentine/white spirit in oil painting should be for washing brushes at the end of the painting session... (Winsor and Newton are selling a more stable version, they say, anyhow, supposed to be used as part of a medium, not as the only medium...). See, like herein, for further reference https://thepaintbox.com.au/2021/07/13/the-paintbox-guide-to-solvents/

Hannibal:
Also if you wish to (re) consider: When looking at Spanish painters of flats, I think that most of them use acrylics with a talent making us admire and jealous...  [size=78%]](see Spanish shows galeries).[/size]

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