Master Oil Painting with Toxic Free Mediums

[@cherylannhillsartist]

I absolutely appreciate this video. I've been working solvent free for several years now using walnut oil based paints and the pure oil as "thinner" and I will never go back to using solvents of any kind. My work is bright and vivid and my studio is safe. Thank you for taking the time to explain this to so many. This myth of oil paints being unsafe needs to be dispelled.

[@pepa1420]

What do you use to clean brushes and palette? Thanks

[@cherylannhillsartist]

@@pepa1420 I use Dawn dish detergent to clean brushes. I paint everyday as its my profession so I rarely "clean" my palette. Its more akin to scraping off what's there if I'm changing the palette colour scheme.

[@creativesolutionstoart]

I’ve seen walnut oil and recently learned about safflower oil being another alternative that may dry a little quicker, but what is “pure oil“? Is it thinner more a kin to OMS? Thanks :-)🎉🎉

[@zuzanazuzana7419]

Ďakujem vám za užitočné rady.BOH vám žehnaj.Ste zlatý a úžasný.Želám vám veľa úspechov a radosti v živote.

[@melbendigo]

Another nice, non-toxic medium, similar to Oleogel, is Art Treehouse Walnut Gel. It's water-washed walnut oil and silica. I love it! I probably use too much...

[@geslinam9703]

I was a lucky kid, with parents that encouraged me and sent me for art lessons starting at age 8. By 12 I was painting in oils, and though the box set we had to buy (wooden paint box with all the basics) included a bottle of linseed oil, we only used regular turpentine as a medium in classes. No oil mediums. When I’d paint at home, I loved LOVED the feeling of painting with linseed oil - but found it yellowed as it dried. It was fun painting again as an adult, and trying out all the other different mediums available. I know it’s wrong, but I especially loved the mediums that made the paint dry faster. PS I know what you are saying about liking the smell of turpentine. It’s nostalgic to me. As for the dangers, I spent my teenage years breathing in turpentine, before the odorless ones were available, and covered in oil paint, including cadmium. I was a messy painter. I held brushes I wasn’t using between my teeth, always had paint under my nails... people would be staring and say “what’s that blue stuff on your ear??” Anyway, I’m still alive.

[@rockclimberErin]

Wow! Thanks so much for all the info! I'm just starting out with oil painting. I'm so glad that your video popped up.

[@leonienolan511]

Iv been using water mixable oils and I love them

[@chrisgriffith1573]

I have come to the same conclusions you have about mediums, and Natural Pigments was the first I'd come across who'd explained the issues with many mediums in a way that was clear to understand. Thinners and solvents degrade the paint film and can destroy adhesion qualities. Not to mention the impact of fumes on our body... I am getting away from anything other than linseed oil products in terms of mediums, and even using that sparingly. By using them sparingly, I can manage to push the boundaries of the paint rather than rely on faster mediums to allow glaze techniques as a crutch. My knowledge of paint and color space has increased as a result!

[@enewman411]

Awesome video thank you. I’ve been trying to remove solvents from my practice. I want to try that Oleogel now!

[@croketback715]

Geneva paints are the best for toxic free no medium painting. So much pigment and oil already in the tube. Thank you for the video!

[@masteroilpainting]

I've heard several artists who like Geneva paints. I haven't tried them because of the clove oil they add to their paints to slow the drying time. I'm glad they're working well for you, though.

[@croketback715]

@@masteroilpainting Yes they take forever to dry. Unfortunately they have gone out of business and stopped production.

[@dianeo]

Thank you!! I have searched high and low and you are the only one who answered my specific questions! Much appreciated.

[@tonicamino6366]

Thank you very much for this very useful info!!! Do you use Gamsol to clean your brushes with or something else? Do you use a protective varnish overtop of your finished paintings? If so, what? I read "varnish...is not a necessity. A fully cured oil painting dries to quite a hard surface and the oxidized oil creates a protective film over the pigment..."

[@masteroilpainting]

Great questions, Toni. First, I use Turpenoid Natural to clean my brushes. During the painting process, I rarely clean them. Instead, I wipe my brushes on a rag or paper towel while painting. That can be troublesome, though, especially for new painters because the value or color temperature of whatever paint is in my brush can affect the next batch of paint I mix or try to apply to my painting. One of the benefits of working with a lot of thick paint strokes and applications for the first 10 years of my career is that it gave me a knack for knowing when I could have free reign with a 'dirty' brush and when I should clean it before mixing a new batch of color. Those moments when I do clean my brush during a painting is when I want that particular brush, and I want to apply a completely clean color to my painting - for example, painting a translucent yellow flower petal when my brush has a dark lavender color in it from a previous mixture. For most leaves, grasses, trees, and similar subjects that in nature are alive with a mixture of values and color shifts, I don't worry about cleaning my brush because the precision of value or color is not as important. Now, after a painting is finished, or if my the paint in my brushes is starting to dry out, then I will clean all of my brushes with Turpenoid Natural and then use a rag or paper towel to squeeze the excess out of the bristles. I no longer do any other cleaning of my brushes. Most soaps remove the natural conditioning oils from the brushes. Turpenoid Natural will dissolve old dried paint and effectively keep my brushes conditioned so they retain their shape better. To your second question - I seldom varnished my paintings for the first 20 years of my career. Over the past 15 years, I've read and researched extensively and decided it is better to varnish than not for two reasons: 1. Today, varnishes are superior to the Damar varnish I made and used through the 80s and 90s. They are easy to remove with mineral spirits instead of the much more toxic turpentine. They contain UV inhibitors which add a layer of sun protection. Now, it could be argued that my paintings won't be valued for centuries in museums, so why does it matter, and I would respond that UV inhibitors are a minor benefit in my mind, but it's a benefit nonetheless. The huge benefit for me personally is that they can be applied sooner. That idea is controversial among artists and art supply manufacturers. Gamblin states that Gamvar, which is what I use, can be applied once the painting is touch dry - dry enough that if you swipe a brush over it while varnishing, it will not break the skin of thicker paint. That, for me, is crazy convenient because I often need to get my paintings out to a gallery within weeks, not months. So, I no longer hesitate to varnish my paintings within a week or two, depending on how dry the thick paint strokes are. Others argue that varnishing so soon is detrimental to the painting. The problem is I have yet to see compelling evidence or research to back that up. So, I suggest you follow your own instincts until something is proven one way or the other. The primary reason to varnish a painting is so decades down the road if dirt and other environmental debris accumulate, the varnish can be easily removed without affecting the painting at all. Then varnish can be reapplied with all of the original colors and values intact. One other reason I varnish my paintings is to create a more uniform glossy surface so my paintings reflect the way they looked when they were first painted. I like the glossy wet look of oil paints because I love saturated colors and values. A good varnish helps reinvigorate any painting area that might look matte or sunken once the paint dries. I've sold hundreds of paintings that were not varnished, and none have been returned to me by collectors complaining about the paintings suffering from the lack of varnish. But I've seen older paintings occasionally that could benefit from a varnish sprucing-up because they looked a bit dry and matte in spots. Some artists like their paintings to dry matte so they avoid varnish. Or they varnish their paintings with Liquin because it lessens the glossiness. That becomes an aesthetic decision and is not a decision of one being better or worse. If that's the case, they would be better served using a matte varnish instead of the other two options. Please avoid using Liquin as a varnish because it bonds permanently to the painting and is not removable with mineral spirits if it needs to be cleaned. I hope the book I just wrote is helpful.

[@mshelthy]

Thank you so much for your insight and suggestions. I am a beginner who stopped classes years ago, then recently decided to get back to painting. I am so confused at all of these mediums. Thank you for your suggestions of keeping it simple. It will be much more affordable as well. Thanks again!

[@Juliettaishere]

Awesome thank you so much! This is great advice on how to stay healthy as an artist!

[@lurklingX]

SO HELPFUL!! I’ve basically created notes incorporating all the information I could find regarding oil paints and the possibility of even getting to use them. Like most people I have a room and can open a window, and have a fan, but with some of these chemicals it wouldn’t be enough to keep the room safe, and I have to use this room when company comes over, and I don’t want to murder them with fumes. Lol 😂 this video and the other one you created nine months ago have been key! Thank you thank you thank you!

[@lurklingX]

Here’s a summary for folks!: • use paint straight from the tube • use high quality brands to make this work better (Michael Harding, Old Holland, Rembrandt, Natural Pigments/ Rublev, Gamblin) • if you need some fluidity, use a little walnut oil or Oleal Gel (not sure on the spelling). • underpainting- use Oleal Gel, (or acrylics! Another vid recommended. Then use oils on top without issue.) • clean brushes with Turpenoid Natural, or Safflower oil (some color might be left though)

[@saki_lao]

Glad to have stumbled upon your video (and channel). I had this exact question in my mind for a few weeks now and was happy to know your insights about it. I currently use oil paints straight from the tube whenever I paint and this was what my fine art teacher taught me a few years back. I did not question why it was so. 😅 Now, after watching your video, I understand why she taught me that way. ❤

[@thijack]

I make my own hand refined linseed oil which I add calcium carbonate to. This extends my colors and helps it cure throughly. I use a small amount of the hand refined linseed oil in the beginning to wet my surface then use the paint straight from the tube. I used the unrefined linseed oil to remove color from my brushes at the end of the session. If I am going to not paint for days i wash them with a natural soap which not only cleans the paint thoroughly out but leaves them soft.

[@jcookie9448]

This was super helpful! Thank you for de-mystifying mediums. One thing that worries me as a beginner are "which mediums/oils can combust?" (e.g. linseed oil on rags/paper).. Or is there a risk for all drying mediums/oil paints? I might try the walnut oil in the future but I'm gonna take your advice and try to paint from the tubes at first just to get started. Because I haven't even started yet!

[@masteroilpainting]

Linseed oil is what you hear about mostly in the news causing spontaneous combustion, but as a working artist for almost 40 years I know of only one artist who's studio caught fire from oily rags. Most of the fires you hear about in the news are from hardware store linseed oil used for furniture. We artists rarely use enough oil to cause combustion. If you're worried, I'd recommend a metal trashcan made specifically to prevent or contain combustion. It's also helpful to empty your studio trash regularly. If you ever use mineral spirits which is usually generally highly flammable, make sure it's Gamsol. They've removed all but .005% of the aromatics (the harmful part) and made it safe enough that it can be transported by plane. If you decide to use any type of medium, be as clear as you can about why - most effects in oil painting can be achieved without mediums. Often they are simply a habit we fall into without really knowing how it's helping our work or process. I do use M Graham's walnut Alkyd Medium when I want a layer to dry more quickly. But mostly, I've been using just paint straight from the tube for the bulk of my career. For many years I did use Gamsol for the initial wash layer, but now I prefer watercolor to create the initial washes. Watercolors work great on an oil or lead primer and oil paint can be applied over it almost immediately since it dries so quickly. Watercolor is far superior as an underpainting than mineral spirits or acrylics.

[@bethanyneck9137]

Artists be careful, Oleo Gel has benefits and limitations ... Oleo Gel is great if you paint quickly, blending layers before 'a skin' has formed. Once it forms a "skin" if you paint a second layer of paint using oleo gel, the second layer can' pick up' or cut through the first layer and lumps, bumps and wrinkles may appear under the surface. I only noticed this was occurring in areas I was painting where I needed a smooth surface, on a river. I couldn't detect the problem on the cliff and sky images, as they were rich in color and texture. I had to throw out the painting. I rang the manufacturer, who explained that Oleo Gel can cut through an underpainted layer if its 'skin' has already formed. He suggested my style of traditional painting is more suited to traditional mediums (refined linseed or Sunflower & a bit of White spirit) that allow paint surfaces to successfully blend. Oleo has dryers and is great for immediacy, a one off application. I may also have used too much of the gel medium. I'd still use Oleo Gel for quick one layer outdoor or impressionistic paintings, as its fluidity and gloss properties are really excellent. Bethany

[@fabricioceppi]

Great video! Over the past year, I have been gradually eliminating solvents and mediums from my painting process. Not only has this change been beneficial for my health, but it has also significantly enhanced the quality of my artwork. Currently, I rely on walnut oil as my primary medium. Although it requires more patience and a refined technique, the results are truly rewarding. Additionally, I find it helpful to leverage the unique characteristics of each pigment. Many earth pigments, for instance, have fast drying properties. Consequently, I incorporate them into my mixtures whenever possible. Some examples include Raw Umber (Pbr7), Burnt Umber (Pbr7), Iron Oxide (Yellow Py42 and Red Pr101), and Azo Green (Py129).

[@AD-zy4qw]

Thank you for your video series. Can you provide some usefull suggestion for a good oil paint to start with? Presently, I paint in acrylic, but I am interested in oil paint, and I am conserned with toxicity. What's your opininion on using safflower to cleaning your brushes?

[@crystalrassifineart]

I only use walnut oil as my medium, and an acrylic under painting. But artists need to watch the fat over lean rule and not use oil as as a “thinner” because then you’re doing lean over fat and the paintings crack. But, there’s a new product called Eco-Solve paint thinner from a company called “Natural Earth Paint”. I’m tempted to try it. I’m also curious to know how you clean your brushes if you don’t use solvents..I have my technique but like to hear from others…

[@renadaniels8222]

Thank you for sharing my name is Rena Daniels. Iv being over my head about finding a oil of medium to paint, Now I'm going to paint just from the tub of oil paints. Big thanks

[@rondriessen8603]

Wonderfull insights thanks!,.. just what about the white oil paints,.... zinc white for example,.. there is somewhat toxic right,.. it says so on the tube also

[@sweetslasherart]

Hi!!! Thanks so much for all the info and tips! I'm about to start oil painting and I have already prepped my gesso board. I actually wanted to buy walnut oil but I've read that it could burn the rag on its own? Could you please shed light on that? I live in a tiny studio and I don't have good vents. How do you keep your walnut oils and how to properly discard the rags? Thanks much!

[@lilliankoponen9760]

Thanks for the great vid! I like to use Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel with Natural Earth Paints Eco-Solve as a “spirit” (which is plant-based & vegan) - it’s great for those initial washes and also it’s good for washing the oil paint out of the brushes b4 using The Masters brush soap for the final wash. Have a tube of Oleogel which now I’m psyched to try. Also recently playing around with Liquin (outside only!) cause just curious to see whatit’s all about. Going to subscribe to this channel!

[@gregmeissner9960]

According to gamblin (and the SDS sheet), there are no mineral spirits in their solvent-free liquid. Alkyd is a plastic resin that can be mixed with triglycerides, and does not necessarily require distillates.

[@masteroilpainting]

Great to know Greg, thanks! When I asked how they created alkyd mediums without solvents they said it was proprietary info. I've tried the solvent-free gel but not the safflower alkyd medium. I love Gamblin paints, but wasn't especially thrilled with the gel (maybe the lousy experience I had with the Galkyd medium biased my experiment). I now use the Walnut Alkyd Medium by M Graham and find it very useful for both studio and outdoor painting - although I still use only a small amount.

[@elisabethseeger5837]

Solvent free gel from gamblin had a kind of plasticky film character in the palette but was wonderful for getting the paint out of my brush.

[@acwatercolors]

Great video thanks! Sorry, I'm from France, what do you mean by Olio gel ? Did you have any brant to indicate please ? I don't know what does it refer to. !

[@masteroilpainting]

I'm sorry that I didn't clarify that. The medium is Oleo Gel from Rublev (Natural Pigments art materials). I rarely use it. I mostly use paint straight from the tube, but two products I'm experimenting with from the same company are Impasto Medium and Pale Drying Gel. I experiment quite a bit and I encourage all artists to do the same. Find what works well for you and your techniques.

[@acwatercolors]

@@masteroilpainting Thank you so much for details! I come from watercolors, and I see oil painting as a udge different world (I just bought WMOils years ago, but have never really deep in oil world..). But your video really gave me courage as we can make it pretty simple, straight from the tube :) I just painted today and it was challenging but quite fun. Thanks for giving me motivation to go with oils ! I subscribed by the way :)

[@robertfay1150]

Very helpful. Thanks. Wonder if you have any alternatives to varnishing finish panting .

[@egbabydesign]

Thank you!!!! I haven't been using oils, I switched to gouache because keeping a toxin free environment was important to me, still painting but raising children as well. I love M.Graham gouache which then led me to their solvent free oils. I recently purchased some and I'm learning to paint differently. I used to use a lot of medium, lots of glazes and building up layers. It's what oil paint can do but gouache never could. I have some samples of M.Graham's walnut alkyd and walnut oil, but it's definitely going to be a different way of painting. My underpainting ended up so thick and I can't really refine it until it dries. I'll check out the oleo gel too, while I continue learning to cut back on mediums.

[@janinacooper4199]

Fantastic video! I just found your channel and appreciate all the information. I’m on the path of figuring out if I can use oil paints in a nontoxic way without sacrificing versatility.

[@kenharrison440]

Great vid! I like the amount of education you are giving fellow artist. Please do more true education. You have a great speaking voice. Thank You, Ken

[@squarz]

Underrated channel

[@youareamazingyesyou5880]

great video! do you use soap then to clean your brushes?

[@nielsdahl2022]

Hi , thank you for a fantastic video 🙏🏻 are you suggesting using Oleo gel as a paint thinner in the beginning of the painting ?

[@lindegold7481]

what are your thoughts on VASARY?

[@billurnurdan2980]

So how are we gonna oil out? wıth oleo gel ? please ınfırm me .I am a begınner and I m really allergıc

[@MarioLorentz23Art]

Thanks for this video. I'm trying to get back into painting and don't like all the fumes from terpenoid and any other products. I didn't know you could paint straight with just the paints out of the tube. I'll give that a try.

[@creativesolutionstoart]

What technique would you use when keeping all this in mind for painting à la prima or wet into wet? Have you tried other oils besides walnut oil that may have a thinner texture, such as fractionated coconut oil? Thinking of experimenting with that it has a similar consistency to turpenoid

[@CARLOSFRANCO1000]

Interesting job my dear Bill Inman ...♫♫♫ congratulations. Happy week....♫♫♫

[@KristinaBailey-iu6ve]

Thank you for this! You answered pretty much all of my questions :)

[@abdulmuizchulan214]

I do feel a bit reluctant using liquin...mainly because of the price and how it contaminate my brush washer.....but is it more practical for me to use it? Or do you think i should just paint without it?

[@cmeblu75]

This may have been answered, sorry for being too lazy to read comments, how do I clean my brushes? I bought oil paint and am too afraid to use it bcuz gamsol gives me a major headache and idk what else to use.

[@rhyannonp8231]

if you use olieo gel in the wash/under painting stage (to make a grisaille) , is it okay to use linseed and alkyd in the following layers for the glazes?

[@masteroilpainting]

Great question Rhyannon. It's recommended to use faster drying pigments/mediums underneath slower drying. If you're painting alla prima (all in one sitting or before the first layer dries) then you'll be fine. If you let one layer dry before adding the next, if you don't let it dry thoroughly, it's possible the next alkyd layer could dry so much faster that the first layer causes the second layer to crack as it contacts and expands during the longer drying process. In reality, I don't know how often it causes problems, but you might want to experiment with a small panel you don't care about. Natural Pigment has a lot of info on their site that might help you decide.

[@MajorIllustration]

Thank you! How do you clean your brushes?

[@vt3649]

Nice post but Galkyd and solvent free gel are two separate mediums. Galkyd contains solvent and Solvent free gel doesn't. You were mentioning them as if they were the same.

[@annamariavonschalien9346]

Thanks so much this was comforting to hear ♥

[@julstvn]

Hello,i am very new to oil painting world. Medium makes me confuse so much. i'd like to ask about the non toxic medium. As you mentioned that walnut oil can be used as an alternative to it. Could i use like the pure walnut oil on the stores rather than an artist grade one? Because i couldn't find the artist grade in my country

[@tangiblepress]

This is all great. I am still confused about alkyd mediums including walnut oil alkyd. Are alkyd mediums so non toxic that they can be used in a small enclosed space as an example? I read that there are chemicals used in their production that make them less safe than pure oils. I am someone that has an extreme reaction even to gamsol ( so do not use). Thank you.

[@lisengel2498]

Great video and very basic advice - use good Oil paints straight from the tube and if you want the paint a little bit more fluid maybe a little bit of medium e.g. olieogel or just a little bit of walnut oil or linseed oil but most important use good oil paint preferably straight from the tube. Cleaning the brushes - wipe them off with kitchen paper, and clean with soup. 🙏🌺♥️

[@cheekyauschick]

Love this soooooooooooooooooooo informative....New to oils this is invaluable for a newbie...:) Thank you for taking the time to produce this.

[@tonicamino6366]

Agree with you, this helps so much for starting & keeping things easy.

[@azarart2085]

If we don’t get solvent with what we should wash our brushes? What about solvents like gamsol for washing your brushes? And can we use it as paint thinner as well? I planning to get only two mediums for oil paint one Gamsol for washing brushes and as a thinner and walnut oil and I really need your opinion on it

[@The_Youtube_Winner]

he used turpenoid natural and so do i. it’s AP safe and non toxic and not bad to inhale. cleans great and protects brushes. he uploaded a video about it because he likes it so much. i work at michaels and it isn’t really available there, if ever. so you have to buy online. also water and soap works well too but doesn’t always protect as well as turpenoid natural and doesn’t get the deep deep oils from the ends of the bristles out. and don’t clean your brushes every time after you use them. best practice is to actually leave the oil in your brush often and clean them when you need to switch colors. wiping them off and switching colors usually works best. or better yet have brushes you use for darker colors and brushes for lighter colors so you have to clean even less. for general cleans use soap and water. every once in a while you need to really deep clean your brush, and in that case use the turpenoid natural for the reasons listed above. sort of expensive so don’t overuse. will easily last a year though, depending on how much you paint.

[@novepipps]

So helpful, thank you! Love your vibe.

[@user-aymanzone]

if Oleogel is fat, then how can I use it to paint the first layer of a portrait ? (I'm thinking about lean over fat rule)

[@pablotapiafineart]

Calcite Sun Oil technology created by Louis Velasquez (Tad Spurgeon has modified and expanded it too)... powerful stuff... all natural, nontoxic and prepared by you..

[@mooingkat9514]

what is a toxic free alternative to liquin impasto?

[@SamuelJohnUy-ku4gg]

May I visit your art studio sir? Where are you located here in Indiana?

[@janerosexia747]

Great! Finally I found this video. Thank you very much.

[@raylawrence4927]

Thank you for this video I have turp and linseed oil and every time I paint I would get sick horrible head aches once the smell is in the room you can’t get it out!

[@maryketch3526]

What do you use to clean your brushes?

[@The_Youtube_Winner]

he uses turpenoid natural and so do i. it’s AP safe and non toxic and not bad to inhale. cleans great and protects brushes. he uploaded a video about it because he likes it so much. i work at michaels and it isn’t really available there, if ever. so you have to buy online. also water and soap works well too but doesn’t always protect as well as turpenoid natural and doesn’t get the deep deep oils from the ends of the bristles out.

[@michaelafernandes74]

Hi there, I'm wondering if you have suggestions of how to varnish textured palette knife oil paintings? I know the spray varnishes that are available, but am looking for a non-toxic option. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@elisabethseeger5837]

I got really sick from using Gamsol which I loved

[@lifewithjanie3368]

Great information and real advice. I’m curious if you’ve tried the Chelsea non-toxic products such as spike oil and their brush cleaner solvent?

[@masteroilpainting]

Hi Jane, sorry this reply took so long. I have a couple of the Chelsea products, including their brush cleaner, but haven't used them yet. They seem like an excellent company overall. The brush cleaner smells great, like a yoga eye pillow. Although, I haven't used their spike oil, I tried Natural Pigment's spike oil. I would be leery of it if you're concerned about health. I would consider Gamsol safer than spike oil. The spike oil is a solvent and the aromatics have not been removed like they have with Gamsol. It doesn't evaporate at the rate of Gamsol or Turpentine, but it's still an evaporative solvent. When I used it as a medium in my studio my face flushed and felt prickly, and I decided to avoid using it going forward. Possibly, only using a few drops would be alright, but I like things in my studio that I'm not concerned about leaving in an open jar while I work. The amount they use as an essential oil for aromatherapy is a much smaller amount than we generally use as artists. Their website lists it as non-toxic while also stating 'All essential oils/solvents should be used appropriately and with ventilation and common sense usage.' Common sense tells me that something 'non-toxic' is safe even if we breathe the fumes. So, I'm leery of their brush cleaner as well since my brush cleaner (Turpenoid Natural) sits in a large container without a lid. Walnut and Linseed 'oils' don't emit any toxic fumes, so I'm not sure why they list oils in the same sentence as solvents when it comes to fumes. Oils do oxidize, and emit fumes, but they are not the toxic aromatic fumes that we avoid from solvents like Turpentine, Spike Oil, and Mineral Spirits. Gamsol has less than .005% of the aromatics left - it's really not very dangerous for our health. Some individuals are more sensitive to it and develop allergies to it, but some people develop allergies to peanuts, cats, grass, and dust - that doesn't mean we should all avoid those things. The more I study the toxicity of materials the less inclined I am to avoid Gamsol while staunchly avoiding spike oil.

[@blessedtoquest]

What is your favorite brush cleaner that's as non toxic as possible?

[@The_Youtube_Winner]

he used turpenoid natural and so do i. it’s AP safe and non toxic and not bad to inhale. cleans great and protects brushes. he uploaded a video about it because he likes it so much. i work at michaels and it isn’t really available there, if ever. so you have to buy online. also water and soap works well too but doesn’t always protect as well as turpenoid natural and doesn’t get the deep deep oils from the ends of the bristles out.

[@blessedtoquest]

@@The_KZbin_Winner found that video. Thanks!

[@nadia_arte]

Where can I find this oleogel? Thanks for this video!

[@nikkinikki4403]

Does oleo gel smell at all? I use gambol and galkyd and always get headaches even with ventilation

[@tombeast17]

No thinner would surely mean spending a fortune on paint to get large coverage? Also tends look like you're dry-brushing no?

[@UncleTerry]

That would depend on the thickness of the paint right out of the tube. There are thinner paints like Geneva oil paint. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3bHaaJojLmqaMk

[@kreamysoaps]

Turpentine is an essential oil from the pine tree. I would use it over any other solvent.

[@masteroilpainting]

I certainly understand, turpentine is so much nicer to paint with than mineral spirits. I avoid it because the fumes are highly toxic, but every artist needs to determine their personal goals and what will help them achieve those goals. Besides creating beautiful artwork, strong brain and body health is one of my goals.

[@creativesolutionstoart]

Have you heard of Chelsea classic studio products? They use spike lavender as a solvent… And The linseed and Walnut oils are of A higher quality… Great information in this video, thank you!

[@montygemma]

I've heard of their products and they're very expensive. I'm sure their walnut oil is highly refined but I've been buying it from Asda for £1.90 for 250 ml and reading the ingredients it says just walnut oil, no additives. It dries after a while and I have paintings 5 years old done with it, no problems no yellowing. One of the first lessons my tutor taught me at art school was don't go to an art shop before you've been to a hardware store first. I soon realized that when the art shops were trying to sell MDF painting panels for £20 each but with a trip to Wikes or B&Q I could buy enough MDF to make 7 of them for that price.

[@e.g.1218]

Chelsea's Spike Lavender is not really Spike Lavender, it is lab made with other chemicals, and very strong.

[@kikibiddy2927]

Would you consider WINSOR & NEWTON ARTISAN WATER-MIXABLE OIL FAST DRYING MEDIUM (yes I copied and pasted lol) toxic and not good to use at home?

[@masteroilpainting]

I've never used it Kiki, but I downloaded the Safety Data Sheet. The medium contains 2-BUTOXYETHANOL which can be absorbed through the skin and is considered toxic. If you look at all of the mediums they have for the WMOs some say non-toxic and others don't. If you are trying to stay away from toxic materials I would definitely avoid the Fast Drying Medium. I am especially leery of anything that will absorb through the skin. That is what makes Turpentine even more dangerous than mineral spirits - Turps not only absorbs through our skin but it helps take other toxic pigments from the paint with it, while mineral spirits does not. Of course, I avoid mineral spirits as well because of the fumes, but even the fumes are much less harmful than Turpentine. I've never been a fan of WMOs so I'm probably not the best resource for them (too much bias against them after trying to help students who were using them). And now that you've shown me the complicated mediums they have for them I'm even less of a fan. I just don't see any advantage to Water Mixable Oils and I find plenty of disadvantages.

[@qam1la]

I will love that water soluble oils like cobra an artisan will be the only ones existing

[@larakempreusch1769]

Thank you! This was super helpful.

[@stevecaudell8609]

I use a 50/50 mixture of linseed oil and alkyd only take a couple drops and increase with each layer.

[@masteroilpainting]

That sounds like a good alternative Steve. Alkyd seems to make oil paint even tougher - drying to a nice strong film. The drawback to most alkyds is they are dissolved with solvents and usually have mineral spirits in them. M Graham makes a good alkyd that they say doesn't have solvent in it and is non-toxic.

[@bryankoontz6210]

Thank you for the good advice!

[@meinradgabriela]

Thank you! Very helpful

[@rainbows1114]

Thank you so much for the information! I always use Rembrandt oil paints. They are oily. Since you mentioned that you use walnut oil as painting medium. I was wondering if it's OK to use avocado oil as painting medium? I have some at home for soap-making.

[@rainbows1114]

Wow! Thanks a million for your valuable information! I'm so glad I consulted you.

[@masteroilpainting]

Hi rainbows, no, you never want to use kitchen oils - they are not drying oils. Linseed, walnut, poppy seed, safflower, and sunflower are used today for oil paints because they are refined in a way that allows them to dry and form a hard shell. Safflower, poppyseed, and sunflower dry more slowly than linseed and walnut and do not form as tough of a skin. Even safflower and walnut oil from the grocery store are generally processed differently from those used for paint and they will not dry.

[@cassy610]

This was very insightful thank you .

[@eliserueda4360]

Thanks for the useful informations

[@filebrowzer]

Easy enough to just use paint straight from the tube, but the problem was how to do an initial wash or toning of your canvas without using Gamsol?

[@danm94]

Yup, that kinda worries me as well, because fat over lean, because well, underpainting and suppose to be a base, not many textures or detail(maybe defining what is dark and what is not dark if want), toning. The actual painting, got it, fewer mediums or none or jut those mentioned, a little, however, the first steps kinda troubles me.

[@danm94]

@Centurian interesting idea, I did found out about acrylic grounds, never thought tho about the water-mixable oils. thx!

[@eyalmolchansky]

Zest-it dilutant is non-toxic, i use it for the imprimatura. other than that i use only linseed oil

[@maudale]

What about glazing which is so important for many paintings? What would you use then?

[@masteroilpainting]

Great question Maudale. There are a lot of formulas artists use for glazing, but there's no reason you can't simply use linseed or walnut oil with a bit of whatever color you want for glazing without anything else added.

[@dminiquen]

Super helpful video. My studio is in my room and I have parrots. I CANNOT use anything toxic in my painting.

[@kevinevans5782]

I like m Graham’s alkyd walnut medium

[@kevinevans5782]

Bill Inman yea looks like we have had similar paths in art, I got a masters too at East Carolina , used to use liquid in the 90s and then Galkyd for a bit then found the walnut alkyd. I have some Canada balsam I want to try out. You can mix it with oil of spike and walnut

[@kevinevans5782]

Bill Inman been liking your art for awhile. check out my website www.kevinevans.net. Right now I’m doing a lot of photography

[@martyl7066]

Hey! buddy, thanks, for the tips. But how about cleaning our oil brushes?? I'm using the Winsor Newton None Toxic product. at least that what it said on the bottle..LOL? Thanks! Marty,

[@cherylannhillsartist]

Hey Marty, I use dish detergent and warm water to clean my brushes. Works beautifully and the bonus of the brushes lasting longer because the hairs are not dried out by the solvents. Dispose of the dirty water safely as the paint residue (this includes ALL paint types) is harmful to your waterways and willdlife if disposed down the drain.

[@paulhirst2606]

Thanks for the video, what are your thoughts about water mixable oil paints?

[@arcanics1971]

He has videos on the subject.

[@maryketch3526]

@@masteroilpainting how do you clean your brushes?

[@lifewithjanie3368]

Great advice. Question: How do you clean your brushes without spirits?

[@melbendigo]

You can use Master's Artist Hand Soap. I just use the bar version of it and rub my brushes on it and work in through and rinse. It's amazing soap.

[@The_Youtube_Winner]

he used turpenoid natural and so do i. it’s AP safe and non toxic and not bad to inhale. cleans great and protects brushes. he uploaded a video about it because he likes it so much. i work at michaels and it isn’t really available there, if ever. so you have to buy online. also water and soap works well too but doesn’t always protect as well as turpenoid natural and doesn’t get the deep deep oils from the ends of the bristles out.

[@hawtwaxart1]

Use a bar of olive oil soap. Murphy’s oil soap works too.

[@yolandalobban289]

Thanks for the tips!

[@Ebutuoy333]

i think it would be helpful if you explained what you meant by 'best'. best for your health? For the longevity of the painting? Other? Thanks.

[@Ebutuoy333]

@@masteroilpainting Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

[@arcanics1971]

I think- but you may want to check this- that Zest It dilutant is a lot less toxic than most and possibly a little less so than even Gamsol. As I said, you might want to check that, I can't swear it's true.

[@causetherat308]

Is this the same stuff? 'Bristle Magic' It's by the gal at Jerry's. Three weeks later for this update. I've read both MSDS sheets and answered my own question. No they are not the same thing.

[@jjk2one]

Walnut oil and linseed oil are "dry oils" and can spontaneously combust store it properly

[@anab0lic]

why not just use water mixable oils?

[@CC-yy8ei]

This video is so helpful!

[@seventhsun1]

Great tips Sir! thank you.

[@corakiart]

I love turpentine too.

[@khaledfazl6850]

Oleogel has slow drying process ,if want fast drying .

[@christinalightoflove3134]

Source : www.mikebergenart.com/blog/guide-to-non-toxic-oil-painting-8252014 - Paint with any brand of artist grade paints, my preference is Gamblin or M. Graham - during painting I clean brushes in walnut oil and clean rags or paper towels. - for a medium I use Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel Medium if I want an impasto effect, or Lavender oil for thinner paint. - as a turpentine substitute for palette cleaning I use either lavender oil or The Art Treehouse Artists Solvent - at the end of the day I clean my brushes in Turpenoid Natural followed by water and Masters Brush/Hand Cleaning Soap - I store any remaining paint on the palette in a closed container also containing a small amount of clove oil to slow the drying process. Ideally this should be kept in a freezer or refrigerator.

[@joycehandersonfriends3225]

H E L P ANYONE ..... When using non toxic Walnut Alkyd Medium, Can I assume I don't need to follow the fat over lean rules? It seems logical to me that since each layer dries in 24 hours that there would be no danger of the next layers drying too fast over the previous layer and causing cracking? I need an answer asap from someone experienced in using this stuff, so I can do some portrait commissions with my Walnut Alkyd Medium. Pleeeeze help.

[@sergiofernandez-ll9xt]

I, as the beginner, read somewehere what alkyds have same principles theoretically as an oil, but no as critical, so you can use same or increasing amount of alkyds in later layers. And try not to use slow Drying Pigments in the early stages.

[@masteroilpainting]

Hi Joyce, good question. I'll do a quick tip video about this soon, but for now, I'll give you some basics from my research and experience. There are multiple reasons why oil paintings crack, wrinkle, and/or delaminate - and for the most part, conservators don't know. There are too many variables to figure a lot of this out. My recommendation (which is flimsy since I'm not a scientist or conservator) is to make sure your layers never get too slick. Most paint, oil or acrylic, binds to other paint through mechanical means. Paint needs 'tooth' or texture to help one layer stick to another. With oil paint, there is some chemical bonding as well, but it's mostly mechanical. Alkyd medium, unless used in small amounts, can cause the paint to level out (lose the brush texture) and become slick. That slick surface discourages other layers from adhering or bonding. Most of the cracking we see early on in our paintings is caused by a thinner faster drying layer being applied to a slower and/or thicker layer or by the bottom layer being too slick and not allowing the top layer to stick. Once the top layer dries enough it loses flexibility and the contraction/expansion of the lower layer causes it to crack. The fat-over-lean rule is not an exact mathematical equation and is now considered by many conservators to be misrepresented or an outright incorrect theory. JustPaint.org recently released information about a study they're conducting where they found multiple acrylic gels or mediums under oil paints causing cracking even when there are several layers of acrylic gesso over those products (they have not found the same with acrylic gesso by itself unless your oil paint has zinc in it in which case you don't want to paint on top of any type of acrylic). As long as you keep the top layers the same or thicker thickness as the bottom layers so they continue to dry at the same or slower rate you will be fine. This is usually avoided by painting alla prima or wet-into-wet but even that is guaranteed.

[@janetfraley4110]

Miss you're tutorials. Nothing new?

[@masteroilpainting]

We're working on it Janet. We have a team now that's helping us rewire our whole website infrastructure and it's a crazy amount of planning and work. We're attempting to create something that doesn't presently exist, so there's a lot of work involved in figuring out how. It will take us a few months more to develop the systems we need, but after that you will see an increase of tutorials that will be targeted and useful way beyond what I've been able to do with just Kristie, David, and I. We aren't gone (even if it looks that way at the moment).

[@mikeynyc6857]

Damn, I do love 100% pure Gum turpentine.