Non-Toxic Oil Painting // Painting Without Toxic Solvents

Non-toxic oil painting is not only possible, but relatively easy. Today we talk about how to have a safer painting studio and explore some of the products I use in my oil painting kit. A few years ago I decided to not use solvents in my painting kit in order to have a safer studio space.
Non-Toxic Painting Supplies
kit.co/nickjjackson/oil-paint...
Muddy Colors Article:
www.muddycolors.com/2015/07/t...
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#art
#nontoxic
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Chapters
00:00 Toxic Free Oil Painting
00:17 Biggest Misconception
01:05 How To Do It
01:32 Materials For Non-Toxic Painting
06:04 Why Should You Not Use Solvents
08:05 My Quest for non-toxic
08:45 What about cadmium and lead white?
09:11 Painting toxin free is possible

[@nicholasjackson]

Do you use solvents in your oil painting?

[@loitermanart]

I still use Atisan thinner made for water mixable oils very sparingly. use it to thin my paint when working on the underpainting -it flows better than using water.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey! Have you noticed any adverse effects from using it? Do you like it? I haven't looked into it very much myself and haven't used water mixable since college.

[@loitermanart]

@@nicholasjackson Just started using it and I'm not a professional -just learning how to work with it but I made 3 test studies -or f-ups on canvas pad this weekend so how they hold up I'll see. I used to use regular oils with turp damar and linseed oil as medium back in the day, got my hands on "Black oil" and tried megilp -but I have a family now. I'm trying out water soluble oils with my regular oils mixed with Schmike medium w -which turns regular oils into water mixable -which do work together. Just diluting them with water makes them feel sticky and they don't brush on as well -the thinner was a good choice.

[@nicholasjackson]

That is wild. I’m not sure if you can turn regular oils into water based with a medium but I would have to look further. Thanks for the info and keep us posted.

[@annafdd]

@@nicholasjacksonIt’s called medium W, from Schminke.

[@csengehangay8806]

Man, that kit setup with the white background is masterful

[@nicholasjackson]

Thank you very much!

[@vermis8344]

I've put off oil painting for years, despite having half a drawer full of the stuff, partly because of the doubts about solvents. I bought OMS, Sansodor, limonene thinners, and they're all still sitting there unopened! Lately I almost bought a bottle of spike lavender oil too, until I dived down the rabbit hole of 100% solvent-free oil painting. This has been part of that research! Very helpful, thanks. I may buy some of the Gamblin alkyd mediums, though I'm also interested to hear about how chalk and various egg preparations can be used. I might play around with those, see how they behave for myself.

[@nicholasjackson]

So glad you are here! The journey to paint without toxins is certainly a road that takes time and research. Glad to be of help! Let us know how your experiments go.

[@andywesselsphotographyart]

Great video. I just got some walnut oil and walnut/alkyd for the same reason. Really liked the way you presented the topic!!

[@nicholasjackson]

Glad it was helpful Andy!

[@mele2814]

Really wonderful tutorial! Thank you for this!! I've been considering buying the walnut oil and linseed oil from Chelsea Classic Studio. The dropper idea is also so helpful.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey thanks so much. I've also been testing recently the product line from Chelsea Classic Studio. It looks pretty solid. Glad you are here.

[@TimothyCHenderson]

I just use water soluble. Never used traditional oils so I don't have attachments to texture or medium feel. It's more expensive but offers me peace of mind.

[@nicholasjackson]

Absolutely! I used water soluble while in college and I thought they worked great. Do you thin your paints with water then?

[@annafdd]

@@nicholasjacksonwhy did you stop? I use water soluble too, but they are not easy to find because people don’t buy them. Daniel Smith has just discontinued their line.

[@kerosenefilms]

@@annafdd cobra is the best

[@KitKatToeBeans]

@@annafdddickblick has most, if not all of the brands available. Very sad to hear Daniel Smith gave up.

[@JazzLassie]

Thanks for all the tips, Nicholas! I am trying to make my studio solvent free as well, and your video has been a lifesaver! I wish someone had told me sooner that I don't need solvents so I could have saved myself some money (and a throbbing headache!).

[@nicholasjackson]

You are so welcome! I am glad to hear that the tips help. Which ideas are you most drawn to?

[@JazzLassie]

@@nicholasjackson I really liked the idea of having a brush dip. I didn't know about clove oil helping to keep brushes from drying out. I also really appreciated the idea of not having to wash my brushes after every session, as I am very much an on-and-off painter. Thanks for all the tips!

[@nicholasjackson]

Absolutely! I have found that brush tip has helped me paint more as clean up. Time can sometimes be a deterrent from painting. Glad you are here.

[@JoyceHAnderson-rp5bf]

Help me understand more clearly if and how I use the fat over lean rules when following your instructions above. I paint fairly thinly and love the idea that my work will be "touch' dry possibly overnight or at least in 24 hours. Portraits in graphite are easy for me, but when I try to do them in acrylics, they dry too fast, and even a minimum wet to dry color shift is just awful when I'm working in layers on a hyperealism style on a face. I'm hoping that you have years of experience in your technique and can guarantee me that my paintings won't crack in the future because I didn't use the fat over lean principle when my paints were touch dry. H E L P I will start your method in the morning on some tiny seascapes for practice. I love your video! Thanks so much! joyce

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Joyce! Sorry, I can't really guarantee anything as there are many variables that go into drying time and paintings that crack. However, the basics of fat over lean are as follows. You want to use less oil in the paint in the early stages whether that is using a solvent to thin down the paint (which I don't) or scrubbing the paint thinly with a brush. As you layer, use more oil/medium mixed in your paint. Another option is to use acrylics in the early stages of blocking in your painting, and then glaze oils in the later stages. This will help reduce cracking in the future. Keep painting!

[@amandapeete7907]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@nicholasjackson]

You bet! Anything specific that was helpful to you?

[@Alexandra-ks7cb]

I made a brush holder out of a old cardboard cracker box. I just sliced some x's in it with an exacto knife and stuck my brushes in. Super easy and I can throw it out when it gets gross. I'm really loving M.Graham's walnut oil as well.

[@nicholasjackson]

What a genius idea. I might just steal that one :)

[@AllGrowing]

Thanks for the recommendations, very useful! So do you use both the walnut oil and walnut alkyd medium in the same painting, and how long does it take to dry? Say, not a thick layer of paint.

[@nicholasjackson]

You are most welcome! Stick to the alkyd if you want the painting to dry faster. Depending on the pigment it can take a few days if not a week to dry but I believe it is because I am Storting my painting in a basement. I need a better system for drying for sure.

[@jericobesmonte8416]

Thank you so much for sharing!❤️👍😎

[@nicholasjackson]

You bet Jerico! Thanks for watching.

[@deborahdamgaard-hansen7927]

Helpful! Are you in Bemidji? (that Paul Bunyan work at the end is wonderful....) , it´s my old home town. Just wondering!

[@nicholasjackson]

Nice catch! I am. How crazy that you would find me!

[@peggy-lynnholland8392]

Sennelier Green brush cleaner is a wonderful non toxic medium, that is not a solvent ( has no smell ) that cleans brushes effortlessly

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Peggy, Thanks for the heads up! I have been wanting to try Sennelier. Are you using it for cleaning brushes and painting?

[@creativesolutions902]

Yes, I was wondering the same thing, can you use it the same way you would use odorless mineral spirits for example, in an underpainting?

[@hectorherrera8316]

I try to use my oil paint directly from the paint tube I use natural solvent only when required for specific details. You must take Nicholas's advice seriously! Thanks for the video!

[@nicholasjackson]

Thanks so much! I totally agree that it is best to try to paint with it straight from the tube if you can. Have a great one!

[@thedianarein]

Do you have any tips for a non-toxic medium to add to paint for people that like to put a ground down, that would keep the first layer lean for a subtractive sketch that requires a good amount of paint to sketch into? It needs to stay wet until the sketch is finished which could take 45minutes before being left to dry.

[@nicholasjackson]

I don't have a personal recommendation as the mediums I use are more of a fat and therefore aren't really to be used in a lean purpose. I have been hearing good things about Sennelier Green for Oil Thinner, but haven't tried it myself. Let us know how it goes! If you don't want things drying in later stages of the painting my recommendation would be just to use walnut oil.

[@heatherthomasolsonart]

I was terrified of the solvents when I started oil painting (5 yrs ago ❤) So I got the Chelsea classical studio lavender spike oil. I use that at the beginning of the painting and the brush cleaner. But anyways I came here to say I’ve been enjoying the walnut alkyd lately, I love the flow, gloss and the blendiness of it 😂

[@nicholasjackson]

Wonderful! I have also been using the Chelsea Spike Oil. Do you like how it works for the initial underpainting?

[@heatherthomasolsonart]

@@nicholasjacksonIt works fantastic for that! Although I have never tried OMS or turpentine, I don’t have it to compare to. So I guess ignorance is bliss 😂

[@biblestudysongwritingjoyce1981]

Excellet tutorial. Thank you. Help me understand though. Walnut oil slows the drying time of oils, but Walnut alkyd speeds the drying time. So how do you use both on a painting? Also Walnut alkyd is considered fat. So how do you do the fat over lean principle while using both these mediums? I'm about to change from acrylics to oils tomorrow and I need to be perfectly clear about the two mediums. Thanks again for any help. I do want a toxic free studio too.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Joyce, Glad the video was helpful. I typically only use Walnut Alkyd when I am painting, and only use the Walnut oil for cleaning brushes or if I don't care how long the painting takes to complete. lol Because I am not using a traditional paint thinner, I don't need to really worry about observing the fat over lean rule because I am only using "fat" during the painting process. Right now, I am using acrylics for my underpaintings and then applying oils over the top, thus using the best of both kinds of paints. Hope that helps! Happy painting!

[@JoyceAnderson-ChristianMusic]

@@nicholasjackson - Thanks again so much. This helps tremendously. You've made a complex subject now so simple. :)

[@JoyceAnderson-ChristianMusic]

@@nicholasjackson Do you spray any kind of fixative between your acrylic and oil layer? I too will be underpainting portraits in acrylics.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Joyce! You are most welcome! I put a combination of spray fixatives, sprayed from the can or an airbrush, to brushed on matte medium, GAC 100, and/or Golden’s isolation coat.

[@Sirenia0]

Thanks for this video! I‘m just getting into oil painting and don’t want to use solvents either, so I got the Sennelier Green for Oil paint thinner. Since I’ve never done any oil painting I find it hard to compare its behavior to regular solvents. Do you have any experience with it?

[@nicholasjackson]

You are most welcome. I haven’t had any experience with Sennelier Green, but it looks interesting. Please let us know how it works for you and if you recommend that I give it a try. Thanks for connecting!

[@Sirenia0]

@@nicholasjackson sure, I hope I can even tell if it’s good or bad 😄 but I’d love to hear your opinion on it if you ever decide to test it out!

[@JazzLassie]

Hey Sirenia, I use Sennelier Green for Oil (Gfo) as well! Overall, I really like the product, I think it's fantastic. Here are the differences I've noticed between using Sennelier and Gamblin's Gamsol: 1. Whereas Gamsol leaves a matte finish, Gfo leaves a bit of a glossy look. Honestly I quite like the glossiness, but I've mistaken the glossiness for the paint not being dry. 2. Paint dries faster with Gamsol. Personally, I don't mind having my painting out for a day or two before I go back to it, and I live in a dry enough climate (Pacific Northwest) that this is not a problem. That being said, I've learned to use Gfo sparingly, as too much of it will extend drying time. 3. I haven't gotten a headache from Gfo yet, but for whatever reason, Gamsol knocks me out for a day, at least. I could just be too sensitive. Overall, I think it works really well. How did you find it?

[@Sirenia0]

@@JazzLassie hey! 😊 thank you for sharing your experience, very much appreciated! Now that I know a tiny bit more about oil painting than a month ago, I can say that I like the product in the sense that it is solvent free, but before I tried it I was assuming that I could use it to thin my paint to use it like a wash. And now I know that I can’t 😅 which is quite sad, because I really wanted to tone my canvas with thin paint and/or create thin underpaintings with it. But when I use a lot of it the drying time is insane and I’m too impatient to wait for my underpainting to dry for a week 🫠 I mean it’s good for basic alla prima painting I guess, but I still feel the need to be able to thin my paints even more to get that washy feel. But I’m just such an oil painting noob that I might imagine it the wrong way. I am now experimenting with Cobra water soluble oils to give me that washy look, but since I don’t use gesso to prime my practice canvas paper, I feel that it might not work that well either as the paper just absorbs everything soooo quickly and then bends itself on the sides 🥲. But maybe I’m wrong here as well because I have no clue what I’m actually doing and how material should or should not behave ^^ I just know that it doesn’t behave like I see it in tutorials.. Currently I use plain canvas paper and only paint alla prima because I cannot yet figure out how to make underpaintings work without Gamsol and gesso. But there’s just SO MUCH to learn when it comes to oil painting. I usually paint digitally, so I know the fundamentals, but oils are just so complicated in comparison. Hopefully in a couple of years I will say that about digital painting compared to oils 😁

[@JazzLassie]

@@Sirenia0 Wow I see thanks for sharing your experience as well! I am continuing to experiment with my oil paints to see how I can thin them without using solvents. I'm going to try using Walnut oil with alkyds next. I'll let you know where that takes me XD. If it becomes a drippy mess, then we'll both know.

[@dean3583]

I use grapeseed oil from the supermarket to clean my brush. You place the sink strainer at the bottom of the jar with the mesh side up then fill in the oil. You rub the brush over the mesh, and the oil sinks to the bottom. Don't even need soap or turpentine anymore.

[@nicholasjackson]

Nice tip! Thx.

[@rhyannonp8231]

how do you do a solvent free wash/tone the canvas?

[@nicholasjackson]

Lately, I have been embracing using art mediums for their strengths and thus right now I use acrylics for washing and underpaintings.

[@annafdd]

I have since given up on water mixable and I am using Gamsol as a thinner. What do you make of it? Admittedly, I know I will never do oil painting full time for years, because that is not how my brain works (and I have my watercolors ready for when that bug bites me again), but I am curious to know if you considered it.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Anna, Thanks for the update. Why did you end up giving up on water mixable? I actually do use a tiny bit (and I mean tiny) of Gamsol if the paints are simply too sticky (probably getting old), to make them more workable. I think in extreme moderation, it should be a problem.

[@annafdd]

@@nicholasjackson well, if I have to be honest, I coveted Gamblin’s reclaimed iron oxide paints. The colors, and the idea to clean rivers and get pigments I found irresistible. But also, the choice of colors is somewhat limited now that Daniel Smith has given up on oils, and I am afraid that if I get too attached to the watermixable… well, they might go away and leave me to learn a whole new set of skills. Already when I went back to my home town last Christmas I found that it was impossible to buy water-mixable oils anywhere around. “We used to stock them but they didn’t sell” is what several art supply stores told me.

[@SlickOils]

I use Sennelier green for oil. Never had an issue.

[@nicholasjackson]

They thanks so much. I will check this out. What is the consistency like? Is it goopy or rather smooth?

[@jean-paulvaneck5309]

So winter is getting quit cold here..., and im trying to find a way to paint with the window closed, so without my OMS, but still be able to work with layers (and fat over lean). Do you think it is okay to use the walnut oil and walnut medium with the windows closed? I cant really find a safety data sheet specifically for these products..

[@jean-paulvaneck5309]

the more i read, te more i get the idea that working fat over lean without solvents is not possible :(.

[@nicholasjackson]

From what I have learned about this is that the rule does not apply in the same way, but in how much oil you are using in relation to using no added oil.

[@SentientTent]

​@@jean-paulvaneck5309You might want to give water mixible oils a check. I quite like them for initial layers of paint because water evaporates a bit quicker than turpentine and I don't have to worry about ventilation. You are technically still using a solvent, but water vapor isn't really a health concern. Most of my paint collection is just regular oils since I tend to buy my paints at used art supply stores, but the water soluble oils play nice with all of my traditional paints and mediums.

[@annelloydholden2567]

Very informative. I have a question though. What is your process for handling the walnut oil as it is very combustible. Also, would you happen to know if Safflower oil is less combustible and the use of it vs walnut oil. Thank you

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Anne, I do my best to not let rags get saturated or leave them around too long. Definitely don't put a bunch of rags together! I don't know if one oil is more combustible than the other. If you find out, let me know.

[@ShopDogProductions13]

Hi, I’m just starting out, what if I can’t use walnut oil do to a severe allergy. Thanks for any help you can offer.

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey! I would recommend Gamblin Solvent-Free Fluid. Enjoy

[@ShopDogProductions13]

@@nicholasjackson thank you!

[@nicholasjackson]

You bet! Happy art making :)

[@yulijiang8830]

Hi, what kind of walnut oil? Thanks

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey! Welcome to the channel. I use M. Graham Walnut/Alkyd. You can find it on my kit at: kit.co/nicholasjackson/oil-painting-supplies-non-toxic

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

Thank you for this video. I paint with Walnutoil, in my paintings got yellow. I must admit that I don’t have the space to store them in a bright environment

[@nicholasjackson]

Hey Emily, sorry to hear they turned yellow. How long did it take for them to turn yellow?

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

@@nicholasjackson about 2 month after drying in the dark

[@nicholasjackson]

That is crazy. I will have to look into this myself a bit. Sorry that it happened to you.

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

nevertheless I will stick with it because chemicals are not an option. Do you have the space to dry your paintings in a bright room?

[@nicholasjackson]

I actually don’t have a good setup for that currently. They are all drying downstairs in the dark. 😂

[@eileensakal987]

I keep telling other painters that since we don’t use turpentine or OMS to clean a greasy frying pan, then why are we having this dangerous substance in our studio and using it to clean our brushes? The Masters brush cleaner is good but expensive, I use dish soap….works a charm.

[@nicholasjackson]

Exactly. There are certainly a lot of alternatives for those who are interested. Thanks for the comment!

[@tracy-eire]

Problem is that cloves reek and can give you quite a headache.

[@nicholasjackson]

True! I might be just a weirdo, but I kinda like the smell. lol

[@justindirose]

Lesson learned: don't eat paint.

[@nicholasjackson]

I would say I have done my job then. :) lol

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

suit yourselves, but recognize there is a hysteria atm over the toxicity of oil painting. use proper studio technique.

[@nicholasjackson]

The concern over toxins in oil painting has been around for years, and it has certainly ebbed and flowed. With a proper studio set up most of the toxic issues can be avoided or greatly reduced. For many people, the investment in proper ventilation is just not in the cards. Or they simply don’t want to worry about it as much if they have pets or kids. I’m simply providing some alternatives to those who are interested. What prompted you to watch the video?

[@vermis8344]

Gonna be frank, after just about fighting off cancer in childhood; having another cancer scare recently; reading about Bob Ross's lymphoma, and a neurological condition specifically named 'painter's dementia'; and watching the stutters and shakes of an oil painting tutor in person... I think I'll play it safe; do a bit more than 'cover your thinner pot!'; and live _(possibly_ a bit longer) without the idiosyncratic character of turps fumes everywhere.

[@Szilke]

The proper studio technique would be at least 6 air changes per hour. Not sure most people have the luxury of that.

[@cindyoverall8139]

That is not true. I am 72 and I have been painting for 50+ years. Do your homework.

[@annafdd]

That is very rude and also not very clear. What isn’t true?

[@lithiumsun9411]

Anecdotal evidence 🥱🥱🥱

[@andrewtozerfineart9623]

Rude. This guy is informative and helpful.

[@danitagreenwood1591]

Thanks I don’t know whether acrylic or oil is easy or non toxic inacrylic for me as I have COPD, just painting vases and pouring media as I,l older. Do enjoy .

[@nicholasjackson]

So kind. Thanks Andrew!