Solvent Safety Guide: Taking care with oil paint solvents - Jackson's Art Blog

By A Mystery Man Writer

Last updated 16 Jun 2024

Solvent Safety Guide: Taking care with oil paint solvents - Jackson's Art Blog

Many artists have questions about solvent safety. Solvents are used to thin oil paints for creating a wash if you wish to tone a canvas, for a thin underpainting or drawing layer or to break down stiff brands of paint. Solvents are also used as part of many oil painting mediums and to clean brushes used for oil or enamel painting. There are a few types to choose from, including those intended to be kinder to the environment and you. There are three main groups of solvents: white spirit (both the fast evaporating, strong smelling kind and the slow evaporating, low-odour kind), turpentine, and citrus and other plant derived solvents. Below is a description of how they differ and the variants found within each group. Our Solvent Safety Table shown below is a simple reference guide to help clarify the differences between the solvents that we sell but it always pays to employ a little common sense when working with any solvent. Outside of water, there are no totally safe solvents, though there are some that are significantly safer than others. Some artists have a physical reaction (headache, nausea, etc) to one solvent but not another. If you are having