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Oil painting and white spirits

  • 28-09-2008 1:04pm
    #1
    Jeremiah
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭


    I've recently started painting in oils and have been using white spirits as a thinner and to clean my brushes. The problem is the stuff gives me awful headaches.
    It doesn't seem very healthy to me to be surrounded by the white spirits odour for long periods of time.

    My q. is, is there a better alternative to white spirits?


    Cheers!


Comments

  • #2
    The Raven.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭The Raven.


    Jeremiah wrote: »
    I've recently started painting in oils and have been using white spirits as a thinner and to clean my brushes. The problem is the stuff gives me awful headaches.
    It doesn't seem very healthy to me to be surrounded by the white spirits odour for long periods of time.

    My q. is, is there a better alternative to white spirits?

    Jeremiah, I don't know what the answer is to that other than leaving the window open to allow plenty of air in the room. I had a friend with a similar problem with oils and had to use acrylics instead. I personally don't care for acrylics but they worked for her.

    I wouldn't use white spirit as an oil paint thinner though. The standard thing to use is turpentine [preferably artist's quality]. We also used to use the ordinary turpentine for cleaning brushes etc.


  • #3
    snickerpuss
    Registered Users Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭snickerpuss


    Have stuck this in Arts and Crafts.


  • #4
    coolwings
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 3,455 Mod ✭✭✭✭coolwings


    You got to keep the window open.
    Also, turps works faster than white spirit. The cleaning rags will still smell though.
    Put lids on the solvent containers where possible.
    Are you aware of low odour white spirit which evaporates less? Sold under the name Sansodor. Well worth the extra cost if you're working indoors, in fact I'd say it's vital if you're indoors.


  • #5
    Kold
    Registered Users Posts: 12,778 ✭✭✭✭Kold


    You can get odourless spirits, had to buy them when I wanted to use oils in lifedrawing. Otherwise linseed is good for thinning.


  • #6
    Jennifer art
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Jennifer art


    sansour is brilliant and you can get it cheaper in B and Q than conventional art shops.

    other wise try linseed, but it does take ages to dry

    failing that keep the window, wide open and take frequent breaks. Avoid turps, Although it produces better results, it produces worse headaches


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  • #7
    Jennifer art
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Jennifer art


    The Raven. wrote: »
    Jeremiah, I don't know what the answer is to that other than leaving the window open to allow plenty of air in the room. I had a friend with a similar problem with oils and had to use acrylics instead. I personally don't care for acrylics but they worked for her.

    I wouldn't use white spirit as an oil paint thinner though. The standard thing to use is turpentine [preferably artist's quality]. We also used to use the ordinary turpentine for cleaning brushes etc.


    have ya tried Liquin. I forgot to mention if ya keep the lids on your jars as much as poss it helps. You could try using tissue instead of Rags as rags also smell because one tends to hang on to them longer than kitchen roll. I think they contibute nearly as much to the smell in fact.
    I reccomend my students in IADT dun laoirghaire and In Galway to use Sansour


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