You art people - question about OIL PAINT

[CountryWolf07]

Okay, I am taking a painting class this quarter; by using oil paint, not acrylic. While learning that this type of paint can cause cancer, I am now paranoid. What are the precautions I can take from this? Also, how long does it take for a painting to completely dry? Thanks.

[Karen]

Okay, I am taking a painting class this quarter; by using oil paint, not acrylic. While learning that this type of paint can cause cancer, I am now paranoid. What are the precautions I can take from this? Also, how long does it take for a painting to completely dry? Thanks.

Oil paint won't harm you. The current formulations of even the Cadmium Red and orange are much less radioactive than they were in Van Gogh's day. I would not suggest eating the paint, and be sure you wash your hands before eating, but other than that I wouldn't worry about it one bit.

The turpentine is slightly more worrisome than the paint itself, as it has strong fumes. So don't keep a big container of it open and breathe the fumes a lot, but you wouldn't want to, anyway.

How long it takes a painting to dry depends on your paint technique. The thicker the paint, the slower it will dry. If you think it with Linseed oil, it will also dry slowly. If you thin it a lot with turpentine, so it reacts more like watercolors, it will dry more quickly, but then your teacher will scold you for not using it like oil paint is supposed to be used! ;)

It can take several days for a painting to dry completely, and even longer in some cases, but again, it depends how thick the paint is, what thinner you used, what surface you are painting on, and lots of other factors. If you do the painting the night before you need to present it, it will still be wet!