Nontoxic Artist Tips and product for you

If life was a crayon, we would sit and play with colors like the cartoon and dolls in the movies our children imitate at home and at their daycare center. We paint mural, use crayons to color, children do this every week in their schools and home, adults paint mosaic table, pottery, paint; while absorbed into our creative hobby we might not remember to take a second to give the process and the type of materials we use a thought. Inherently, sometimes the things we love to do begin to cause us problems. Its same way with toxic art supplies; toxic paints, glazes, glues, pencil, crayons and marker can have harmful effect on your health if exposed to it for a long time over and over again.

Exposure to toxic art supply can cause headaches, allergies, asthma, breathing problems, nausea, eye and nose irritation, burns, lung and kidney damage and could sometimes lead to cancer depending on the level of exposure especially for those who paint commercial and residential buildings and those who occupy those buildings.  Children are particularly vulnerable to toxins because the body is still at a developing stage and their immune system is not as strong as that of an adult. Crayon eating is common habit amongst children and when they eat these crayons it could cause harm to their body.

A consumer products safety commission (CPSC) toxicologist evaluates all U.S art products for compliance with LHAMA every five years or when product formula changes.

Art supplies bearing ASTM.D.4236 confirming that they have been properly labeled for chronic health hazards. Certified according to LHAMA federal labeling hazardous art materials Act that include acute hazard warning such as harmful or fatal if swallowed or may cause skin irritation as well as warning if they could cause chronic health effects such as cancer, sterility, blindness, birth defects, or allergic reactions. Disadvantage is that the manufactured certified according to LHAMA are not required to disclose their ingredient list.

Labels from the Art and creative materials Institute (ACMI) ACMI is a non-profit membership organization made up of art supply manufacturers, who voluntarily agree to have their materials evaluated by independent toxicologist.

Nontoxic Art supply is tested by accredited, independent labs for safety every five years, and when product formulas change.

Primary problem in paint

VOCs or volatile Organic compounds –produce ozone, makes you dizzy, triggers asthma attacks, and irritates your eyes; it has been linked to kidney disease and cancers. There are no labeling for most paints so you can’t really tell the difference between the alternative and the conventional paints. (Check this)

Green seal is an independent non-profit that sets standards for environmentally responsible products. Green seal offers certificate logo to manufacturers based on these important factors—VOC content, the absence of chemicals, durability and performance. Green seal label, although it cost more but it’s not guaranteed the product is toxin free—nontoxic and will not release harmful VOC into your environment.

Tips to use when shopping for toxic free paints:-

• Look for AP nontoxic or CP nontoxic by the art and creative materials institute certifies non-toxic art supplies. Look for ACMI seal---they contain toxic materials that are insufficient enough to harm human or cause acute or chronic health problems though it doesn’t imply it is all natural product.  (Elmer’s)
• Look for paint product made from beeswax crayons infused with natural dyes, they have a smoother feel.
• Look for water-based markers and paints; they’re less toxic than oil or alcohol-based art supplies.
• Try milk paint for alternative to oil and acrylic paints. It is powder that can be mixed with water to use. Milk paint is free of hazardous air pollutants, volatile organic compound (VOCs), Lead, Mercury and solvents.
• Read paint or crayon product labels for signatures----AP (Approved product), CP (Certified product) or “nontoxic” HL (Health Label).
• If a product contains potentially harmful ingredients ACMI will mandate a CL label (Caution label), older products may have a “cautions required” HL Label instead. No material with these labels is appropriate for children.
• Create natural dyes from brightly-colored fruits and vegetables --- beets and blueberries are natural choices, but even onion skins yield interesting hues. Boil one part plant to eight parts water for one hour, then test the resulting dye using a paintbrush on white paper. Continue boiling if you wish to achieve a stronger color, then strain and bottle the resulting dye.
• Also, if you just painted a house with a new paint, you should wait some days or weeks before moving into the house, to allow time for paint fumes to ventilate.

Winsor and Newton Artisan paints is a good choice, if you're looking for something less toxic that's fine for painting try Earth Pigments. Avoid paints that says Hue because they contain artificial pigments.

You can also check Green Guide for Artists: Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas, & Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artist, and find more Eco-friendly artist material.