Ideal Bite

Have a mad desire to create art without going crazy from chemicals?

10.28.2005

Submitted by idealbite on Fri, 10/28/2005 - 5:00pm.

Daily Tip

The Bite:

While many art products might actually BE green, certain art materials such as rubber cement, spray fixatives, paint thinners and permanent markers are far from “green,” prompting many artists to switch to buying less-toxic and often water-based alternatives.

The Benefits:

Safety first. More than 20 million Americans suffer from asthma, so avoid the fumes from paint thinner and other art supplies.

Good for the Earth. Avoid contributing to the annual production of 36 billion pounds of toxic solvents in acrylic polymers, found in many traditional art supplies.

Cool colors. Substituting natural dyes and pigments is actually cheaper than using synthetic paints and give art projects a natural quality and color.

Easily found! Nontoxic substitutes exist for just about any art product you can dream up.

Personally Speaking:

Heather likes to pretend she can paint canvases with acrylics, while Jen paints wine glasses (surprise, surprise) with these hybrid creations she calls “butter dragons” - a combination of butterfly and dragonfly. However, we’re both starting to check the back of art products for the ACMI-approved seal (see Wanna Try).

Wanna Try:

Check your art products (especially if you have kids and aren’t trying to hang your creation in The Met or MOMA) for the ACMI-approved seal, which means that the product is certified non-toxic, and try these:

Budget Art Supply – the widest selection of fine non-toxic art supplies and materials – look for the frog symbol next to the non-toxic options.

MAX Grumbacher Art – oil paints that clean up with water.

Budget Art Kids – great options for children.

The Imagination Factory - teach kids to recycle by making art.

Cocktail Fact

Some doctors believe that Vincent Van Gogh’s insanity might have been caused by lead poisoning from the paint he used, not schizophrenia or syphilis as is commonly suggested.