In Reply to: How would I clean my paint brush after using oil paints??? Pls help me. posted by Brooke on 10/07/01 at 12:27 PM:

: Hi, Brooke
By the way dont bother to read Rob Howards remarks either hes batty or someone doesnt like his harsh and I would add a bit medieval tone. Anyway my name is Anwar and I am a painter in oils. Ive studied Oil painting for my degree in art (just so you know where Im coming from). O.K. so how does one clean brushes after painting in oil. I suggest a product called Turpenoid natural and ordinary bar soap. First wipe off all excess oil paint with a rag or tissue paper. If you use medium it would help to dip the brush in to dilute as much paint as possible. Than using a bar of soap circle the brush and gather soap. follow this with circular rubs in your hand so to loosen the paint than rinse with water. The object is to completely clean the brush so three or four cleansings will be required for each brush. look closely to be sure all pigment is gone even from the metal ferule.
As for oil paint causing cancer. Ive heard that acrylic paint fumes are toxic and perhaps cause cancer. Some pigments are toxic for sure in any kind of paint. Read the label and do not use the toxic ones I say! It is easy to paint with non toxic paints in oil. As for linseed oil I say it is non toxic. As a matter of fact it is sometimes used as a food oil like safflower walnut and olive oil. Now as for turpentine that is toxic. It is not required though. Use plain linseed oil to thin your paint and to preclean your brushes. Or use Turpenoid natural it is non toxic too. Actually it is completly possible to paint using a full range of permanent colors in a completly non toxic manner. Good luck and your mom is right to be concerned especially if you get it all over. A fine non toxic palette might be titanium white, arylide yellow (cadmium yellow hue) on the orangey side, Alizerine crimsen(permanent), Pthalocyanine blue and Ivory black using just linseed oil to thin and help clean the brushes. good luck, Anwar

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Re: How would I clean my paint brush after using oil paints??? Pls help me. Insy