The main hazard in standard painting techniques is accidental ingestion of pigments due to eating, drinking or smoking while working, inadvertent hand to mouth contact, or pointing the paint brush with the lips.

Poisoning can occur if toxic pigments are inhaled or ingested.

If the paint is described as hue, such as 'chromium yellow hue', there is no (or too little to be concerned about) toxic metal contained in the product. These are most easily identified by the product name. Most paints used in Visual Arts do not contain metal pigments and are considered non-toxic. They are used in encaustic, paper-marbleizing and in the fabrication of paint products, and will be discussed more thoroughly in the section below on pastels. Dry pigments are especially hazardous because they are easily inhaled and ingested. Both inorganic and organic pigments are used as colorants.

Paints are pigments mixed with a vehicle or binder. Sometimes commercial paints such as oil, enamel, epoxy paints and automobile paints are used. Painters use pigments in oil paints, acrylics, watercolor paints, gouache, encaustic, poster paints, casein paints and tempera. For Visual Arts, provide a copy to Margie Carhart. Visual Arts supplies labels for this purpose.

Label the new container with the contents and associated hazards.

Cover or place a lid on the container when not in use to avoid evaporation and uneeded vapors.

Visual Arts supplies mason jars with lids and labels.

When transferring thinners and other chemicals from the original stock container to a new container:.

Be sure you understand what you are working with and the associated hazards. Keep containers sealed or covered with foil when not in use.

NOTE: For turpentine and thinners, use the pre-labeled mason jars supplied by Visual Arts.

Working safely can involve changes in how you select your art materials and how you handle them. The health hazards associated with painting and drawing have been known since Ramazzini described such illnesses in 1713.

Flame painter portable