Art can be bad for your health

Research into the effects of "art" on artists has been fairly sparse. Very often, studies into health issues concerning industrial painters and craftsmen have been the most useful sources of relevant information. Being largely self-employed rather than a cohesive group with its own representation, artists have had their health issues overlooked.

Many artists don't question their favorite methods and materials and if no one is checking up on their behalf or enforcing good health and safety practices, they are often quite happy to carry on regardless. It is perhaps only when a physical symptom is personally experienced that an artist stops to consider whether his or her working practices and workplace may be responsible.

"Artists are a very strange breed of people," Rickard says. "They tend to be quite anti-establishment, anti-authority. If the rules say do this, they'll do the opposite quite deliberately."

Or perhaps artists feel that "it's a risk you're willing to take because you're excited by the materials and their potential," Barazani says. Or maybe "these artists are not casual with the materials they're working with because they feel they know them so well that they don't have to worry about them," Conibear says, "but rather they're mostly just ignorant and just haven't thought of it in that context."

The most compelling explanation may be a combination of a dangerous attitude and ignorance of dire consequences.

"The self-employed artist may be socialized to be above such mundane concerns. They're thinking on a higher plane. They're creators," says Fuortes. "But once someone has health problems, they're extremely attentive."

Read the entire article here.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Mark Making with Conte Crayons

 The above conte crayons are from amazon.com

According to wiseGEEK 

Conté crayons were developed in the 18th century by Nicolar-Jacques Conte, a French scientist, in response to graphite shortages. He set out to design a pencil which could be made with a small percentage of graphite, allowing it to be fabricated from materials obtained within France. The result was a mixture of clay and graphite which was kiln fired to achieve a hard texture.


Conte crayons from Daniel Smith 
The design of Conté crayons is sometimes compared to pastels. Both are sticks of solid pigment which are applied directly to the paper. However, Conté crayons are much harder than pastels or charcoals, yielding crisp, tight lines, rather than the more smudged look familiar to pastel users. Using Conté crayons, an artist can achieve subtle variations of shading in clear, distinct drawings. Also like pastels and charcoals, Conté crayons can stain the fingers, and art produced with them is usually treated to prevent the pigment from rubbing off.


 I have been gifted a lot of markers from a friend whose mom was a mid-century abstract painter. Lucky me! I have a nice supply of conte crayons for mark making.

Next I will spray the marks I have made with fixative. 

This is necessary as the crayon will smear. 


I spray outside, respirator on, with the collage to be sprayed in a card board box. 



Air-purifying respirators clean the air you breathe. Air-purifying respirators are disposable or rubber or rubber-like masks. One may cover your whole face or part of your face. Each mask has 1 or 2 filters or cartridges that get changed. 
You must have the right filter or cartridge for each hazard. 

In the past I have used a Grumbacher product called Workable Fixative Spray. I have no complaints about it. The MSDS sheet here, which is pretty intense. This is NOT a green product. 

DANGER: EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. VAPOR
HARMFUL. EYE IRRITANT.
CONTAINS: ACETONE
PRECAUTIONS: Do not smoke when using. Keep away from
eyes. Avoid contact with heat, sparks and open flames.
Vapors can ignite explosively. If using indoors turn off all
pilots lights. Do not store or use near heat or flame. Use
only with adequate ventilation.
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
FIRST AID TREATMENT: If eye contact occurs, rinse with tap
water for 5-10 minutes. If irritation persists, seek medical
care. If inhalation symptoms occur, move to fresh air. If
symptoms persist, see a physician.
For further health information, contact a poison control
center or call 1-800-222-1222.

When I went to purchase a new can, the product my local store carried was by Blair. It is called a "Very Low Odor Spray Fix" described as a workable matte fixative spray for drawings - stops smudging.  I did not find a MSDS sheet for this product, however the warnings are detailed and take up half the label on the can and say things like DANGER!..."chemcials know to the state of California..."

Suffice to say, I will use this only outdoors, with respirator on. I will also let the work off gas outside.

 I wish I knew of an option for fixing charcoal and conte crayon and pastels.

In my search for "greener" materials, it appears that mark making with conte crayons and charcoal may not be satisfactory as far as exposure to chemicals goes. All I can do is protect myself from the chemicals as they are sprayed and continue to look for better ways to mark make, ones that do not require fixatives.

Or, I could take up knitting....


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6 comments:

  1. ChrisJuly 2, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    Hi Leslie, I've read of people using hairspray as a fixative. Not sure how it reacts with the substrate or the medium. Might be worth some experimentation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ZenDotStudioJuly 2, 2012 at 10:33 AM

    I love this little piece. Have you tried china markers? I don't know about their toxicity, they are sort of crayon like in their mark, not as smooth as conte but they don't smudge.

    Also if you mounted smudge-ables behind glass and then they wouldn't require fixative.

    So many things to consider! This is such an important journey Leslie! I want a healthy art practice, it only makes sense, but it does seem at this point that there is so much to give up.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ZenDotStudioJuly 2, 2012 at 10:33 AM

    I love this little piece. Have you tried china markers? I don't know about their toxicity, they are sort of crayon like in their mark, not as smooth as conte but they don't smudge.

    Also if you mounted smudge-ables behind glass and then they wouldn't require fixative.

    So many things to consider! This is such an important journey Leslie! I want a healthy art practice, it only makes sense, but it does seem at this point that there is so much to give up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. india flintJuly 3, 2012 at 5:17 AM

    i've had quite reasonable success fixing conte and charcoal with a fine mist of milk [using a spritz thingy]. it sets like a lacquer...but can be a bit temperamental where the marks are thickly applied and you have to clean the nozzle after use by washing otherwise it blocks

    ReplyDelete
  5. ArtPropelledJuly 3, 2012 at 5:24 AM

    I have nothing against knitting but you have so much yet to do on the path you have chosen ... minus the acrylics. This is a gem of a piece. My heart is racing....
    If it is framed between glass would it need a fixative?

    ReplyDelete
  6. ~BabsJuly 3, 2012 at 12:11 PM

    Oh, I'm joining the chorus,,,this is a truly unique and interesting piece. When I say interesting, I mean intriguing, and thought provoking, and so much more!
    I love pastels, conte,,, all of it.
    The dust is always a concern, but with proper ventilation, not.
    I have used the Blair fixative, but found it not to always be convenient. (outdoors, etc. as I had no proper ventilation.
    I have used hairspray,,,and I like it. It takes practice and careful application, as do they all.I once ruined the best portrait I've ever done with improper spraying.Then I was taught to spray ABOVE the piece, and let the spray fall ONTO the work, not spraying directly on it.
    Of course the perfect way is under glass, which requires nothing, but that has it's own set of headaches.
    Much, much of all the best wishes for you,,,,you'll get there!

    ReplyDelete

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