MY JOURNEY INTO BECOMING AN ECO-FRIENDLY ARTIST - ENTRY #1
As an emerging artist, my first concern was to find my style. Unfortunately being an eco-friendly artist wasn't really a top priority or wasn't something that had crossed my mind. My focus was to be conscious with where I gravitate towards and the principles I use when painting. I used watercolors then jumped to acrylics and then oil. I find myself leaning towards women in vintage form as subjects portraying them as feminine and confident. I then started painting flowers as painting faces could be a bit of a task. I found painting flowers like painting abstract. I could loosen up my strokes and be a bit careless and carefree with forming shapes. Somehow I found it really therapeutic and relieving.
The Turnaround
However, it dawned on me that being in the sustainability industry, it was imperative of me to use some principles of sustainability and to advocate this because not so many people know about it especially about the 17 sustainability development goals.
Eco-Friendly Practice
Thus started my research on how to become an eco-friendly or green artist. Common sense tells me that as a green artist I would have to use art materials which are eco-friendly, locally produced, recycled, upcycled and use recycled materials as much as possible with the intent of lowering impact and material consumption.
As I was working with acrylics during the start of my research I started to gather that acrylics are petroleum-based and are considered as liquid plastics thus detrimental to the environment. That leads me to go back to oil which is linseed oil based- something that is food-grade and is natural, on the exception of red, yellow and some tones of white which contains toxic materials. I have also gone back to sketching using a regular pencil and could be venturing in using graphite pencils.
THE STRUGGLE IS REAL - ENTRY #2
This whole journey thing has given me artist block.
I don't thrive in limitations but I guess we are entering this whole green trend and everyone, small and big profit-seeking entities are finding it hard to find the balance. Everyone who is green conscious is going through a very awkward and painful phase of transition. Good thing with big companies, there are guidelines that they could refer to.
However as an artist, there really is none. A lack of data is missing regarding best practices on handling acrylics as well as other more toxic materials. I've read that eco-friendly artists would have the dissolved acrylics in water dried up and throw the solid residue of acrylics in the dumpster as throwing it in the pipeline means possible blocking of pipes as well as emission of toxic fumes. But the question with what artists are doing as per throwing it as residue is, it will eventually get wet in the landfill and guess what? It will still make its way to our waters. There's no treatment facilities available for this as far as I know. And so the more I read about the lack, and the gaps, the harder it is for me to read through more articles fearing that I would just get more questions than answers.
I understand that this off beaten path of finding a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of practicing art would lead me to this- a sense of struggle. But then who says doing the right thing is all fun anyway.
I had to stop using Acrylics and went back to using pencils where this art thing started-- with me doodling. Pencils are for me the safest. Until I have done more research on oil, will I start to use it again. Thankfully the Faber-Castell Watercolour Pencils I have here are branded as ecopencil. I did a bit of search on the package to find out what this ecopencil is about and read that the wood used here comes from sustainable forests, meaning that the forests are very well managed.
So alas! I found the tools that I'll be working with while moving on to another medium. I knew I've always wanted to work with really dark pigments than what this watercolour pencils can offer me, but I have to work with this for awhile until I figure out what is safe there to use. This commitment on staying eco-friendly requires a bit of discipline. I'm afraid I might not be able to work with the majority of the art tools available in the market.
I could see myself using what people back in the days, meaning ancient people, were using. That would be a challenge or maybe not either way I really have to do my research. I wouldn't mind using earth pigments.
My research though have led me to PintaPH, a hand-made artist-grade watercolors locally produced and created by Katrina Gosiengfiao, a young Fine Arts graduate of UP Diliman. Impressed is an understatement. Surely I'd love to support entrepreneurs like her and would want to collaborate with her in the near future. But first, buy her products and then experiment. Excited! I have mad respect for young entrepreneurs like her, who want to make a difference for society and environment.
GETTING TO KNOW OIL PAINTS AND OTHER ESSENTIALS: FINDING A MORE ECO FRIENDLY ROUTE - ENTRY #4
While PinaPH is out of stock with their watercolours, I am left with some time to explore oil painting and the tools which I need to be wary of to be able to paint more eco-friendly. I am not sure how I could write this without sounding textbook-y but there are details which really enlightened me and I guess there's really no other way to it but to get to it.
Essential tools
Here are essential oil tools to begin your journey with oil painting: Oil paints, paint brushes, solvents such as turpentine or paint thinner, mineral spirits and varnishes, linseed oil (thinners), newspapers (as base), rag (to clean the brush or oil), easel, charcoal pencil (sketching), canvas (painting surface), clothes, charcoal pencil and palette (where you swipe oil paints).
If you identify what the non eco-friendly materials are, it would be oil paints as some contains heavy metal which are carcinogenic and solvents (turpentines, thinners, mineral spirits) and varnishes, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOC's) which are irritants and toxic in nature.
Oil Paints
Let's first dissect oil paints. As mentioned above, oil paints are okay with the exception of a number of colours. Here are the essential start up colours suggested and its level of toxicity:
Titanium White, Ivory Black, Cadmium Red (highly toxic), Permanent Alizarin Crimson (moderately toxic), Ultramarine Blue, Pthalo Blue (moderately toxic), Cadmium Yellow Light, and Cadmium Yellow (highly toxic).
Solvents
Traditionally, painters used linseed oil, walnut oil or poppyseed oil as thinners (to make oil paint more liquid in nature), the first 2 have been considered food-grade and all 3 are derived from nature and thus are safer.
It is just in recent years where artists started using solvents such as turpentines, mineral spirits and paint thinners, which are petroleum-based as well as releasing toxic VOC's. The difference between the 3 is that mineral solvents are more refined thus safer however more expensive. These are used as thinners as well as brush cleaners.
Best practice: Use linseed oil/walnut oil to clean brush and then wash it down with water and soap.
So that's my preliminary study on oil paints. I'm still shocked with what I have discovered. Truly many artists aren't aware on how dangerous the tools they're working with. But hopefully this post will shed light to those who are practicing. I now look at oil differently this time. For sure, I'd be a lot more careful moving forward.
The Sorting
After seeing a list of toxic pigments, I headed on to my stash and sorted out my tubes. The left side are my acrylics and oil pigments with medium to high toxicity. The ones on the left are oil pigments with low toxicity.
I knew this would happen.
I'll be left with few things to work with. Even though these have low toxicity content, these still contain heavy metals namely lead and cadmium thus safety practices on handling these should always be exercised such as wiping off paints when in contact with skin and not ingesting these paints in anyway shape or form.
What Is Left and What is there to Explore
So now I have few oils to work with, but then again I still have my Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, my graphites and I'm also waiting for my clay to be shipped by the end of this month. My research had pleasantly brought me to some mediums and techniques which I'm excited to explore. I'll keep things on the down low until I have the actual tools on hand and I have explored the medium.
For now, I'll just play with the ones I'm left with.
Turning eco-friendly was the most natural thing for me.
Sustainability has been one of my obsession for the past 3 years, and I have taken steps just to get in the industry. One of which was taking a training on GRI standards as well as landing a job in a consultancy firm whereby I was tasked to help in making sustainability reports for companies. I learned that companies and NGO's had to take note of their impacts on the environment as well as their employees and communities. In this work, I was able to understand more and more how the triple bottom line namely planet, people and profit was important in lieu on sustainability. Taking care of all 3 is really the bloodline of sustainability. What is true in a macro level is also the same in micro level.
Sustainability has been one of my obsession for the past 3 years, and I have taken steps just to get in the industry. One of which was taking a training on GRI standards as well as landing a job in a consultancy firm whereby I was tasked to help in making sustainability reports for companies. I learned that companies and NGO's had to take note of their impacts on the environment as well as their employees and communities. In this work, I was able to understand more and more how the triple bottom line namely planet, people and profit was important in lieu on sustainability. Taking care of all 3 is really the bloodline of sustainability. What is true in a macro level is also the same in micro level.
As an emerging artist, my first concern was to find my style. Unfortunately being an eco-friendly artist wasn't really a top priority or wasn't something that had crossed my mind. My focus was to be conscious with where I gravitate towards and the principles I use when painting. I used watercolors then jumped to acrylics and then oil. I find myself leaning towards women in vintage form as subjects portraying them as feminine and confident. I then started painting flowers as painting faces could be a bit of a task. I found painting flowers like painting abstract. I could loosen up my strokes and be a bit careless and carefree with forming shapes. Somehow I found it really therapeutic and relieving.
The Turnaround
However, it dawned on me that being in the sustainability industry, it was imperative of me to use some principles of sustainability and to advocate this because not so many people know about it especially about the 17 sustainability development goals.
Eco-Friendly Practice
Thus started my research on how to become an eco-friendly or green artist. Common sense tells me that as a green artist I would have to use art materials which are eco-friendly, locally produced, recycled, upcycled and use recycled materials as much as possible with the intent of lowering impact and material consumption.
As I was working with acrylics during the start of my research I started to gather that acrylics are petroleum-based and are considered as liquid plastics thus detrimental to the environment. That leads me to go back to oil which is linseed oil based- something that is food-grade and is natural, on the exception of red, yellow and some tones of white which contains toxic materials. I have also gone back to sketching using a regular pencil and could be venturing in using graphite pencils.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
I don't thrive in limitations but I guess we are entering this whole green trend and everyone, small and big profit-seeking entities are finding it hard to find the balance. Everyone who is green conscious is going through a very awkward and painful phase of transition. Good thing with big companies, there are guidelines that they could refer to.
However as an artist, there really is none. A lack of data is missing regarding best practices on handling acrylics as well as other more toxic materials. I've read that eco-friendly artists would have the dissolved acrylics in water dried up and throw the solid residue of acrylics in the dumpster as throwing it in the pipeline means possible blocking of pipes as well as emission of toxic fumes. But the question with what artists are doing as per throwing it as residue is, it will eventually get wet in the landfill and guess what? It will still make its way to our waters. There's no treatment facilities available for this as far as I know. And so the more I read about the lack, and the gaps, the harder it is for me to read through more articles fearing that I would just get more questions than answers.
I understand that this off beaten path of finding a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of practicing art would lead me to this- a sense of struggle. But then who says doing the right thing is all fun anyway.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
MANAGING COLORING TOOLS - ENTRY #3
So alas! I found the tools that I'll be working with while moving on to another medium. I knew I've always wanted to work with really dark pigments than what this watercolour pencils can offer me, but I have to work with this for awhile until I figure out what is safe there to use. This commitment on staying eco-friendly requires a bit of discipline. I'm afraid I might not be able to work with the majority of the art tools available in the market.
I could see myself using what people back in the days, meaning ancient people, were using. That would be a challenge or maybe not either way I really have to do my research. I wouldn't mind using earth pigments.
My research though have led me to PintaPH, a hand-made artist-grade watercolors locally produced and created by Katrina Gosiengfiao, a young Fine Arts graduate of UP Diliman. Impressed is an understatement. Surely I'd love to support entrepreneurs like her and would want to collaborate with her in the near future. But first, buy her products and then experiment. Excited! I have mad respect for young entrepreneurs like her, who want to make a difference for society and environment.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
GETTING TO KNOW OIL PAINTS AND OTHER ESSENTIALS: FINDING A MORE ECO FRIENDLY ROUTE - ENTRY #4
Essential tools
Here are essential oil tools to begin your journey with oil painting: Oil paints, paint brushes, solvents such as turpentine or paint thinner, mineral spirits and varnishes, linseed oil (thinners), newspapers (as base), rag (to clean the brush or oil), easel, charcoal pencil (sketching), canvas (painting surface), clothes, charcoal pencil and palette (where you swipe oil paints).
If you identify what the non eco-friendly materials are, it would be oil paints as some contains heavy metal which are carcinogenic and solvents (turpentines, thinners, mineral spirits) and varnishes, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOC's) which are irritants and toxic in nature.
Oil Paints
Let's first dissect oil paints. As mentioned above, oil paints are okay with the exception of a number of colours. Here are the essential start up colours suggested and its level of toxicity:
Titanium White, Ivory Black, Cadmium Red (highly toxic), Permanent Alizarin Crimson (moderately toxic), Ultramarine Blue, Pthalo Blue (moderately toxic), Cadmium Yellow Light, and Cadmium Yellow (highly toxic).
It is appalling for me that many of these basic colors are toxic in nature.
Best practice: Keep away from using toxic pigments or just wear protective gear when painting like gloves
It is just in recent years where artists started using solvents such as turpentines, mineral spirits and paint thinners, which are petroleum-based as well as releasing toxic VOC's. The difference between the 3 is that mineral solvents are more refined thus safer however more expensive. These are used as thinners as well as brush cleaners.
Best practice: Use linseed oil/walnut oil to clean brush and then wash it down with water and soap.
So that's my preliminary study on oil paints. I'm still shocked with what I have discovered. Truly many artists aren't aware on how dangerous the tools they're working with. But hopefully this post will shed light to those who are practicing. I now look at oil differently this time. For sure, I'd be a lot more careful moving forward.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
SORTING OUT AND LOOKING OUT - ENTRY #5
The Sorting
After seeing a list of toxic pigments, I headed on to my stash and sorted out my tubes. The left side are my acrylics and oil pigments with medium to high toxicity. The ones on the left are oil pigments with low toxicity.
I knew this would happen.
I'll be left with few things to work with. Even though these have low toxicity content, these still contain heavy metals namely lead and cadmium thus safety practices on handling these should always be exercised such as wiping off paints when in contact with skin and not ingesting these paints in anyway shape or form.
What Is Left and What is there to Explore
So now I have few oils to work with, but then again I still have my Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, my graphites and I'm also waiting for my clay to be shipped by the end of this month. My research had pleasantly brought me to some mediums and techniques which I'm excited to explore. I'll keep things on the down low until I have the actual tools on hand and I have explored the medium.
For now, I'll just play with the ones I'm left with.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
THE RESEARCH CONTINUES - ENTRY# 6
The Takeaway
THE RESEARCH CONTINUES - ENTRY# 6
Lately I've been doing a lot of research, mainly on pigments. It is not really the medium that is toxic but the pigments used. Previous post, we have established that solvents like turpentine, mineral spirits, thinners and varnishes are toxic and should be used sparingly or at least be handled properly.
We are talking about the color medium per se. Irregardless of the medium, more attention would have to go to the pigments since same pigments are used across all mediums that means same level of toxicity.
Pigments
Earth pigments like red, browns and yellows are more safe since these are naturally occurring and had been used in prehistoric times as well as during the renaissance.
We are talking about the color medium per se. Irregardless of the medium, more attention would have to go to the pigments since same pigments are used across all mediums that means same level of toxicity.
Pigments
Earth pigments like red, browns and yellows are more safe since these are naturally occurring and had been used in prehistoric times as well as during the renaissance.
However I've come across publications which are contrasting with what they say about a certain topics let's say for example linseed oil and titanium white. Some people say the latter is inert as long as it's in liquid form, but another article says it's poisonous thus bearing its name as titanium (metal). Also with linseed oil, one site says it's okay while another article says it's not good as it could cause you to cough or sneeze when used in enclosed space.
Metallic colors are said to be toxic but products in the market already have lowered toxicity of heavy metals, but when ingested in huge amounts, will pose a big threat to your body.
Metallic colors are said to be toxic but products in the market already have lowered toxicity of heavy metals, but when ingested in huge amounts, will pose a big threat to your body.
I'm now left with earth pigments which are said to be non-toxic however I read this article saying that it could be harmful to the environment, and health.
The Takeaway
This just leads me with one conclusion: Iron oxides needs to be handled with care however non toxic and inert some publications say it is. No ingestion or inhalation should be done.
Now I need to get a drink after this - and I don't even drink
She-Ba
-----------------------------
THE RESEARCH DEVELOPS: GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS - ENTRY #6
I'm feeling like Erin Brokovich with all these researching. Seriously. I don't think any artists, at least in the Philippines, have a practice of collecting their waste and endorsing it to a hazardous treatment facility. I called a number of facilities listed in DENR 2014 of treatment facilities and most numbers were not available. Finally I was able to reach one, but the person who answered was the guard who then gave me extension number for the marketing department, however no one was there to pick up the phone.
I can't wait to get to the bottom of this.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
BEAUTIFUL MISTAKES - ENTRY #7
I've been putting off on working with clay as I had to do varnishing. Finally time came when I can open the package and start playing with it. When I poured water, I noticed the consistency felt like it was plaster of paris. Simply put, I couldn't work with it at all. There's no way I could build any clay with this. This led me to do more research about kaolin calcine and found that it was derived from kaolin clay. I thought, I bought the clay, the raw clay and not this, so I contacted the seller to clarify it with her. While waiting for her reply, I went on with my research and read that kaolin was used in 19th century as a ground surface for painting. Thin layers were built on top of the other to form a stable base for the painting. Kaolin, unlike gesso and latex, is inert and thus doesn't have a smell to it and isn't flammable.
So when I thought that I might not find any use for this, I was wrong. See, there's really a way that I can make sense of what I'm doing even though I make mistakes along the way.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
GOING THROUGH MY STUFF - ENTRY #8
Ever since I've done my research on pigments and acrylics/oils, I have done things a bit more different than before.
Here are the things I have stopped doing:
- working with paints on the dining table even though I've placed a number of paper and cardboards underneath
- putting the cup of coffee on the same space with my paints, instead I put it on top of a chair
- dumping waste water in the sink instead let it evaporate
- letting my skin exposed to paints for a long time instead I wash it within 10-15 minutes
- eating with paints on my hands
I've focused on using up art materials that I don't think will work with again which are latex, and acrylics. This is what they call purging. Any committed green artist would've banned themselves from using these items and might decide to throw them away instead of using. My point is throwing them away would just be a waste. I could use them to create art and sell them to have money to buy more sensible and eco-friendly materials. Also it would be a great opportunity for me to show my gift and explore my style, plus take pics for content in my social media accounts.
To be sustainable, I believe it is important to think of the profit instead of the environment only. Understanding that to go green takes time and it takes conscious decisions in balancing the 3 P's: profit, people and planet.
To be sustainable, I believe it is important to think of the profit instead of the environment only. Understanding that to go green takes time and it takes conscious decisions in balancing the 3 P's: profit, people and planet.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
STARTED WORKING WITH CLAY - ENTRY# 9
My acrylics are almost used up. What now? Going back to watercolors, graphite and clay then. I must confess, I'll miss the vibrant colors of acrylics. Right now I'm going through some alternatives, clay being one of them. Researching for a white buildable clay, I purchased kaolin clay but received a wrong item. So while waiting for the actual clay, I worked with the bentonite clay I've had with me since last year. I use it for my body spa. Feeling a bit bummed out, I scooped out a cup of the clay, added water to form a paste and started kneading it. This is not the type of clay one usually use to make sculptures but since it is what I have available, I used it for practice. I thought it would be easy but dang, the eyes and lips were a challenge for me. A couple of hours later, this face came out and greeted me. I had no reference image here. What came out was someone quite familiar. Funny how our subconscious try to pull a trick on us. Reason why I shy away from creating portraits when I feel sad, that emotion would appear on paper. Anyways, this could be a start of my sculpting career.
She-Ba
-----------------------------
WORKING ON TERRACOTTA CLAY - ENTRY #10
I finally got 2 kilograms of Terracotta clay to play with. I have been feeling my way through this medium to see if this is something I need to pursue. My initial plan was to create a tribal sculpture which symbolizes nobility thus I had been doing research on Philippines' tribal art to see if there's anything I can work with. From my studies online, I have found out that people from precolonial times were creating anthropomorphic sculptures for burial jars and sculpted idols on wood. I knew I don't want to do anything with those. For the most part, pots were used for storing wines, rice and the likes. As a last resort, I went to National Museum of Anthropology in the hopes that I could find something. My trip confirmed that my research was right, however I did take pleasure in looking at these articles in real life and took pictures on any tribal symbols or arts on pots for future reference. All in all it was still good.
She-Ba
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THE ECO-FRIENDLY WAY OF DOING IT - ENTRY #11
While I'm still exploring terracota clay, I had partly focused my attention to selling some of my acrylic arts as well as working on a commission piece. Since I have some remaining acrylic tubes left, I figured using them to create a sample art on paper for the latter. My awareness on safety and eco-friendly measures really made me mindful with my art practices which I am grateful for. During the whole painting session, I was no longer letting paints stay on my skin for more than 5 minutes or so, and was not putting any food or drinks in my working area. I have also placed the container with waste water near the window to let the water dry out fully and then will throw the solid residue in the bin thereafter. It has already been almost 48 hours and there's still half of the water remaining which is understandable considering it's rainy season in the Philippines. And if you look at the picture, there wasn't really a lot of waste that I started with but again since it is wet season, what can I do? The good thing is I don't have to actively do anything, but just wait.
I've gotten in touch with a couple of artists who are environmentalists, one of whom I had chatted with. She confessed the difficulties on convincing other artists to reduce waste materials as well as using plastics. I deeply understand her sentiments because I can relate. Unless I have really done it myself and had found some alternatives for plastic, then it would be hard convincing others. I need to walk the talk, which is what this journey is all about really.
She-Ba
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