The Database of Eco-friendly Art Materials
Painting
There are quite a lot of things to keep in mind when choosing your tools for painting.
Framing, easel & stretcher
If you prefer wooden frames, easels & stretchers, it’s best to select either FSC-certified or reclaimed wood. This way you can be sure that your art practice doesn’t contribute to deforestation.
Another option might be to create framing or stretchers from recycled metal or bamboo.
You can also consider reusing frames & stretchers from some old paintings which are sold on flea markets.
If you work with thin paper or / and rather vulnerable media such as watercolour, ink, pencil (graphite), pastel or charcoal, you might want to add cover to the framing. Usually, artists use either real glass or acrylic (also known as plexiglass, it is a petroleum-based material) for a cover.
Glass is made of sand, limestone and soda ash. You may think that this is a quite sustainable material. But the truth is that the world is now facing the global sand crisis. Although sand is abundant on the planet, only a certain type of it – silica sand – can be used to produce glass (and microchips for computers). Besides, sand extraction and the processes of glass production are far from benign. Sand extraction can be harmful to local ecosystems, and it contributes to coastal erosion and flooding. To make glass, lots of energy is needed which usually means burning fossil fuels, and thus contributing to global heating and climate change.
Glass is not biodegradable, but it can be recycled many times without loss in quality.
So, the brief conclusion is that it’s best either to reuse an old glass from other framing (or windows), or to avoid using a cover at all.
Canvas
Most canvases on the market use polyester blends which are petroleum-based acrylics. Its production requires high levels of energy and the use of harmful chemicals which makes it an unsustainable choice.
Other popular choices are canvases made of cotton or linen. The conventional production of cotton uses lots of energy and water. Besides, it pollutes local ecosystems with pesticides. Linen or hemp is a more eco-friendly alternative as its production requires less resources and less harmful fertilizers. You can also search for organic cotton which was cultivated without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
Another thing worth considering is the fact that canvases expand and contract with changes in relative humidity, causing cracks and cupping in the paint layer. It means that after some time, your painting may need a restoration. So, if you want your art piece to live long and not to distort through time, it may be worth considering painting on a rigid material – for instance, reclaimed wood or stone. However, it works only for water-based paints.
Paint
All paints consist of two main components – a pigment and a binder. Paints can also contain some additions which make paint dry faster or slower, or create texture. Binders can be synthetic or natural.
Such water-based paints as watercolor and gouache paints are primarily composed of water and natural pigments which means they usually are non-toxic and quite sustainable. As a binder watercolours normally have beeswax and gum arabic which is the water-soluble sap of the North African acacia tree.
Concerning pigments, it is important to know that the production of reds, yellows, some blues and many whites requires mining and processing of minerals. This puts the pigment industry on the list of heavy polluters which can cause the contamination of water bodies, soil erosion, habitat destruction, and loss of biodiversity. Some pigments are derived from non-renewable sources like petroleum which is also an unsustainable option.
Luckily, most colour pigments have biodegradable and bio-based alternatives.
Let’s look closer at the most popular types of paint.
Gesso
Before diving into the world of paints, just a few words about priming. Although it is possible to paint in oil or acrylic on an unprimed support, many artists prefer to use a primer / gesso to get rid of the unwanted texture of a canvas and make sure that a paint sticks to the surface smoothly.
Today the most popular option is an acrylic gesso which is suitable for both oil and acrylic paints. But again, acrylic is a petroleum-based material which makes it an unsustainable choice.
Some companies produce gesso from casein (milk protein). Relatively to acrylic, this is a more eco-friendly option as casein is biodegradable.
But this is not the only alternative. Gesso can be made at home. Recipes may vary, here is the list of components you can try experimenting with:
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Powdered chalk
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PVA glue / Gelatine / Cornstarch
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Linseed oil
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Water
Oil paint
Just as the name states, this paint has oil as a binder. Linseed oil is the most used one. Other options include walnut, poppy or safflower oils. Stearate is also often added to assist with the wetting and stability of the paint. Stearate is a product of reaction between metal and stearic acid. Stearic acid is found in many animal and vegetable fats, but is usually higher in animal fat than vegetable fat.
When working with oil, the most troublesome part from an environmental standpoint comes from applying thinners and varnishes which often contain toxic substances.
You can try either skipping thinners and varnishes, or choosing water-soluble oil paints. These are compatible with water-based thinners which are much less harmful both for humans and the environment.
Acrylic paint
In acrylic paint, the binder is an acrylic polymer emulsion. The use of a plastic binder allows it to be water resistant when dry while being water soluble when wet. It also makes the paint durable and weatherproof in its dry form.
Acrylic is derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and its production is energy-intensive. Another threat that it poses to the environment is contributing to microplastic pollution. If you wash off the acrylic under the tap, tiny particles of plastic will get into the water bringing danger to aquatic life.
Tempera
Tempera is made of pigments and a water-soluble binder (usually egg yolk). Although this is not a vegan option, tempera is definitely one of the most sustainable paints.
It can be difficult to find egg tempera in shops, however, you can create this paint at home. But note that the homemade egg tempera can only be used for a single painting session – as yolk becomes thicker and water evaporates quite quickly making it more difficult to paint as time passes.
Another good thing is that the egg tempera is biodegradable.
Enamel paint
The base of enamel paint includes a resin (either alkyd or acrylic), pigments, and a solvent. Conventional enamel paints often contain many hazardous chemicals which are high in levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs can pollute air, cause nausea and worsen the symptoms of asthma.
Emulsion paint
Emulsion paint, also known as latex or water-based paint, consists of water, pigments, and a binder. The latter is either acrylic, or alkyd. In general, it is much less toxic than enamel paint, yet it can not be called truly sustainable as it contains a plastic binder.
Sustainable paint
It is worth noting that there are no industry-wide regulations on the production of sustainable paint. It means that if a paint label says "eco" or “green”, there are no guarantees that the product is truly sustainable. You should always check the ingredient list and gather as much information about the manufacturer as possible before buying a paint.
The safest options among different types of paint would be bio-based ones. These are the paints made from clay, limewash, plants, microorganisms, or seaweed.
In general, natural paints have a comparable lifespan to their synthetic counterparts.
However, when using natural binders, be prepared for some unexpected effects. For example, some oils, like linseed oil, can yellow over time, especially in white paints. Alternatives like safflower oil are sometimes used to mitigate this. Some plant-based paints may be more sensitive to UV light which results in faster fading or degradation in direct sunlight.
Thinners & varnish
Of all painting materials, solvents and finishes are the most dangerous to your health as they emit harmful VOCs. So, if it is possible, it is better to avoid using thinners and varnish. If it is not the option for you, try experimenting with water-based or natural varnishes and thinners. For example, thinners made with processed soy bean oil or lavender oil, and varnishes made from natural resins – such as dammar, rosin, or pine resin.
Yet, remember that natural varnishes may darken and discolor with time.
Brushes
Brushes are another problematic item among the artists’ tools. The brush hair bundle is either made of synthetic polymer (which is, obviously, unsustainable) or animal hair. Natural-hair brushes could be sustainable under controlled conditions, but right now there are no controlling instances who can ensure that animals are not harmed or killed during the process.
However, if you don’t mind bringing some creativity into the process of painting, you can try out alternative tools that can be easily found in your household – for example, combs, textured pieces of cloth, sponges, etc.
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