{"id":468821,"date":"2015-11-20T16:48:03","date_gmt":"2015-11-20T16:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=468821"},"modified":"2016-03-09T20:25:51","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T20:25:51","slug":"getting-your-hands-dirty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/20\/getting-your-hands-dirty\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Your Hands Dirty"},"content":{"rendered":"
Protecting your skin from toxic substances and staining paints can make for a more pleasant painting experience.<\/h5>\n

\"barrier3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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More and more now, painters are aware of health and safety issues in the studio and are taking care to protect their health. Solvents in the air and toxins absorbed through the skin are the most common things to be aware of. One of the most important things is to be sure your work area has good ventilation and airflow. Another thing is to minimize skin contact with paints and pigments. Some paints contain hazardous pigments like the chromium colours. It is also good to read all manufacturer warning labels carefully.<\/p>\n

Many artists now paint wearing disposable gloves. If you want to protect yourself from toxic substances or dirt but don’t like wearing plastic gloves while painting we have two choices of creams that act as barriers. Latex gloves or barrier creams do not prevent the penetration of most solvents but will minimize contact with paint so they definitely reduce clean-up time. Cleaning your hands with solvents is a very bad idea. But using either gloves or protective cream means you will not have to resort to that.<\/p>\n

Another thing to consider is the rough, painful, dry skin you can get from scrubbing your hands to get rid of paint. I am a messy painter. I forget to pay attention to my surroundings while I am immersed in the painting process and will grab a brush only to find the handle had paint on it and so often end up with quite a bit of paint on my hands. Scrubbing my hands clean dries them out badly and even after my skin is clean my cuticles can be stained for days. I find that oil and acrylic are both just as difficult to remove. I have trained myself to always put on gloves or apply barrier cream before I start painting. Using barrier cream means paint will wash off in a moment, very easily.<\/p>\n

Even if you aren’t a messy painter you may find that you get paint all over your hands when opening paint tubes, so some artists will open paint tubes with gloves on even if they don’t keep them on to paint.<\/p>\n

\"Before<\/a>
Before and after.
I got paint on my hands and since they were coated with barrier cream, the paint easily washed off with just water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Barrier Cream<\/h5>\n

Barrier cream is sometimes called shielding lotion and before-work cream. While you are painting it doesn’t feel like you are wearing anything and when you wash your hands everything comes off very easily. If you wash your hands during a painting session, such as when washing brushes, you will need to reapply fresh cream. <\/p>\n

The ingredients are those of normal moisturising hand cream plus paraffin (a petroleum wax or jelly). So there is a sort of waxy petroleum jelly film that you cannot feel, acting as a barrier to substances that you come into contact with and keeping the moisture in your hands. They contain no harsh or dangerous chemicals and clean up is easy, just wash with soap and water.<\/p>\n

It only takes a small amount to coat your hands, similar to the amount that you would apply of a moisturising lotion.<\/p>\n

Winsor & Newton Artguard Barrier Cream<\/strong><\/a>
\n250ml pot. Unscented. Creamy texture.<\/p>\n

Liberon Liquid Glove<\/strong> <\/a>
\n100ml and 1000ml pots
\nThe texture is a bit like foam but it liquifies on contact with the warmth of your skin. It smells of a combination of vanilla and plasticine. When you apply it your hands feel sticky at first but that goes away quickly.<\/p>\n

\"It<\/a>
It takes a small amount to coat your hands with an invisible barrier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Two<\/a>
Two different textures of the barrier creams. Left is Winsor & Newton Artguard. Right is Liberon Liquid Glove.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Disposable Gloves<\/h5>\n