Pastels & Safety

Age Matters

When it comes to pastels, the age of the material makes a significant difference. If you are using pastels passed down from older relatives or purchased secondhand, you may be at greater risk. Older art materials contained such materials as cobalt, cadmium, lead and other heavy metals. These substances may be absorbed directly into the skin and do constitute a major health risk. Older pastels, if used, need to be used with gloves, a smock or jumpsuit, and a face-mask.

If you employ an easel in your pastel painting, the dust formed by your activities can be allowed to drop into the easel rail. When you break from painting or finish the work, you can use a fine-filtration vacuum to remove the dust. You still may wish to wear a mask if you have upper respiratory problems, such as asthma or chronic bronchitis. Do not blow on the pastel dust to remove it. If you plan to produce large volumes of pastel paintings, you may want to have your studio specially outfitted with air filtration and other particle-reduction equipment to reduce risk.

While painting with pastels, do not smoke or eat. Do not use your pastels in an area where food is prepared or served. The binders and chemicals in the pastels could transfer to internal organs, thereby causing health issues. The mouth and skin are the most absorptive areas on the body and should be protected to the greatest possible extent from foreign chemicals. Use of gloves is highly recommended even with newer pastel products. Removing your studio from your home is also recommended.

Some people use fixative in an effort to preserve pastel paintings. This is not necessary, and it can darken the colors and ruin the painting. A pastel painting properly framed is protected and can last indefinitely. The only time a fixative might really be needed is if an area needs to be reworked. In that case, spraying a workable fixative on an area of the painting can allow changes to be made. Use caution with spray fixatives. Follow manufacturer directions and do not inhale the vapors. Use spray fixatives away from sources of heat or flame.