Making Art Safely: Alternative Methods and Materials in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Graphic Design, and Photography

Making Art Safely Alternative Methods and Materials in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Graphic Design, and Photography Merle Spandorfer • Deborah Curtiss • Jack Snyder, M.D. For artists, art educators, and individuals concerned with occupational hazards, a richly illustrated guide to creating art "safely" without compromising quality.…written by two artists and a toxicologist. No longer must you endanger your health or compromise your safety simply by practicing your craft. Making Art Safely is a master guidebook and unique visual reference for avoiding physical risk in your studio or workplace, without sacrificing the quality of your art. This incomparable guide first identifies chemical and physical hazards currently found in art, design, printmaking, and photographic studios, then shows you how to easily replace them with nontoxic materials and safer art-making practices that will not distract from, or jeopardize, the quality of your output. Making Art Safely is also brimming with personal stories of highly accomplished artists who have reformed their art-making approaches and chosen safer, healthier ways to practice their craft. Accompanying these discussions are over 200 beautiful color and black-and-white photographs of work that has been executed "safely," with minimal risk to its creator. For practical utility, Making Art Safely profiles safer materials and methods used in drawing, painting, printmaking, graphic design, illustration, and photography. You’ll find easy-to-follow checklists and action plans for setting up and operating a safe studio, and how to monitor the effectiveness of your safety efforts. For speedy reference, an exhaustive alphabetical list of art material chemicals alerts you to safety precautions and exposure symptoms, and recommends safer substitutes. A resource directory points you toward qualified suppliers of nontoxic artists’ materials and safety equipment.