Some of our top artist contributors, Sarah Edmonds, Tim Fisher, David Bellamy, Robert Dutton and Liz Chaderton share their ideas and advice for being more environmentally-aware as we pursue our art.
We can all can do something for the environment, however big or small, including suppliers and manufacturers of fine art materials. It's worth examining a suppliers environmental credentials if this concerns you.
Due to the type of materials artists need, it can be very difficult for suppliers to avoid clocking up air miles, so it’s worth looking for companies with good environmental policies.
Company environmental policies
Top tips to help save the planet
Eco-friendly art materials
Company environmental policies:
Golden Art Supplies
Golden Art Supplies have introduced recycling systems that greatly reduce their impact on the planet, including the use of a Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtering system that allows them to reuse over two-thirds of their cleaning water.
Nitram Charcoal
Nitram use solar panels to generate the energy to regulate a constant burn at different temperatures for making their charcoal. Hence the grades and the sticks being so perfect.
Jackson's Art Supplies
Jackson's Art Supplies plant trees to offset the use of paper in their catalogues. As of last year they had planted over 1000 trees with Trees for Life.
They also use sustainable packaging such as compostable packing peanuts and cellophane and recyclable, FSC approved cardboard boxes.
Hahnemühle
Hahnemühle produce their papers in a naturally sustainable way from their mill which is located within a nature reserve.
SEE THE GREEN ROOSTER INITIATIVE HERE
Great Art
Great Art have introduced their Great Green Earth Project whereby artists can return their used art materials to their London disposable stations and receive money off when purchasing new supplies. The returned items are then re-used, recycled or disposed of in a responsible way that is sympathetic to the environment. Plus, all the packaging used for their mail order parcels, from the outer cardboard boxes to the packing materials used inside to protect fragile items are 100% recyclable.
Clairefontaine
Clairefontaine have been ahead of the game when it comes in the environment, with the introduction of ecological technology and options as far back as the 1970s.
Their papers are made from wood that has been sourced from sustainable, FSC approved forests. They also use selected inks, glues and finishing products to ensure their products can be fully recycled, and generate 80% of their own power to help reduce their carbon footprint.
Winsor & Newton
Winsor & Newton have developed cadmium-free alternatives and switched from virgin to 100% recycled plastic for their oil colour and watercolour mediums, varnish, and solvent bottles. This stops an average of 248 tonnes of plastic going into landfill every year.
LEARN MORE ON THEIR SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES HERE
Derwent
Derwent comply with the internationally recognised Environmental Management standard, SGS ISO 14001 and hold a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for developing a unique, solvent-free paint application system which has greatly improved the air quality in the production area.
They also burn the waste sawdust from the pencil making process which is used to heat the factory in the winter months; employ rain water collection and motion sensors on the lighting, particiate in the Valpack packaging initiative improving the packaging used for their pencils as well as encouraging a cycle to work scheme.
St Cuthberts Mill
St Cuthberts Mill is located in the Somerset countryside.
They take great pride in protecting the environment, making paper in harmony with the local countryside. No hazardous chemicals are released into the river, and they are proud to have large quantities of wildlife living in tandem with the mill.
Their location boasts a wide variety of wildlife which include, ducks, trout, pheasant, buzzards, foxes, badgers, roe deer, rabbits, heron, kingfishers and woodpeckers.
All materials are screened in the mill to ensure minimal environmental effect. Pulps are sourced from sustainable sources (no rainforests are harmed in making our papers), and their cotton linters are an annual crop, which are a by-product from the textile industry.
Twenty simple ways to help save the planet:
1. Using found materials
Try using found materials for ink drawing such as reeds, feather quills or club sandwich cocktail sticks.
Discover plenty of ideas in Ann Blockley's book, Creativity Through Nature.
2. Not down the drain!
It’s good practise to mix acrylics on wax paper palettes, allow to dry when finished, then dispose in refuse rather than diluting and washing paint down the drain.
3. Wipe knives clean
Try painting with a palette knife and wipe clean with a tissue to avoid excess use of water.
4. Recycle and donate
Recycle frames, donate unwanted art supplies to schools or charities.
5. Make the most of collage
Give old magazines and publicity pamphlets a new life by recycling them into your artwork as a collage.
Collage by Christine Davies
ENJOY A HOST OF COLLAGE IDEAS AND INSPIRATION
6. Don't waste a drop!
Use a paint tube wringer to get everything out of the tube, ensuring no waste.
7. Choose natural supports
When using paper and canvas, opt for natural materials such as hemp flax or cotton.
8. Avoid single-use
Try using refillable pens rather than single use.
9. Make your own pens
Try making your own dip pens out of recycled or natural materials.
Reed Cutters by Jason Bowyer
MAKE YOUR OWN REED PEN WITH JASON BOWYER
10. Make your own water pots
Use old milk cartons, empty jars or similar as water pots.
11. Buy local
Try cutting air miles by buying art materials manufactured in your own country.
Visit local art shops where possible to cut down on postage.
12. Think of the trees
Make sure your pencils are FSC approved.
13. Paint over failures
Re-use old canvases - you can easily paint over work you no longer want.
Summer in the Wye Valley by Paul Talbot-Greaves
See how Paul Talbot-Greaves used a failed painting to create added interest in this acrylic painting.
14. Extend the life of your pencils
Make your pencils last longer with pencil extenders.
15. Try natural pigments
Find out how Clare Wilde makes and uses her own paints using natural pigments
16. Go cadmium-free
TRY WINSOR & NEWTON CADMIUM FREE OILS WITH JENNY AITKEN
17. Avoid plastics
Try alternatives to plastic wrap for adding texture to your watercolours.
18. Reuse old packaging
Sketch on old cereal boxes, paper bags etc.
Santa says 'reduce, reuse, recycle' by Liz Chaderton
Follow Liz Chaderton to paint this portrait of Santa using ink and watercolour on corrugated cardboard.
19. Try making your own egg tempera
Freddie egg tempera, (26.5x8.5cm)
FIND OUT HOW WITH ROBIN-LEE HALL
20. Try water-mixable oils
Avoid the need for solvents by using water-mixable oils
SEE OUR WATER-MIXABLE OIL DEMOS HERE
Environmentally-friendly products:
Jackson's Eco Paper
Jacksons' Eco Papers are made from recycled cotton, individually set into the moulds and then dried slowly in the Indian sun. The water used in the production is then run off to irrigate the field neighbouring the factory.
Seawhite Recycled and Cupcycling sketchbooks
Caran d'Ache Eco Gouache
The Caran d'Ache Eco Gouache range contains 18 colours of solvent- and allergen-free, opaque and matt-drying gouache paints, plus four fluorescent colours.
The packaging of Caran d'Ache Eco Gouache colours consists of recycled cartons from Switzerland, while the bottles are made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), a recycled and recyclable plastic.
Sennelier Green for Oil
Sennelier’s range Green For Oil has been designed to be a safer, greener alternative to traditional solvents with all the ingredients being part of the bio-solvent family.
These eco-friendly solvents are created from renewable raw materials that are found naturally. They are sourced, keeping biomass and sanitary and environmental standards in mind, from plant, animal or mineral based materials.
Zest It
Zest It produce a range of products that are aimed at being safer for artists and the environment.
Lutea Natural Watercolour
The pigments in Lutea's range of 12 Watercolours are extracted from plants grown under the care and expertise of artisan Anne-Sylvie Godeau.
The grounded pigments are then meticulously incorporated with the highest quality binding agents, guided by Isabelle Roelof's research.
Hahnemühle Bamboo Multi Media paper
Hahnemühle Bamboo is the first paper in the Hahnemühle Traditional Fine Art Collection made of bamboo fibres. Because of the use of highly renewable bamboo grass, Hahnemühle Bamboo stands for natural and resource saving paper production.
Winsor & Newton Cadmium Free Oil Colours
Winsor & Newton produce a range of cadmium free watercolours, gouache and oils.
EXPERIENCE CADMIUM FREE COLOURS FOR YOURSELF
Water-mixable oils
Water-mixable oils have all the qualities of traditional oils without the need for solvents.
SEE A RANGE OF WATER-MIXBLE OILS HERE
Tubewringers
Don't waste a single drop of paint! With a Tubewringer you can get the most out of your paint tubes with minimum effort.
A. Gallo Watercolours
A. Gallo handmade watercolours are crafted according to a traditional recipe of raw pigment, gum arabic, local honey, rosemary essential oil, and a wetting agent. They are also cadmium, cobalt, lead, and mercury free.
DISCOVER A. GALLO WATERCOLOURS
Wallace Seymour and Co-Co Bello mediums
Discover the plant based oils and Coco Bello natural mediums from Wallace Seymour with videos from Andrew Field.
Fabriano paper and sketchbooks
All Fabriano papers are produced in an Italian mill part-powered by hydro power to satisfy the environmentally conscious artist.
Fabriano papers are also vegan-friendly.
ORDER FABRIANO PAPER FROM PEGASUS ART
Vegan-friendly products:
1. Da Vinci 5014 Mottler Synthetic Brush Set 3
These mottle brushes, in 20mm, 30mm and 40mm, from Da Vinci have been made with a new synthetic fibre, similar to the traditional hog bristles but much easier to clean.
A mottler brush allows you to cover large areas because of its capacity to hold lots of paint.
ORDER FROM PEGASUS ART SUPPLIES
2. Hahnemühle Archival 100% Cotton Watercolour Paper Hardback Sketchbook
The Hahnemühle A5 Hardback Watercolour Book is completley vegan-friendly and is made of 100% cotton fibres - a must-have for all watercolour artists.
3. Da Vinci Series 703 CASANEO Sword brush
The 100% vegan Da Vinci CASANEO fibre Series 703 Sword Striper and Pinstriping brushes, made from imitation squirrel hair, are long-lasting and easy to clean.
4. Da Vinci Series 498 CASANEO Quill Brushes
These quill brushes are also 100% vegan and are manufacturered with extra smooth synthetic filaments which allow a heavier load of liquid within the reservoir of fibres.
The handles are made from certified green sustainable wood sources, with nickel plated brass ferrules.
If you have any environmentally-friendly ideas, do share them with other artists on the forum!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION
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