Gamsol Odourless Mineral Spirits
It is the safest solvent that allows oil painters to utilize with all traditional painting techniques without compromise.
PRIMARY USES FOR GAMSOL
Gamsol is used for thinning oil colours. A little goes a long way; stiff oil colours relax immediately when a little Gamsol is added. Please be careful not to thin oil colours too much with solvent alone; this can affect the ability of the paint to form a paint film.
Gamsol modifies painting mediums. Gamblin Galkyd's line of painting mediums is formulated with Gamsol, so they readily accept Gamsol as a thinning agent.
Note: Gamsol should not be added to painting mediums made with natural resins (dammar, copal, mastic). They require strong solvents such as turpentine.
Studio clean up: brushes, palettes, palette knives, etc.
HOW DOES GAMSOL ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY?
Most solvents available to artists come from the industrial paint industry, where solvent power and cheapness are prized.
Gamsol is special: it is made for products and processes that come into more intimate contact with the body, such as cosmetics, hand cleaners, and cleaning food service equipment.
Gamsol is a petroleum distillate, but all the aromatic solvents have been refined, and less than .005% remains. Aromatic solvents are the most harmful types of petroleum solvents.
These facts are detailed in the MSDS for Gamsol; this document shows that it has an Exposure Limit Value higher than most solvents available to artists. In addition, Gamsol’s flash point is so high it can ship via air cargo as a non-hazardous material.
All these factors have led to Gamsol being used widely in oil painting classrooms; in those classes, there are no solvent odours, only the wonderful smell of oil colours.
Gamsol is available in the following sizes: 16.9 oz (500 ml), 4.2 fl. oz. (125 ml), 33.8 fl. oz. (1L)
Special order:1 gallon (3.76L)
SECONDARY CONTAINERS
Solvents should be stored out of reach of children. We must not pour solvents into Mason jars, coffee cups, water bottles, plastic Solo cups, or any beverage container. It is best not to eat, drink, or smoke while painting. Thoroughly wash your hands after your painting session and before eating.
In the studios, they have found that metal solvent containers with “clip-on” lids and wide glass jars with screw-on lids work best. Both include basins to allow pigments to settle on the bottom for re-use of solvent and cannot be easily mistaken for water cups. Secure lids also help prevent spills and solvent evaporation.
We highly recommend labelling all containers that contain solvents.
