Is it Safe to Oil Paint while Pregnant? Yes

Mary Cassatt, "Sleepy Baby," 1910 

Note: This post should not be taken as medical advice. I am not a doctor, and while my own doctor has given me the go-ahead, this post should be taken only as my opinion.

After "coming out" about my pregnancy I have gotten all types of questions/comments about painting:

Are you still going to paint now that you are pregnant? Yes.

Well, I guess you are going to have to stop painting now that you will have kids, aren't you? Nope.

Are you aware of how hard it will be for you to paint when you have a baby? Yep, I know it will be hard.

At least with the new baby you don't have a job to worry about, right? Nope, I do.



Well you don't make money at it, so it isn't really a job, right? Nope, I do and yep, it is.

Thanks world for making me feel good!

The truth of the matter is that there are LOTS of moms who are successful artists. Kind of like how there are lots of moms in all professions. Painting is not some special space where moms are irresponsible if they continue to do what they love. That being said, there are some elements to painting that every pregnant artist should be aware of.

How to make your painting space pregnancy and baby friendly: 

1. Always maintain good ventilation, even in winter.

2. Eliminate all solvents. This is key and easy.
                a.  Cleaning your brushes without solvents is healthier and cleaner.
                b. Use non-toxic Gamblin's Solvent-Free Gel or M. Graham's Non-Toxic Alkyd as a medium.
                c. Be aware that although some solvents are odor free, such as Gamblin's Gamsol, they are still very toxic and should not be used while pregnant.

3. Minimize the use of Cadmium, Cobalt, and Lead while pregnant.
               a. If using Cadmium paints, wash your hands regularly or use gloves.
               b. Replace Cadmium with Azo pigments. Azo pigments have almost the same base color as the various Cadmiums, but without the toxicity.
               c. Cobalt is an easy pigment to replace and is so expensive it is usually not a part of the general palette. All the same, take a look at your paints just to double check.
               d. Never use lead-based paints while pregnant. Happily there are now more than enough options that this should not be an issue.

4. Never allow baby to sleep in your painting space. Be aware of the amount of time baby is spending around your paints and place baby in a different room when possible.

If you have any tips for pregnant ladies that I didn't think of, leave a comment. For more Tips and Techniques, take a look at my main Tips page.