DIY doesn't mean reckless. Most processes here are safe, but a handful need basic precautions. Read these before your first session.
Sodium hydroxide and washing soda are caustic. Always wear nitrile gloves and eye protection. Add lye to cold water, never water to lye. Cook outdoors or with a window fan. Neutralize spills with vinegar.
Lead white, red lead, and Naples yellow are extremely toxic. We do not include recipes for them. If you ever encounter old paint, never sand or burn it.
Cadmium, cobalt, chromium and manganese pigments are not edible. Do not lick brushes, eat in the studio, or sand dry pigment without a P100 respirator.
Crushing minerals, sanding gesso, or working with dry powdered pigment all generate respirable dust. Wet your work surface, mull pigments wet, and wear at minimum an N95.
Real turpentine, mineral spirits, and citrus solvents are all flammable and not great to breathe. Use them outdoors or with cross-ventilation. Store oil-soaked rags flat and outdoors — they spontaneously combust when balled up.
Linoleum cutters, lunellums, and craft knives slip toward your fingers when blades are dull. Sharpen often. Always carve away from your body.
Beeswax, gelatin, and rabbit-skin glue are heated. Never above 65°C for hide glue. Use a double boiler. Encaustic wax flashes around 200°C — never on open flame.
Identify plants and fungi with two trusted sources before processing. Avoid pokeberry juice on broken skin. Don't forage from roadsides (lead) or sprayed parks. Respect protected species and private land.