Traveling as an Artist - Part 3
For part 3 of this series of blog posts about traveling as an artist I am going to focus on traveling with oil paints. To give this topic its own post would seem to indicate that it’s complicated. However, the reason for isolating this one medium is to show that it isn’t complicated if you are thoughtful about how you pack your supplies and how you will use your materials on your trip.
The first thing to acknowledge is the use of the word paint, and how that has a negative connotation for TSA agents. For most people “oil paint” is what you use to paint trim in your house. That paint is typically solvent based. You’re not allowed to travel with solvents because they have a low flash point, meaning that they could ignite at a low temperature. What we use as artists is not solvent based so it has a much higher flash point. This is very important for security to know, and you have to be the educator here because they don’t know. So, if a TSA agent asks what you’re carrying in your bag don’t say “oil paints”. Call them “artist’s oil colors” and they will say “I don’t know what that is, but sounds good, thanks, have a nice flight”.
Usually, TSA isn’t going to ask you anything though, and there is one thing you can do to prevent any questioning. Each manufacturer of “oil colors” produces a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for their product. I primarily us Gamblin products and here is a link to their general MSDS for oils… Gamblin MSDS If you print this page and include it with your paints then there shouldn’t be any problem.
So, does it matter if you put them in your carry-on or in a checked bag? Yes. They are technically a liquid, so you can put them in your carry-on if they are 3.4oz or less and can all fit in one quart size plastic zip bag, which would probably have your toiletries in as well. That doesn’t sound like a good mix to me, but if you only have a few colors and aren’t checking a bag then go for it.
It’s much easier to put them in a checked bag. I put my palette of about 11 colors in a gallon size zip bag, and put that bag inside a plastic container with a lid that also includes the MSDS. I’ve never had a problem.
Oil painting at Tenuta di Spannocchia in Italy
Once you’re to your destination the fun begins. I always pack Arches Oil Paper to work on. As it comes from the manufacturer I find it a bit too absorbent still, so I always apply a thin coat of Gamblin Oil Ground to the paper at least a week before I travel. I also use Gamblin’s Alkyd Gel Medium added to my paint mixtures while I’m working. This makes the paint dry to the touch (depending on how thickly you apply your paint) usually within 24 hours. This combination of paper and gel medium allows you to bring a bunch of surfaces on which to work, and to stack up those beautiful paintings to bring home with very little weight or mess.
Here are some other things to bring when you’re traveling with oils…
brushes
palette knife
wood panel with clips to attach your paper to
easel
palette
container for mineral spirits which you will purchase at your destination
While traveling with oils takes a little more thought and planning than other mediums, it isn’t difficult. The richness and beauty of oil paints (or artist’s oil colors) is unmatched by any other medium and you will be glad you went to the extra effort.