Avoiding lead white

Oil painting has traditionally been very hazardous. The list of dangerous materials is long – so long that many people avoid oil painting alltogether. This is really unnecessary, since just a few easy steps can make oil painting just as harmless as painting with water colors. For all the steps, see the "Safety issues" tag.

The first step is an easy one. It is simply to avoid lead white. This was the dominant white paint until the invention of Titanium white in the late 19^th century. Lead however, is very toxic and when you compare the different qualities of white paint, lead white doesn’t give you any significant advantages. When reading older books on painting, lead white is often mentioned as something compulsory for a painter and a paint with a set of unique properties. I look at it this way: all paints have unique properties and lead white doesn't make you paint like Caravaggio, just because he used lead paint (and just a reminder: Caravaggio died of lead poisoning)

Use Titanium white when you need opaque white with a neutral or slightly glossy surface, Zinc white when you need less opacity and a slightly matte surface, and Transparent white when you need transparency, for example when painting atmospheric haze.