Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Solvent 1000ml

Primary Uses for Gamsol:

• Thinning oil colours. A little goes a long way; stiff oil colours relax immediately when a little Gamsol is added. Be careful not to thin oil colours too much with solvent alone, this can compromise the ability of the paint to form a paint film.
• Modifying painting mediums. Our Galkyd line of painting mediums are 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 is 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 out of it, less than .005% remains. Aromatic solvents are the most harmful types of petroleum solvents. In addition, Gamsol’s flashpoint allows it to ship via air cargo as a non-hazardous material.

All of these factors have lead to Gamsol being used widely in oil painting classrooms; in those classes, there are no solvent odors, only the wonderful smell of oil colours.

Secondary Containers

Solvents should be stored out of reach of children. As important, we recommend not pouring solvents into drinking 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 our own studios, we have found that metal solvent containers with “clip-on” lids, as well as wide mouth mason 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 can’t be easily mistaken for water cups. Secure lids also help prevent spills and solvent evaporation. Alternatively, you could decant Gamsol into a plastic bottle with a nozzle spout for easy dispensing. Gamsol is such a mild solvent, it will not harm any type of plastic container.