Environmental Issues and Painting Education

—From the Practice of Oil Paintings and Tempera Paintings—

Abstract

With the development of science and technology, the presentation of new painting materials is becoming mainstream in painting. On the other hand, however, environmental measures and safety management are strongly demanded in modern society. This trend has spread to the art world and is not limited to crafts that are closely related to industry, but also to prints and paintings, and is a problem related to the health problems of artists. In Europe, the art materials that have been normally used until now are regulated, and in Japan, toxicity and safety management restrictions are being considered. In addition, marine pollution of microplastics has become a problem all over the world, and there is concern that acrylic paint, which is a synthetic resin, may lead to environmental problems. Therefore, it is necessary to consider safer painting lessons using naturally derived materials such as oil and tempera. This paper reports on the author’s initiatives regarding grisaille painting and tempera painting in a classroom setting. In addition, it explains the efforts to develop a technique that is safe, manageable, convenient, and educationally effective and describes a cleanup method that is environmentally friendly.