Hairspray was invented in 1948 by adapting insecticide aerosol-spray technology developed during the Second World War. Hairspray is a mixture of alcohol, vinyl, and liquid plastics sprayed onto your hair to hold it in place. And if it’s capable of holding those loose strands in place, can we use it to help paint dry faster?
Hairspray does not make oil paint dry
faster because it doesn’t directly affect the drying process of oil paints. Technically, oil paint doesn’t dry; it oxidizes. Hairspray locks the solid particles of the paint temporarily, and when it wears off, the oxidation process resumes.
This article will explain how hairspray reacts with oil paints, how oil paints dry, and what you can do to speed up the oxidation or drying process. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Does Hairspray Make Oil Paint Dry Faster?
How Hairspray Affects Drying Time
Imagine hairspray as an invisible net of synthetic polymers that coat every strand of your hair like a thin film. The alcohol and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) evaporate, and the plastics left behind lock your hair in place.
Hairspray affects the drying time of an oil painting by putting the process on hold. The oils and pigments set and will remain in place when hairspray is applied. As the polymer bonds of the spray deteriorate and break, you will be left with residue mixed into the oil paint as it resumes the drying process.
How Does Oil Paint Dry?
The basic oil paints contain organic color pigments suspended in plant oil. Linseed, poppy, and safflower are common oils used by artists. Linseed oil is the fastest drying medium while safflower oil dries with the least discoloration.
Oil paint dries by oxidation and not evaporation, unlike regular paints. The oil molecules combine with oxygen and solidify, forming strong bonds. Within two weeks, the oxidation process is irreversible, and your oil painting is properly dry.
How to Dry Your Oil Painting Faster
While oil paints typically take longer to dry, there are a few variables you can take control of to speed up the drying process.
Type of Paint
Oil paints fall into two main categories – traditional and water-mixable oil paint. Water-mixable oil paint is modified at the molecular level so it binds with water molecules. Most water-mixable oil paints contain an emulsifier that makes them easy to manipulate and clean with water. As such, water-mixable oil paints dry a few days quicker than traditional versions.
Other additives in traditional and water-mixable oil paints include desiccants and substances that render the paint glossy or matte.
You can give water-mixable oil paints a try with a set of Winsor & Newton Mixable Oils from Amazon.com. This formulation has a consistency that’s comparable to traditional oil paints. This set also provides a variety of colors, including Cadmium Red Hue, Burnt Umber, and Cerulean Blue Hue.
- Specifically developed to appear and work just like conventional oil color
- Ideal for artists who share a work space, schools or painting at home
- Includes: Lemon Yellow Hue, Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, Cadmium Red Hue, Permanent Alizarin Crimson,...
Last update on 2024-10-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Thinners
You can use thinners and solvents to dilute the consistency of your oil paint and apply it more fluidly. Additionally, using thinners helps speed up the drying process. Traditionally, painters over the years used turpentine to thin their paints, manipulate the drying time of the painting, and clean their brushes.
Today’s alternatives include solvents like liquin and other alkyds. Although alkyd resins dry oil paints faster while maintaining the flexibility of the paint layers, they also release volatile organic compounds. These VOCs are fumes typically released by turpentine, liquin, and other synthetic solvents.
To protect yourself from the health risks of VOCs, consider a non-toxic thinner, like an odorless mineral spirit. While the compounds released are greatly reduced, odorless mineral spirits still release VOCs, so use them in a well-ventilated space and wear a mask.
If you’re using water-mixable oil paints, you can find certain gels and solvents explicitly designed for them. Citrus-based solvents are another great alternative cleaning substance for your paint brushes, if you’re worried about harmful fumes.
No matter your choice of solvent, make sure it doesn’t exceed more than 50% of any medium and paint mixture you use. Even if the painting dries faster, any more solvent will prevent the color pigment from bonding strongly.
VIDEO – You can make your own cleaning tank to conserve solvent or thinner instead of throwing it out after a single use. This video explains how you can clean and reuse your solvent. WATCH – How I conserve oil painting solvents (and save money!)
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
Canvas Material
If you’re painting on canvas, you can choose between cotton or linen sheets stretched onto a wooden frame. Although a cotton canvas is cheaper, a linen canvas will remain flexible and last longer because of the natural oils in the linen fibers.
The flexible nature of a linen canvas will allow the oil paints to be absorbed more effectively. Aside from speeding up the drying process, a linen canvas is also less likely to crack or flake over time.
Painting Environment
Now that you know what combination of paints, thinners, and canvas work best for quick drying, you need to set up your painting space for maximum ventilation and airflow.
A well-ventilated room will make your oil painting dry faster and protect you from the harmful effects of VOCs released by the paints and thinners.
Ideally, your studio should have at least two windows. Place a large fan at each window — one blowing inward and the other blowing outward. With this arrangement you create an air current to direct toxic fumes to the outside. If you only have one window, set the fan to blow outward so that it sucks out the VOCs released in the studio.
If you want to speed up the drying process, set up a second fan heater to gently heat the air around your finished painting as heat speeds up the oxidation process.
Final Words
Oil paintings take a while to finish, thanks to the slow-oxidation property of the oils used as bases for color pigments. However, the practice of oil painting can also teach you patience and allow you to appreciate the beauty of time and effort.
Remember that art must not be rushed, but allowed to unfold by itself. And oil paintings help you understand this attribute of art better than most other pursuits.
Sources
- Oilsfats.org: Oxidation Of Food Grade Oils
- ABC.net: Afghan Caves Hold World’s First Oil Paintings
- US Patent Office: US2305356A Dressing of hair
- US Patent Office: Cream hair treating preparations
- Chris Wenzel: Professional Guide to Hairspray
- Good Mythical Morning: What’s The Strongest Hairspray? (TEST)
- Reactions: How Does Hairspray Work?
- Andrew Tischler: OIL PAINTING MEDIUMS – How to use them + how to make your own!
- Florent Farges – arts: Oil Painting for Beginners – Safety and Products
- Winsor & Newton: Understanding the difference between cotton and linen canvas
- Fine Art Tutorials: Cotton vs Linen Canvas: What are the Differences?
- Winsor & Newton: Choosing a solvent | Winsor & Newton Masterclass