My wife and I have made a living from oil painting since '94 (osbornandrughgallery.com) and I learned how to grind my own paint at an atelier years ago. We don't use any solvents (the fumes are deadly over time) and wipe paint out of our brushes by dipping them in linseed oil and squeezing paint out onto a rag. I can use 1 brush throughout the day this way. At the end of the day we use a liquid soap, spacing on the name at the moment, that you can get at art the supplier. Some paints, like cadmiums, are toxic but don't become transdermal unless they are in a solvent...keep your hands mostly clean and wash before eating and the very small possible exposure is not a problem. Our studio/gallery has that smell artists love of linseed oil. Happy painting!
