Dark Drying Oil or black oil is a fast drying oil made by heating linseed oil with lead oxide (litharge) and used in historical oil painting. The lead (metal basis) content of our dark drying oil is about 3% by weight.
UseBlack oil can improve the handling and drying of oils and can be used in recipes to make megilp, Maroger and Roberson's mediums and traditional oil varnishes, such as copal.
HistoryThis is the classic drying oil made with litharge (lead oxide). Since earliest times, litharge was cooked with vegetable oil, such as linseed or walnut oil, to clarify it while removing impurities and imparting faster drying characteristics. Cooking the oil for long periods and at high temperatures allowed greater amounts of litharge to be dissolved in the oil while at the same time darkening the oil. Our dark drying oil is cooked at the lowest temperature possible to effect solution of the lead while making the palest drying oil possible.
SourceDark Drying Oil is prepared by heating akali-refined linseed oil (derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant [Linum usitatissimum, Linaceae]) at the lowest possible temperature (less than 180 °C [356 °F]) for several hours to dissolve litharge (lead monoxide).
Health and SafetyDANGER! CONTAINS LEAD. Avoid contact with skin and ingesting. Lead can present health hazards if handled improperly. Do not eat or smoke while using this product and without washing hands. Keep out of reach of children. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.
DANGER
CONTAINS LEAD / CONTIENT DU PLOMB
DO NOT APPLY TO SURFACES ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN OR PREGNANT WOMEN.
NE PAS APPLIQUER SUR UNE SURFACE ACCESSIBLE AUX ENFANTS OU AUX FEMMES ENCEINTES.
Must be used exclusively as material for the purposes of arts, crafts or hobbies, not for use by children. Utiliser uniquement aux fins suivantes comme matériaux pour les besoins d'art, d'artisanat ou passe-temps, pas pour une utilisation par les enfants.
WARNING: Rags or paper towels contaminated with vegetable drying oils, particularly those containing iron oxide pigments are susceptible to spontaneous combustion. To prevent unexpected fires, used rags or paper towels contaminated with oil-based materials should be collected in a closable, air-tight container. Store water-dampened rags or paper towels in a metal container with an air-tight top. Alternately, washing contaminated rags will remove contaminating materials and eliminate risk.
For more information on how to handle artist's materials safely, please read .
StorageFor best results store in a cool, dry place tightly closed.