Dear Art Enthusiasts,
We’re thrilled to share a vibrant canvas of creativity with our Vegan Art Supplies collection at Art Lounge! As artists, we understand the importance of expressing your passion while aligning with ethical choices. Dive into a world of cruelty-free possibilities with our carefully curated vegan-friendly options.
Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or just starting, the real question is, “How can I be vegan in my creative pursuits?” Let’s explore this together.
Why Go Vegan ?
Going vegan is often a conscientious choice to promote ethical treatment of animals, reduce environmental impact and support personal health through a plant-based diet.
Can Artists Be Vegan?
Absolutely! Artists can weave their creativity with compassion. Being vegan isn’t just about what you eat; it’s a lifestyle. All you need to keep in mind are three points as below:
1. No Animal Ingredients
2. No Animal testing
3. Synthetic or plant-based materials
Now, let’s dive into the world of Vegan Art Supplies.
Surfaces:
Watercolor papers- Watercolour papers are traditionally treated with a gelatin size to reduce the absorbency of the paper (gelatin is extracted from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals), but there are a number of watercolour papers that are treated with synthetic size instead.
Watercolour papers that are treated with synthetic size include the entire Lanaquarelle Papers and Canson Montval series.
In Printmaking paper, entire Speedball Arnhem 1618 series pads are vegan-friendly.
Canvas surfaces- Canvas is a plant-derived material, made using either cotton or linen. The following canvas surfaces are confirmed to contain no animal-derived ingredients, such as animal hide size or glue:
- Pebeo Natural Linen Canvas Board
- Winsor and Newton Classic Canvas
- Claessens Unprimed Artists’ Linen Canvas Roll
Vegan Paints:
Explore a spectrum of vegan paints that haven't been tested on animals-
Acrylic Paints- Acrylics are made using pigment and acrylic polymer resin. With the exception of those containing ivory black PBk9, acrylic paints do not contain any animal products. The following ranges are certified vegan and are not tested on animals:
a. Winsor and Newton Professional Acrylic (except Ivory Black and Payne’s Gray).
b. Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic (except Ivory Black and Payne’s Gray).
Watercolour Paints- Some watercolour ranges contain honey, which helps keep the paint rewettable after drying. Another common addition to both watercolour and traditional gouache paints is ox gall, a dispersing agent derived from bile obtained from the gallbladder of cattle. The following ranges do not contain either of these ingredients and are considered vegan, but some include pigment PBk9, which is derived from animal bones:
a. Winsor and Newton Cotman- are all vegan, apart from Viridian Hue, Raw Umber, and Ivory Black.
b. Mijello Mission Gold Class Watercolours- all paints are vegan-friendly!
Traditional Gouache-
a. Winsor and Newton Designer Gouache (except Ivory Black, Raw Sienna, Winsor Green, Spectrum Yellow, Intense Blue, Sky Blue, Purple Lake, Prussian Blue, Linden Green, Flame Red, Burnt Umber, Bengal Rose, Primary Blue, Lamp Black, and Spectrum Violet, which all contain ox gall.)
b. Pebeo Tactilcolor Children's Gouache.
Oil Paints-
Oil paints are made using plant-based drying oils. Some ranges, however, include a small amount of beeswax in the binder. The following ranges are vegan, with the exception of a few colours:
a. Gamblin 1980 Oil Paint (except Ivory Black and Van Dyke Brown)
b. Gamblin Artists’ Oil Colour (except Ivory Black, Van Dyke Brown, Terre Verte and Asphaltum)
c. Winsor and Newton Artist Oil Paint (except Blue Black and Ivory Black)
d. Pebeo Studio Fine XL Oil Paints are vegan with the exception of Van Dyke Brown and Raw Umber.
Artist Brushes:
Recent advancements in synthetic brush technology have expanded artists' options beyond traditional animal hair brushes. The following vegan brushes are designed to mimic natural hair, excluding any animal-derived glues in their construction.
Winsor and Newton Cotman series
- Escoda Marfil Chengdu
- Escoda Modernista Tadami synthetic
- Escoda Ultimo Tendo Synthetic Squirrel Hair brushes
- Escoda Perla Synthetic White Toray Hair Brush
- Escoda Prado Tame Synthetic Sable Hair Brush
- Escoda Chronos Synthetic Toray Brush
- Art Essentials Kazan Synthetic Squirrel brush series
- Art Essentials Synthetic Oyster Brush series
Drawing Inks
Most drawing inks, including india ink, cannot be considered vegan because they contain shellac, a resin secreted by the female lac bug. There are a couple of ranges that are not shellac-based:
- Dr. Ph Martin Radiant Watercolour Inks (non-waterproof)
- Winsor and Newton Calligraphy ink (non-waterproof)
- Speedball Super Black India Ink
- Speedball Super pigmented Acrylic Drawing and Calligraphy Ink
Creating art becomes not just a visual delight but a compassionate journey with these vegan-friendly choices. Explore the vast world of cruelty-free creativity at Art Lounge and leave your mark on the canvas of compassion. 🌿🎨
Thank you for choosing the artful path of compassion and making a conscious difference through your creative journey.