October 28, 2025 - In this article we are going to cover proper studio ventilation for the artist, with a focus on dealing with solvents. We will cover the various options for setting up a studio, and a few options you can use if no ventilation is possible. Almost all illustrators working in oil use solvents. They are used for a wide variety of tasks: mixing, thinning, dissolving and cleaning paint as well as for making mediums, varnishes and so on. If you work in oil, you will likely be using them at some point. Painters have been getting debilitating illnesses from solvents ever since they came into widespread use in the 1700's. What are the hazards of inhaling solvent fumes? Initially, exposure to high concentrations of fumes result in forms of temporary narcosis, (dizziness, fatigue, loss of coordination,…