They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.

But to say the same of paintings would be an understatement.

Artists put in hours (if not days and weeks) in the work they do.

I remember aspiring to be a pencil artist only to realize that the video tutorials we see on YouTube involve people who’ve honed the skill over time.

After numerous trial and error sessions, they have made it to a stage where only a few get to.

For some of them, it has taken years if not decades to become sterling artists.

And this is what all of us should aspire to be…not only good but very good in what we do.

But a risk lurks beneath the rosy images artists produce.

A risk not often thought of but could be quite significant.

COLOR PIGMENT

Since time immemorial, colors have dazzled our eyes.

Just have a look at a once color blind person regaining the ability to see color and you’ll see how life suddenly awakens in them.

But color at times doesn’t come cheap.

The advent of the textile industry brought about the use of dyes.

Some dyes used on fabrics have their origin from nature.

But these natural pigments have left us limited in the color choices at our disposal.

Because of this, synthetic color pigments have increasingly become common.

And their use has not only been confined to the textile industry but also reigns supreme in the field of art.

CADMIUM

Among the many ways human ingenuity has led us to discover more color pigments, the use of metals is significant.

And cadmium plays a key role in this regard.

Because of it’s ability to produce compounds with different shades of yellow and red, cadmium has been used significantly in pigment production.

Red and yellow are very central because they are primary colors which together with blue give rise to secondary, tertiary and other complex color systems.

So it would not surprise us if cadmium is also present in other color pigments too.

But these pigments are not only used by experienced painters.

They also find use in products loved so much by our kids.

COLOR CRAYONS

Toxic crayon pigments have caused such an uproar in Western nations that art suppliers have been forced to state whether the substances used in production are toxic or not.

And it makes sense because early exposure of our kids to toxins such as cadmium could compromise their health over the long-haul.

Besides being associated with major organ damage, long-term exposure to cadmium leads to bone deterioration and may increase the risk of developing a spectrum of cancers.

But cadmium is not the only source of concern when it comes to color pigments.

LEAD, ARSENIC, CHROMIUM, COBALT, NICKEL

Some metals which are also known to form colorful compounds are used in the manufacture of color pigments.

However, unlike those which seem harmless like titanium, toxic metals such as lead and arsenic expose pigment users to pretty much the same risks cadmium does…organs such as the kidney, liver and the brain take a furious beating.

Worse still, this damage could be magnified if kids are being exposed.

With that said, what can we do about such risks?

REPUTABLE OUTLETS

Purchasing of color pigments from reputable outlets will be helpful.

We can’t rule out risky products but known brands with a wide market reach desire to give the best to their customers.

A number of such companies even indicate on the crayon/paint casings that the color pigments are ‘non-toxic’.

But better still, legislation against the use of such color pigments is important to safeguard communities.

LAWS

And nowhere have these efforts born fruit than in the banning of lead-containing paints.

Even though there is still more work to do, it is a step in the right direction.

But perhaps the net needs to be widened to include pigments containing other toxic metals such as cadmium and arsenic.

But when it comes to products that target our kids, perhaps quality control mechanisms need not only to be applied but enforced where necessary.

QUALITY CONTROL

Standardization institutions need to be at the forefront in doing random testing of such children-based products on our market shelves.

This will help in curbing the exposure to our kids.

CONCLUSION

Heavy metal toxicity through paint and color pigment is an important issue that needs more stakeholders to play their part.

More importantly, we need to do what we can to stop exposure of our children to metallic toxins.

They can’t tell the difference between good and risky color.

But if we choose to go the extra mile, we can.Photo credit: Adobe Stock