Amongst my wam collection I have some amateur scenes Rob Blaine released, originally I think on VHS though I downloaded them from the original messyfun.com, which feature groups of women, smartly dressed, covering each other in actual house paint - what in the UK is known as emuslion paint, that you use for indoor walls and ceilings. Now I gather the paint industry has widened its range in recent decades to try and improve things environmentally, but when I was growing up there were basically two types of paint - gloss, which was oil based and potentially toxic if ingested, that you used for woodwork and metalwork, and emulsion, which was water-based, and pretty much regarded as safe as long as you didn't actually drink it. Painting rooms always ended up with plenty of emulsion paint on the painters as well as the walls.

So, coming back to the present, how safe would it be to use modern emulsion paint as a wam material? Would it be safe enough to say have someone, fully dressed, sit in a tray of it, or have a bucket of it poured over their shoulders and down their front to pool in their lap? Or for a slower approach, to have their entire outfit painted, with a brush, bit by bit, by someone else?

How safe would it be on skin (assuming kept away from face)?

I'm imaginging a kind of ultra clothes-destruction scene, as I imagine anything that's been deluged in paint is probably not going to wash out afterwards. So possibly completely paint the model, then cut or rip their clothes off in peices.

I think many people get headaches from paint fumes, so I would think thats probably not a smart idea.

It would seem like even if you got someone saying its safe, if your paint is slightly different than what they have experience with it could be a problem.

What does the label on the tin say?
There is your answer.

Emulsion paint washes off with soap and water, provided it is not left too long.

Is the paint we see used currently(Messygirl/ Rev Slimeford/ Ginger Dubberdee) emulsion paint?

I don't know about you others,but I enjoy seeing a girl covered in paint.
It is just SO messy.

Plenty of people on here use it and I am hoping to get messy from head to toe later in the year. I have been told that it is perfectly safe and washes off fine.

Some people say don't use wallpaper paste as it has fungicide in it, but I have used loads and never had any problems. So that slapstick decorating routine with loads of paste and paint is still very much on.

I've done it indoor matt emulsion, look for low VOC and don't spend all day in it

if you look at what it's made of it's basically gunge with pigment and some preservatives

Technically no because of the emulsifier. That mixes oil (like skin has) and water. So massaging in is a bad thing. I have had good and bad experiences so use it only with great care and briefest possible time.

Poster paint , however has pretty similar coverage so worth a go although the pigment will stain skin.

Yes. In several cases, we have, for the sake of authenticity and 'shock' value - but with caution. Do a small skin test first. It will generally wash out of clothes out but needs a lot more water to dilute it *

What you're actually looking for is opacity from a high pigment concentration - that's why fake paint on TV productions doesn't look very good. Some volatile organic compounds found in house paint are actually superfluous if you're painting a person. It's all about the pigment.

*Lily Ace (my GF at the time) was completely covered in it (plus flour and some poster paint) for a shoot we did (she and her clothing and hair was coated for approx 25 minutes). It washed away but she did feel slightly peaky afterwards and complained of a lingering odour for about a week after. I hasten to add it was her concept!

Having recently bought a house, and painted most of the rooms, I have noticed that some colors have virtually no odor, while others gave me a massive headache and had a strong smell. These were all basically the same type of paint, Latex, as we refer to it, but it's water-based and easy to wash out with soap and water. So my thoughts are that different color pigments might contain varying amounts of nasty stuff. White paint would likely smell the least and be the safest if my theory is correct. None of the paints indicate not to have in contact with skin though, so that is another indicator of it being relatively safe.

As you've mentioned my paint shoots, I'll respond here.

I am probably over cautious but for the reasons various people have outlined in various replies above, I have never used emulsion in my paint shoots, and instead stuck to child-friendly poster paint.

This is not in any way a criticism of those who feel it's safe..it's just I've wanted to be ultra cautious and because of the effects like dizziness that are often ascribed to it, and without having the detailed knowledge that some others have, of which kinds would be fine, I have just stuck to the poster paint. Plus I have always felt it looks pretty good

.

I had a short stint as an indoor painter years ago. I've never got covered in it like a WAMmer, but I've never had a problem with oil or latex based paints. Again, like all things moderation. Even things listed as "safe" all have a threshold.

I have often covered myself with acrylic wall paint and the feeling is just awesome. I always make sure that the colors are as free from harmful substances and that I don't leave them on my skin for too long. The smell and the exhalation of these colors is usually very low, so I have never had any problems with it. With new colors, I generally do a test beforehand in a small place to make sure that I don't experience any bad surprises later.
Basically, you should always be careful with things that are not intended for painting skin and, if in doubt, keep your hands off. As tempting as it may be.

I remember Bill Shipton saying that with dark colours even diluting had it's problems. "If you add water to black (emulsion) paint, all you end up with is more black paint!"

Personally it is one of my least favourite substances. So if it was declared "unsafe" it would be no loss.

TBH not looked at one recently big given the tend to over-emphasize any risk these days, I'd not be surprised if they seriously over-egg the risks just to avoid being sued if it turns out someone somewhere is alergic to paint.

A friend was once prescribed some medication, which came with the usual leaflet in the box detailing the contra-indications and potential side effects. Which in this case included "sudden unexplained death!" Turned out that in the final clinical trial before it was licensed for public use, two of the 10,000 people in the test had indeed died suddenly and with no clear explanation - what would normally be put down as "natural causes". But because it happened while they were taking part in the trial, it had to be included in the "possible side-effects".

The song 'Paracetamoxyfrusebendroneomycin' by the Amateur Transplants parodies this in it's side-effects list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWfwNdmK2lA

I once tipped a tin of paint over a hysterical girlfriend. She was so emulsional.

Why not use something that looks and behaves like paint but isn't paint?

If you mix up modelling clay (e.g. https://www.potclays.co.uk/studio/products/5242/modelling-clay-157-1150-1100-1280c) and water it down to a sloppy consistency, it looks and behaves just like magnolia emulsion paint when wet, with excellent coverage, but it rinses straight out without any problems when you're done.

You could probably colour it with kids washable poster paint too if you wanted to vary the colour. (e.g. https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/green-washable-ready-mixed-paint-600ml/641959-1003)

I have covered myself in house latex emulsion paint several times in the past. It was exciting and fun at the beginning but toxic effects are noticed. Being a water based liquid there are antimicrobial additives in there and they will be absorbed rapidly along with the surfactants.
The industry does NOT have to tell you all that's there as they are trade secrets. Most paints carry the WHIMIS symbol of harmful.
Some paints are more smelly than others and dies will carry more VOC's and such.
I have grown out of that for sure. So up to you... we have all done things in the name of fun.

I would warn make sure their is NO Ethylene Glycol, some paints use that in place of propylene glycol. Propylene Glycol is found in personal care products , e-liquid (vaping) and in some food products. Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS).

Ethylene Glycol , automotive anti-freeze causes severe liver and kidney toxicity resulting in death.

Long time ago I tried a non-toxic poster paint and got an asthma reaction. Even though they say non-toxic, there is formaldehyde snuck in there as a preservative or it would go moldy!!!

I think metallic paint is safer, but that is open to debate. and again if you are not frequently doing this , try it.

Once I got some on my eyeball and it wouldn't come off. I had to go to the hospital to have it removed. I mean..it has fumes..it's not healthy. I won't do it again.

Also just because you try something and it seems fine, you feel alright, doesn't mean it might not be damaging you inside, like cancerrr

I've wrestled naked in white household water-based emulsion paint a couple of times without serious problems. Definitely stings if you get it in your eyes, so sessions didn't tend to last long. It washed out fine and the fumes were fine. I'd do it again but would be ready to wash it out of my eyes pretty quick and make it a shortish session.
I've also wrestled naked in big quantities of poster (kids) paint - much better but still stings the skin a bit.
Pics on my profile from both types of session.

I've done full coverage and still ok. Small patch checking is always good for new materials that you've not used.

I used to make paint and work as a painter. Enamel paint has solvents in it and Acrylic paint has a combination of emulsion liquid and water sometimes all emulsion depending on the type of paint

They Acrylic paint has to the best of my recollection ammonia drying agents anti fungal chemicals powders the base color white has titanium dioxide and the colored paints have either some or none of this titanium dioxide. They also put powders in to thicken the paint all of these can cause allergies or dermatitis.

Is it safe I would say yes but its going to dry out your skin that would be the main side effect and its not that easy to get out of your hair and body.

I also had experience in a company that made children's paint and for artists paint that paint was a lot less toxic and didn't affect the skin so much and cleaned up a lot better.

I have used all sorts of paints over the years without any obvious damage but I agree with others on here to be careful. I find light coloured emulsion paints have the least fumes and the cheaper ones seem to be the easiest to clean off. As I normally destroy everything I don't worry about cleaning but I have washed emulsion paint out of clothing without damage. When using gloss paint I am careful not to get too much on my skin but it washes off with hot water and washing up liquid. To be honest, the best messy paint is good quality kids poster paint as it is quite thick and comes in lots of colours. Red seems to be the most difficult to wash off and sometimes stains clothes but generally it is safe (it's for kids) and I have got it in my mouth many times. There is a video of mine which shows some of the silly things I've done if you're interested. It is on Vimeo and has a password of Davina https://vimeo.com/314272464
PLEASE NOTE I AM MALE AND CROSSDRESS AND APPEAR NUDE

I've been pretty covered a fair few times with no ill effects