Gamsol Alternative?
 

I realize Gamsol is the brand, so can someone explain to me what it is?
I dont have a craft store within an hour of here, so Wal-Mart is my only local source of supplies.

Is it just an odorless paint thinner? Or am I missing something?

in reference to this tutorial
http:////www.splitcoaststampers.com/.../gamsol_magic/

YES It is just Orderless Paint Thinner. I use the Mona Lisa brand. I know several gals that actually use baby oil and they say it works just as good.

It is an artist grade odorless mineral spirit. Any artist grade will do. Here in Canada what I got was called Tatine...

Some people who use Gamsol also try baby oil - it works well! Some even use GooGone... haven't tried that yet. Gina K sells an odorless mineral spirit and if you happen to be ordering from her anyway.... I'm just sayin' ;) (she had a release the other night!)

OMS
 

Be certain to read the label on the OMS. Some brands are not real safe to use even though it says odorless, there's still a health and fire risk. It's not a good idea to use Gamsol or some of the other OMS brands around children or pets. I have two stamping friends who became very ill when they breathed in the chemicals even though they are normally not chemically sensitive. Also, youl need to be aware of and follow the directions carefully when disposing of rags, paper towels or blending stumps that have Gamsol on them. There is a real fire risk with these products and improper disposal or storage can cause your home to catch on fire. See the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for more information on health and fire.

I got my odorless mineral spirits in the paint dept. of Walmart. Brand name doesn't matter to me - if it works and it's cheaper, that's what I use! LOL! ;)

I have tried both. I like the baby oil. I see no difference except that baby oil won't give you a headache and it's not flammable! A small bottle of it lasts a long time. It doesn't take much. I use it with water color pencils and I am very happy. HTH

Jacque

All oderless mineral spirits work the same with your color pencils, but even the artistic grade brands of oderless mineral spirits are more dangerous healthwise to use than Gamsol. Just because you can't smell it doesn't mean it's not releasing chemicals into the air that you are breathing. Gamsol claims to release the least amount of these chemicals. I prefer to use GooGone. It's cheaper, and the smell reminds me to be more careful about venting my work area.
I haven't tried baby oil, Gamsol, or any other oderless mineral spirits to compare the difference in how they work, but GooGone works sufficiently to keep me happy. I have Gamsol, but it was banished to the shed with the other paint thinners without ever being opened.

I use baby oil - for one thing, if you run out (like that would happen) you don't have to make a special trip to the craft/art supply store - just run out to the closest store to you and you'll find baby oil.

I am new to the gamasol thing. Would someone explain to me what it does and what it is used for. I've read about it. My address is jennjenn54@yahoomcom. Thanks.

I use the Gamsol in the small bottle with the little dauber top. I get a bit on my stump, and close the lid. I've never had a problem. I have tried the Googone, and it works well, but the smell was overpowering for me. If you're worried about it, try the baby oil.

I use Sansodor which I think is a British equivalent to Gamsol :)

babybluegirl

9.10pm

Doesn't the baby oil leave an oil stain on your project?

Baby oil
 

I use baby oil; and it can leave a stain if you get to much of it on the blending stump.....I try to remember this..but sometimes I get in a rush and usually the stain shows up on the backside so it's not a big problem.

Gamasol Alternative
 

Hi everyone,
I am fairly new here, but I use Zest It. They sell it in the UK.

About Zest-it

What is Zest-it? The simple answer is, it's an environmentally friendly, non-flammable, non-toxic, biodegradable, alternative to 'turps' and white spirit, made from the zest of citrus fruit for cleaning brushes and thinning paint

I hope this helps. It smells wonderful and I have had no problems using it with colored pencils. I have not used Gamasol before, so I cannot compare the two.
~Jeanette

I just googled for Zest-It. Did not find a seller in the U.S.A

I have been using Mona Lisa brand OMS. I am very careful to keep the lid on the container even though I don't smell any fumes. Gina K's mineral spirits are also very good.

One big help for the color+OMS technique is to get a great paper. Gina's Luxury white is WONDERFUL!!! So smooth. I have never done as well, until I got her paper.

Tried Goo-Gone. It worked okay, but I did not like the smell.
Tried baby oil. Had trouble with smearing and sometimes the oil "seeped" out of the area where I was coloring and left an oily mark on the paper.

I can't use OMS right now and hate the perfume smell of baby oil....does anyone know if Mineral Oil will work..it doesn't smell does it??

I use Sansodor, also, which I found at Hobby Lobby. Works just like OMS! No stinky odor, but I'm not sure of the chemical properties for those of you trying to avoid 'em.

Gamsol is the name brand of an odorless mineral spirits{OMS} (like Charmin is a brand of toilet tissue). Many will claim brand loyalty and others will go generic or go for a substitute.

It is used to break down the wax that binds the pigment (colored powder) that creates a colored pencil. Yes, regular colored pencils do contain wax ((...crayons contain a lot more wax))! Anyway, Prisma Color brand colored pencils contain the highest amount of pigment. So... people use the colored pencils to color an image then rub some OMS on it, and the OMS breaks down the wax and allows the pigment to be distributed smoothly across the paper. This makes the colors pop and makes the coloring lines disappear. [[waaaay cool, btw]]

Baby oil will work too because it also will mix with the wax and distribute the pigment, but for a different reason (chemically speaking). The big difference is that the OMS will break down the pigment then evaporate where the Baby oil will not, it'll just be absorbed by the pulp in the paper.

Wow... how's that for TMI!

Hi
 

I only became a member 10 minutes ago, and it was because I was reading the posts about Gamsol, Apart from the smelly side to it..the price is very high compared to baby oil...but does it work with ALL pencils,,as in wax or oil based?Baby oil I would think would...but have no experiene of either. I just bought a set of Derwent blending and burnishing pencils...that work perfectly, but was interested in the liquid blender. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum. We have a few pros in here… hopefully someone will chime in and answer your questions with personal trials.

In the meantime, here is a review video I hope you will find helpful:
Comparison of Colored Pencils and Paper When Blending with Gamsol - Craft Test Dummies

Not TMI for me! Thank you for a concise, clear explanation!

Saw this thread being used again, and had a look for Zest it on Amazon.com. It is available now. I have it and can confirm all you have is a citrus smell, and it is minus all the chemicals in the usual products. :)

The Gamsool question
 

I didn't realise the thread was so old..., that was my first post and didn't think to look at the dates. Beach bum? thank you for the reply, and video will check it out.

Zest-It is fabulous. It comes in a bottle and best of all it comes in a pot. The pot is approx 2"deep x 3"diameter. There is a sponge inside the pot, it already comes impregnated with Zest-It. Never spill anything ever again, gotta love that.


You can buy a refill bottle, but I suggest you just start with the pot, I use mine almost daily and it's still moist 18 months later.

Gamsol
 

Thanks very much Susie, I'll go to Amazon and check it out.

that nice

A useful thing I picked up from a You Tube video here. You can fill a Tim Holtz blending pen with these products instead of the Alcohol blending solution, and then you have a pen with two ends you can use to blend your pencil, rather than using paper stumps. The channel is called INKLIPSE, and it's a really young man crafter- I'd say late teens, early 20's. Great to see a young guy crafting. He does talk quite quickly, he's very exuberant, lol, so not maybe to everyones taste, but I actually like it.

No one has mentioned the type of colored pencils they are using here.
I have some Derwent watercolor pencils. I have not been very successful getting an even, smooth look with using water after I color. Does the OMS product work on those?

I use Zest It pencil blend and Gamsol when colouring with Prismacolour pencils. They are a lovely soft, waxy pencil. I have never tried either product with water colour pencils.

When I use Derwent watercolour pencils and watercolour Inktense pencils, I use an aqua brush. I'm right handed, so I hold the pencil in my left hand, and with an aqua brush in my right hand I lift the colour off the pencil. Only the aqua brush touches the card, not the actual pencil.

Hope this helps.

Cool site Shaz. I have seen him before. It is great to see a young man in the game :)

Here is a link to the zest it sponge pot (regular is also available)

https://www.amazon.com/Zest-Blending...6NPDQJ67CZDPWA

I had already bought a bottle of Zest-it when I found out about the sponge, so what I've done is put a cotton wool ball into a small pot with a lid, and added some to that. Still moist a couple of months later. You could do the same with a small piece of sponge. :)