Flying with oil paints

When flying with oil colors, it is important to follow all the regulations to avoid arriving at your destination to find out that they were thrown out by the TSA. 

If you have the option of buying your paints at your destination or shipping them FedEx, UPS, or US postage, that is always an option. I personally wonder if I could find all the colors I need.

Firstly, never refer to your art materials as "paints". This sends up a red flag. what you are carrying are " oil colors" which are vegetable oil based with a flashpoint that is higher than what the US Department of Transportation requires. 

Most of my paints are Gamblin which have a 620 degree F flashpoint, plus they are considered to be non-flammable and contain no harardous materials. I downloaded and printed all of the individual colors' safety data sheets from the manufacturer's website - in this case Gamblin. Windsor Newton, Shiva, Holbein.... They all have this information available. I then fold up each sheet highlighting important information and ziplock the information with the tube of paint. Inside my checked luggage,  I include a sign:

Notice regarding enclosed Artist materials:

The US Department of Transportation defines "flammable liquids" as those with a flashpoint of 140 degrees F or below. Artist grade oil colors are based on vegetable oil with a flash point at or above 450 degrees F.

THEY ARE NOT HAZARDOUS

If you need to confirm this please contact TSA at 886-289-9673

Or their Hazardous Materials Research Center at 800-467-4922

If you have any further concerns, please contact me on my cell phone at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

I place my zip lock bags in an easy to open cardboard box with this sign taped to the flap. Do not place them inside a closed easel or something difficult to open. You want to spell everything out to the person inspecting your checked luggage. Make it easy for them to understand that these materials are safe. Under no circumstances should you bring oil colors in your carry on luggage. Nor should you bring turpentine, mineral spirits, odorless spirits or similar. You will need to ship this item or buy it when you arrive at your destination. I have shipped this ground because I usually like to have a box on hand ship my wet paintings home. No way do I want someone opening a RayMar box with a wet 

paintings inside my checked luggage.

I also ship my oil mediums. I have heard that some artists have flown with Liquin. I would not advise doing so since it states "flammable" on the box. If you are in question over any material, you need to go to the manufacturer and download their materials/ safety sheet. The product needs to be within the standard