Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:48

Graphic Arts

Rate this item
(1 Vote)

The term graphic arts (also called graphic design, commercial art, visual design or visual communication) refers to the organization of ideas and concepts in a visual form that conveys a particular message to a target audience. Graphic designers work in a wide array of venues, including magazines, books, posters, packaging, film, video, exhibition design and, most recently, in digital forms such as computer screen design, multimedia presentations and pages on the World Wide Web. There are two types of visual communicators: graphic designers, who work with typography and page layout as well as photography and illustration; and illustrators, who work exclusively with visual images. Frequently the two roles overlap, but most commonly graphic designers hire illustrators to create visualizations of the ideas that will be used within a typographic context.

Graphic Design

The hazards of graphic design were very different in the late 1990s compared to only a few years earlier when some designers were still producing traditional mechanicals for offset printing (figure 1). Now, virtually all page layout and graphic design is produced in a digital format before it is printed on paper. Much graphic design is even created exclusively for a final digital form: a floppy disk, CD-ROM or a page on the Internet. Graphic designers use computers to create and store both text and images. These digitally created artworks are stored on floppy disks, removable storage cartridges or CD-ROMs, and then given to the client for the final presentation (package design, magazine, film titles, poster, business stationery or many other applications).

Figure 1. Hand lettering for graphic arts.

ENT130F1

Graphic designers must now be concerned with the potential hazards of prolonged work at a computer. Unfortunately, this technology is too new to know all the associated hazards. At present the hazards identified from working for extended periods at a visual display unit (VDU) (also called a video display terminal, or VDT) include eyestrain, headaches, backaches, stiff necks, sore hands and wrists, dizziness, nausea, irritability and stress. There have also been reports of skin rashes and dermatitis associated with VDU use. While the health effects of VDU use have been studied for a couple of decades, there are no proven links between long-term use of VDUs and long-term health problems. VDUs do emit comparatively low-level radiation, but there are no hard data to support any permanent adverse health effects from VDU use.

Ergonomic computer workstations, elimination of glare and frequent work breaks enable graphic designers to work more safely than most other artistic professions. Generally the digital revolution has greatly reduced the health hazards previously associated with the graphic design profession.

 

 

Illustration

Illustrators create images in a wide variety of media and techniques for use in various commercial venues. For example, an illustrator may create work for magazines, book jackets, packaging, movie posters, advertising and many other forms of promotion and publicity. Generally illustrators are freelancers who are hired by art directors for a particular project, though some illustrators work for publishing houses and greeting card companies. Since illustrators generally create their own workspaces, the burden for creating a safe working environment usually falls upon the individual.

The materials used by professional illustrators are as varied as the techniques and styles exhibited in contemporary illustration. Therefore, it is imperative that each individual artist be aware of any hazards associated with his or her particular medium. Among the materials commonly used by illustrators are drawing and painting materials such as markers, water colours, oil paints, coloured inks, coloured pencils, dry pastels, oil pastels, dyes, acrylic paints and gouache.

Many commonly used colours contain hazardous ingredients such as xylene and petroleum distillates; pigments may contain such dangerous ingredients as mercury, cadmium, cobalt and lead. Precautions include working in a well-ventilated studio, wearing gloves and a respirator when using oil-based materials (particularly from aerosols) and substituting safer materials (water- and alcohol-based colours) when possible. Materials such as pastels can be hazardous when they become airborne dust; good ventilation is particularly important when using any material that can be breathed into the lungs. A final general precaution is to avoid eating, drinking or smoking while working with any toxic artists’ materials.

The wide assortment of materials used by illustrators requires an individual approach to safe working conditions, since each artist has a personal technique and selection of materials. Manufacturers in some countries are required by law to provide information about product ingredients and hazards. Each individual artist should carefully scrutinize every material used, working in the safest possible manner with the available media.

Adhesives

Adhesives used include rubber cement, spray mount, contact cement, electric waxers, dry-mount tissues, glue sticks, hot-melt glue guns, adhesive transfer materials, double-coated tape and water-soluble glues. Associated hazards include: dangerous chemicals such as n-hexane (a neurotoxin) in some rubber cements and contact cement; cyanoacrylate instant-action glues; airborne toxic chemicals and fire hazards associated with spray adhesives; and possible burns from hot-melt glue gun use. Many of the commonly used adhesives (rubber cement in particular) can also cause skin irritation.

Proper ventilation and use of gloves can prevent many of the hazards associated with common adhesives. Substitution of non-toxic adhesives whenever possible, such as electric waxers, adhesive transfer materials, dry-mount tissues, double-coated tapes, and water-soluble glues is recommended. Heptane-containing rubber cements and spray adhesives are less toxic than hexane types, although they are still flammable.

Solvents

Solvents include rubber cement thinner, turpentine, acetone, correction fluid and mineral spirits.

Hazards include skin irritation, headaches, damage to respiratory and nervous systems, kidney and liver damage, and flammability. Primary precautions include substituting safer solvents whenever possible (for example, mineral spirits are less toxic than turpentine) or switching to water-based pigments that do not require solvents for cleanup. Excellent ventilation or respiratory protection, careful storage, use of gloves and chemical splash goggles are also important when using any solvents.

Aerosol sprays

Aerosol sprays include fixative spray, spray markers, varnish, texture sprays and airbrush colours.

Hazards include respiratory problems, skin irritation, headaches, dizziness and nausea from toxic chemicals such as toluene and xylene; long-term adverse effects include damage to kidneys, liver and central nervous system. Sprays are also frequently flammable; care must be exercised to use them away from heat or flames. Precautions include using a respirator or adequate studio ventilation (such as a spray booth), and working with non-toxic pigments when using an airbrush.

Cutting tools

The various types of cutting tools can include paper cutters, razor knives and mat cutters. The hazards can range from cuts and, in the case of large paper cutters, the severing of fingers. Precautions include careful use of knives and cutters, keeping hands away from blades, and maintaining blades in sharp condition.

 

Back

Read 6815 times Last modified on Saturday, 30 July 2022 22:13
More in this category: « Jewellery

" DISCLAIMER: The ILO does not take responsibility for content presented on this web portal that is presented in any language other than English, which is the language used for the initial production and peer-review of original content. Certain statistics have not been updated since the production of the 4th edition of the Encyclopaedia (1998)."

Contents

Entertainment and the Arts References

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. 1991. Protective equipment. In Athletic Training and Sports Medicine. Park Ridge, IL: APOS.

Arheim, DD. 1986. Dance Injuries: Their Prevention and Care. St. Louis, MO: CV Mosby Co.

Armstrong, RA, P Neill, and R Mossop. 1988. Asthma induced by ivory dust: A new occupational cause. Thorax 43(9):737-738.

Axelsson, A and F Lindgren. 1981. Hearing in classical musicians. Acta Oto-Larynogologica 92 Suppl. 377:3-74.

Babin, A 1996. Orchestra pit sound level measurements in Broadway shows. Presented at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association. New York, 20 November.

Baker, EL, WA Peterson, JL Holtz, C Coleman, and PJ Landrigan. 1979. Subacute cadmium intoxication in jewellery workers: an evaluation of diagnostic procedures. Arch Environ Health 34:173-177.

Balafrej, A, J Bellakhdar, M El Haitem, and H Khadri. 1984. Paralysis due to glue in young apprentice shoemakers in the medina of Fez. Rev Pediatrie 20(1):43-47.

Ballesteros, M, CMA Zuniga, and OA Cardenas. 1983. Lead concentrations in the blood of children from pottery-making families exposed to lead salts in a Mexican village. B Pan Am Health Organ 17(1):35-41.

Bastian, RW. 1993. Benign mucosal and saccular disorders; benign laryngeal tumors. In Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, edited by CW Cumming. St. Louis, MO: CV Mosby Co.

—. 1996. Vocal fold microsurgery in singers. Journal of Voice 10(4):389-404

Bastian, R, A Keidar, and K Verdolini-Marston. 1990. Simple vocal tasks for detecting vocal fold swelling. Journal of Voice 4(2):172-183.

Bowling, A. 1989. Injuries to dancers: Prevalence, treatment and perception of causes. British Medical Journal 6675:731-734.

Bruno, PJ, WN Scott, and G Huie. 1995. Basketball. In The Team Physicians’s Handbook, edited by MB Mellion, WM Walsh and GL Shelton. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Yearbook.

Burr, GA, TJ Van Gilder, DB Trout, TG Wilcox, and R Friscoll. 1994. Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Actors’ Equity Association/The League of American Theaters and Producers, Inc. Doc. HETA 90-355-2449. Cincinnati, OH: US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Calabrese, LH, DT Kirkendal, and M Floyd. 1983. Menstrual abnormalities, nutritional patterns and body composition in female classical ballet dancers. Phys Sports Med 11:86-98.

Cardullo, AC, AM Ruszkowski, and VA DeLeo. 1989. Allergic contact dermatitis resulting from sensitivity to citrus peel, geriniol, and citral. J Am Acad Dermatol 21(2):395-397.

Carlson, T. 1989. Lights! Camera! Tragedy. TV Guide (26 August):8-11.

Chasin, M and JP Chong. 1992. A clinically efficient hearing protection program for musicians. Med Prob Perform Artists 7(2):40-43.

—. 1995. Four environmental techniques to reduce the effect of music exposure on hearing. Med Prob Perform Artists 10(2):66-69.

Chaterjee, M. 1990. Ready-made garment workers in Ahmedabad. B Occup Health Safety 19:2-5.

Clare, PR. 1990. Football. In The Team Physicians’s Handbook, edited by MB Mellion, WM Walsh, and GL Shelton. St. Louis, MO: CV Mosby Co.

Cornell, C. 1988. Potters, lead and health—Occupational safety in a Mexican village (meeting abstract). Abstr Pap Am Chem S 196:14.

Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association. 1983. Brain injury in boxing. JAMA 249:254-257.

Das, PK, KP Shukla, and FG Ory. 1992. An occupational health programme for adults and children in the carpet weaving industry, Mirzapur, India: A case study in the informal sector. Soc Sci Med 35(10):1293-1302.

Delacoste, F and P Alexander. 1987. Sex Work: Writings by Women in the Sex Industry. San Francisco, CA: Cleis Press.

Depue, RH and BT Kagey. 1985. A proportionate mortality study of the acting profession. Am J Ind Med 8:57-66.

Dominguez, R, JR DeJuanes Paardo, M Garcia Padros, and F Rodriguez Artalejo. 1987. Antitetanic vaccination in a high-risk population. Med Segur Trab 34:50-56.

Driscoll, RJ, WJ Mulligan, D Schultz, and A Candelaria. 1988. Malignant mesothelioma: a cluster in a Native American population. New Engl J Med 318:1437-1438.

Estébanez, P, K Fitch, and Nájera 1993. HIV and female sex workers. Bull WHO 71(3/4):397-412.

Evans, RW, RI Evans, S Carjaval, and S Perry. 1996. A survey of injuries among Broadway performers. Am J Public Health 86:77-80.

Feder, RJ. 1984. The professional voice and airline flight. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 92(3):251-254.

Feldman, R and T Sedman. 1975. Hobbyists working with lead. New Engl J Med 292:929.

Fishbein, M. 1988. Medical problems among ICSOM musicians. Med Prob Perform Artists 3:1-14.

Fisher, AA. 1976. “Blackjack disease” and other chromate puzzles. Cutis 18(1):21-22.

Frye, HJH. 1986. Incidence of overuse syndrome in the symphony orchestra. Med Prob Perform Artists 1:51-55.

Garrick, JM. 1977. The frequency of injury, mechanism of injury and epidemiology of ankle sprains. Am J Sports Med 5:241-242.

Griffin, R, KD Peterson, J Halseth, and B Reynolds. 1989. Radiographic study of elbow injuries in professional rodeo cowboys. Phys Sports Med 17:85-96.

Hamilton, LH and WG Hamilton. 1991. Classical ballet: Balancing the costs of artistry and athleticism. Med Prob Perform Artists 6:39-44.

Hamilton, WG. 1988. Foot and ankle injuries in dancers. In Sports Clinics of North America, edited by L Yokum. Philadelphia, PA: Williams and Wilkins.

Hardaker, WTJ. 1987. Medical considerations in dance training for children. Am Fam Phys 35(5):93-99.

Henao, S. 1994. Health Conditions of Latin American Workers. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.

Huie, G and EB Hershman. 1994. The team clinician’s bag. Am Acad Phys Asst 7:403-405.

Huie, G and WN Scott. 1995. Assessment of ankle sprains in athletes. Phys Assist J 19(10):23-24.

Kipen, HM and Y Lerman. 1986. Respiratory abnormalities among photographic developers: A report of 3 cases. Am J Ind Med 9:341-347.

Knishkowy, B and EL Baker. 1986. Transmission of occupational disease to family contacts. Am J Ind Med 9:543-550.

Koplan, JP, AV Wells, HJP Diggory, EL Baker, and J Liddle. 1977. Lead absorption in a community of potters in Barbados. Int J Epidemiol 6:225-229.

Malhotra, HL. 1984. Fire safety in assembly buildings. Fire Safety J 7(3):285-291.

Maloy, E. 1978. Projection booth safety: New findings and new dangers. Int Assoc Electr Inspect News 50(4):20-21.

McCann, M. 1989. 5 dead in movie heliocopter crash. Art Hazards News 12:1.

—. 1991. Lights! Camera! Safety! A Health and Safety Manual for Motion Picture and Television Production. New York: Center for Safety in the Arts.

—. 1992a. Artist Beware. New York: Lyons and Burford.

—. 1992b. Art Safety Procedures: A Health and Safety Manual for Art Schools and Art Departments. New York: Center for Safety in the Arts.

—. 1996. Hazards in cottage industries in developing countries. Am J Ind Med 30:125-129.

McCann, M, N Hall, R Klarnet, and PA Peltz. 1986. Reproductive hazards in the arts and crafts. Presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Occupational and Environmental Health Conference on Reproductive Hazards in the Environment and Workplace, Bethesda, MD, 26 April.

Miller, AB, DT Silverman, and A Blair. 1986. Cancer risk among artistic painters. Am J Ind Med 9:281-287.

MMWR. 1982. Chromium sensitization in an artist’s workshop. Morb Mort Weekly Rep 31:111.

—. 1996. Bull riding-related brain and spinal cord injuries—Louisiana, 1994-1995. Morb and Mort Weekly Rep 45:3-5.

Monk, TH. 1994. Circadian rhythms in subjective activation, mood, and performance efficiency. In Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine, 2nd edition, edited by M. Kryger and WC. Roth. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 1991. Environmental Tobacco Smoke in the Workplace: NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 54. Cincinnati, OH: NIOSH.

Norris, RN. 1990. Physical disorders of visual artists. Art Hazards News 13(2):1.

Nubé, J. 1995. Beta Blockers and Performing Musicians. Doctoral thesis. Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam.

O’Donoghue, DH. 1950. Surgical treatment of fresh injuries to major ligaments of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg 32:721-738.

Olkinuora, M. 1984. Alcoholism and occupation. Scand J Work Environ Health 10(6):511-515.

—. 1976. Injuries to the knee. In Treatment of Injuries to Athletes, edited by DH O’Donoghue. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders.

Pan American Health Organization, (PAHO). 1994. Health Conditions in the Americas. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: PAHO.

Pheterson, G. 1989. The Vindication of the Rights of Whores. Seattle, WA: Seal Press.

Prockup, L. 1978. Neuropathy in an artist. Hosp Pract (November):89.

Qualley, CA. 1986. Safety in the Artroom. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications.

Ramakrishna, RS, P Muthuthamby, RR Brooks, and DE Ryan. 1982. Blood lead levels in Sri Lankan families recovering gold and silver from jewellers’ waste. Arch Environ Health 37(2):118-120.

Ramazzini, B. 1713. De morbis artificum (Diseases of Workers). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Rastogi, SK, BN Gupta, H Chandra, N Mathur, PN Mahendra, and T Husain. 1991. A study of the prevalence of respiratory morbidity among agate workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 63(1):21-26.

Rossol, M. 1994. The Artist’s Complete Health and Safety Guide. New York: Allworth Press.

Sachare, A.(ed.). 1994a. Rule #2. Section IIC. In The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia. New York: Villard Books.

—. 1994b. Basic Principle P: Guidelines for infection control. In The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia. New York: Villard Books.

Sammarco, GJ. 1982. The foot and ankle in classical ballet and modern dance. In Disorders of the Foot, edited by MH Jahss. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders.

Sataloff, RT. 1991. Professional Voice: The Science and Art of Clinical Care. New York: Raven Press.

—. 1995. Medications and their effect on the voice. Journal of Singing 52(1):47-52.

—. 1996. Pollution: Consequences for singers. Journal of Singing 52(3):59-64.

Schall, EL, CH Powell, GA Gellin, and MM Key. 1969. Hazards to go-go dancers to exposures to “black” light from fluorescent bulbs. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 30:413-416.

Schnitt, JM and D Schnitt. 1987. Psychological aspects of dance. In The Science of Dance Training, edited by P Clarkson and M Skrinar. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Press.

Seals, J. 1987. Dance surfaces. In Dance Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide, edited by A Ryan and RE Stephens. Chicago, IL: Pluribus Press.

Sofue, I, Y Yamamura, K Ando, M Iida, and T Takayanagi. 1968. N-hexane polyneuropathy. Clin Neurol 8:393-403.

Stewart, R and C Hake. 1976. Paint remover hazard. JAMA 235:398.

Tan, TC, HC Tsang, and LL Wong. 1990. Noise surveys in discotheques in Hong Kong. Ind Health 28(1):37-40.

Teitz, C, RM Harrington, and H Wiley. 1985. Pressure on the foot in point shoes. Foot Ankle 5:216-221.

VanderGriend, RA, FH Savoie, and JL Hughes. 1991. Fracture of the ankle. In Rockwood and Green’s Fractures in Adults, edited by CA Rockwood, DP Green, and RW Bucholz. Philadelphia, PA: JB Lippincott Co.

Warren, M, J Brooks-Gunn, and L Hamilton. 1986. Scoliosis and fracture in young ballet dancers: Relationship to delayed menarcheal age and amenorrhea. New Engl J Med 314:1338-1353.

World Health Organization (WHO). 1976. Meeting on Organization of Health Care in Small Industries. Geneva: WHO.

Zeitels, S. 1995. Premalignant epithelium and microinvasive cancer of the vocal fold: the evolution of phonomicrosurgical management. Laryngoscope 105(3):1-51.