So something I was taught in college that changed the way I did things and have come to be grateful for, is to be very wary of what kinds of materials I use in my art. There are a lot of toxic and harmful art supplies/materials out there, ones that are commonly used even. There's a sort of stigma about artists being crazy or unstable(Van Gogh being the prime example), things like lead poisoning will do that to you.
It is an unfortunate truth that a lot of pretty colors/pigments come from things that could kill you, heavy metals are a serious factor there (cadmiums, cobalts, etc.). I don't think enough is done to make people aware of that. I myself was blissfully unaware until I was told horror stories of things that had happened to artists my teacher knew (becoming allergic to one's hair, teeth falling out, etc.) and the same teacher was hospitalized at one point from fumes produced by a neighboring artist in his work space. This is serious business and so I want to do my part in spreading the word.
Research your materials before you buy or use them! There are books on the subject and you can usually find an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet ex) that can tell you of any health concerns and how you might properly handle them if you do choose to use them. There's probably more I could or should say about all this but I hope that this will be of some help to someone.
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