Air Travel
The following represents our understanding of current regulations with respect to travel with artists’ oil paints and supplies.  This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.  Before traveling with oil paints, check you’re your airline(s) to make sure you will be in compliance.

I’m planning a trip by air and I want to take my Guerrilla Box ™.   How do you suggest I take it with me on the plane and how should I pack it?

First, we recommend that you do not take your Guerrilla Box™ as a carry on.  Instead, put your paints and the supplies in it that you can carry safely (see below), wrap it in a plastic garbage bag (just in case) and then pack it in one of your pieces of checked luggage.  This way you’ll likely avoid spending unnecessary time trying to explain technical points (or palette knives) to harried security personnel. 

Can I carry oil paints on an airline?

Yes, you can. Oil paints have no solvents in them and are not hazardous. 

What about alkyd oil paints?

Alkyd paints contain solvents and are HAZARDOUS. 

What about mediums? Turpentine? Mineral Spirits?

The only common medium components that you can safely travel with are Linseed Oil and Stand Oil. These are not hazardous.  

Mediums that contain natural or synthetic resins such as Damar and Alkyd are HAZARDOUS; you cannot carry them on an airplane.  To be safe, you should consider all prepared mediums to be HAZARDOUS, including, but not limited to: Liquin, Galkyd and Gel Mediums.

 Turpentine is HAZARDOUS; you cannot carry it on an airplane.

All Odorless Mineral Spirits -- except Gamblin Gamsol or Windsor & Newton Sansodor (see below) -- are HAZARDOUS, you cannot carry them on an airplane. 

If I do end up having to explain my Guerrilla Box and my oil paints to security, what do you advise?

First, be prepared.  Have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the oil painting supplies you are carrying.  You can contact the manufacturer(s) for copies of MSDS for the oil painting products they make.

Second, if questioned, it’s best not to refer to your supplies as oil paints, but rather as “artists colors that are made from vegetable oils and contain no solvents.”  

As Robert Gamblin advises, “Keep your cool, don’t hassle security.  Show them the MSDS and explain that you are going on a painting holiday.” 

Please call us toll free at 1-877-493-0217 if you have questions.