Living in today's fast paced world of quick fixes and insta-gratification we hardly stop to think of the history of the objects we use, and the many sacrifices that have been made to provide us with utter convenience. Oil Paint, especially, has a dark and grim history. Preparing and grinding pigments for paint was not only a laborious task for any painter (If you've seen the movie Girl with the Pearl Earring you should recall this), but also toxic, gross and often involved animal cruelty.