Best adhesive for collage

[David Stafford]

A friend asks: What's the best adhesive for magazine collage that won't wrinkle the paper? I told him Spray Mount...anybody have any other suggestions?

[Kosmo Vinyl]

Lisa what does the wax paper do ? If there is any excess glue seepage, won't it stick to the wax paper ? I put mine under a piece of glass (edged for safety) before I add the weight of the books !

[Lisa Ridolfi]

The wax prevents any excess glue from sticking. Bookbinders use the wax paper method since they use a lot of white glue. But it sounds like your glass works great too. 

[Toni Hanner -- tonipoet]

Lisa, I've used ModPodge and Elmers exactly like you say, but still my pieces come out wrinkled. I think the difference is that I am using the glue both beneath the stuck-on bits and on top of the whole surface. I think it's the layer of glue on top that causes the difficulty.

[Lisa Ridolfi]

The way that ModPodge works best for me is to use magazine paper that’s not too thin adhered to a base of 140# (or heavier) watercolor paper. The watercolor paper is heavy enough for the ModPodge, even if, as you say, you put it on top of the pieces you’re gluing down. If the whole piece starts to curl from too much glue on top, you can put a layer or two of ModPodge on the back, which helps to flatten it out again. 

[Kosmo Vinyl]

My issue with glue sticks, is that for some of my early framed pieces, where I used glue stick have come unstuck - this is over a five year period. The first sign of that was on a piece that was two years old and that's when I stopped using glue sticks, for anything I hoped would be permanent. Obviously I don't know if the coming un-stuck will continue to happen to the other glue stick-ed pieces , only time will tell ?

[Ruud Janssen]

I use acrylic medium. That dries up transparent, and stays stuck for along time....

[Kosmo Vinyl]

riRuud could you recommend any brands of Acrylic Medium ?

[Ruud Janssen]

Golden is a very good brand, but expensive. I also use Talens sometimes (a Dutch brand), and a local no-name brand from the local art-supply shop.

They all work good, onlt with Golden they have special types that have special effects. Thise U use especially in the acrylic paint works.

You have to experiment a bit. Sometimes a retarder works good too (it lets the acryl drying time get longer).

good luck!

Ruud

[Ruud Janssen]

[Ruud Janssen]

[John Gayer]

The main issue I have with acrylics is that they are water based. I find them extremely good to use in general, but for the fact that the water causes paper to buckle. If one is open to that fact and accepts it as part of the process, then its not an issue. I have used spray adhesive years ago for mounting photographs and it, like glue sticks would fail after some time. Some waxes, if you can figure which ones to use and where to find them and how best to use them (heat would be needed) could work. There are acrylics that are soluble in liquids other than water. I have used hairspray a few times to saturate colours and as an alternative art supply store spray fixatives. Reading the label I have found acrylics are an ingredient. A cheaper brand I tested also included water and caused the paper to buckle/wrinkle/warp. A slightly more expensive brand listed no water in the ingredients and caused next to no buckling. Can't say whether there's enough acrylic in any hair spray to make good to use as an adhesive though. Reading use instructions can help a lot in some cases, if they are informative and give you a range of methods/options. It might be possible to apply a more concentrated layer of an acrylic or other water based adhesive - less water, but it could be more difficult to spread, especially if you only want or need a thin layer. Most of the time I make do with PVA. It's inexpensive, water based and tends to cause buckling. There are a lot of brands out there. It can be white or yellow, often the carpenter's glue or wood glue is yellow. In North America its often called school glue - Elmer's is a popular brand. Art conservators who deal with paper objects make use of wheat starch or rice paste. I have never used any them. You have to cook them up on a stove. I'll stop here. Don't want to put people to sleep.

[Kosmo Vinyl]

John, you're not putting me to sleep - quite the opposite. Can you say any more about art conservators and wheat starch/rice paste ? Anyone else please chime in too.