MY 9 FAVORITE GLUES/ADHESIVES AND HOW I USE THEM © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

After many years as a mixed media artist I have compiled a list of my favorite glues and adhesives that I use in my work in various ways.  It takes an artist many years to find time tested products that work in various situations, and I'm glad to share what I have learned!  My list of my top 9 products and how I use them...

#1 - LOCTITE SUPER GLUE (GEL) -

I have found this product to be the best when I am making my magnets with rock and metal. I used the Loctite to set the beads. I've used regular super glue with poor results, but THIS product is my favorite for these applications...and it is also excellent for gluing broken ceramics and glass items as well. I like the GEL best as it doesn't run all over the place sticking your fingers together in the process.  It stays put!  It usually takes about 30 seconds to set, so that is also a plus!

 

#2 - LOCTITE EPOXY. This is a two part epoxy that I've found works great for setting the metal on the rocks above.  Anything you need a stronger bond this will work excellently for.  It dries clear as does the Loctite gel.

#3 - SCOTCH SUPER 77 SPRAY ADHESIVE.  I love this product for spraying paper that needs a smooth and strong application.  This has been used for projects where I want to apply logos or even full sheets of paper on things like poster board, smooth wood and these types of projects.  WHICH leads to...

#4 -  KRYLON EASY TAC REPOSITIONABLE ADHESIVE.  This product is used when you want to be able to lift a paper several times.  I would use this when working with stencils that need a temporary fit, or if you are working and need to test out a position for your image to be glued.  This works for light weight papers. 

#5 - ACRYLIC PAINT AS AN ADHESIVE.  I don't know if you are aware that paint is also a good adhesive.  I've even used oil paint as an adhesive as well.  I used this method when I set my phrase in one of my slice paintings where I added words.  It would work for anything you are painting.  You have to set the object when it is still wet.

The phrase was added in wet paint.

#6 - YES PASTE/GLUE.  This is my newest favorite adhesive.  I use it when I want to add large items for a good hold.  I use this when making my affirmation sticks.  I wrap the stick and then use the YES paste (which dries clear) as a way to hold the stick to the wood.  It would also work great for adding larger ephemera to a surface when working in mixed media. I've also used it when attaching things to canvas as well as my wood surfaces.  So far it has held beautifully!

 

#7 - GORILLA WOOD GLUE.  I make my own cradles for many of my paintings.  I use Gorilla glue to glue my wood strips to the MDF board.  It holds great!  Be careful to wipe excess as it does change color after a few weeks. 

#8 - GOLDEN SOFT GEL (MATTE).  This is by far my favorite adhesive when I am working in mixed media.  I use it for collage on wood, canvas and paper.  It is acid free and dries clear.  The matte finish for me is a favorite as it takes paint and other things on top beautifully!

#9 - E6000.  This is a great all purpose glue that dries clear and will work on so many different applications!  It is strong, but takes a little while to dry.  I stopped using it a ton for certain projects as I noticed when I glued clay tiles I'd made to a chair, they came off after being subjected to very cold temperatures for years.  I believe it is still a good product and would work for heavier objects in mixed media, ie for metals on wood and that sort of thing...but, lately I've defaulted to my YES paste.  However, it hasn't been in my list for as long, so I can only speak to its effectiveness after a few months. E6000 has a bit of a smell, so if you are sensitive to that you might want to use YES.

SO, that is my list of my favorites that I spent years building.  I hope this helps in your projects!  Let me know if your experiences have been different, that is always helpful!

HAPPY CREATING!