Working with sticky fingers

Linda here and I'd like to tell you about the medium I like to use for collage work. I'm not really a collage artist. I just can't figure out how to put all those lovely pieces together to make it look good. I always have pieces that stick out like a sore thumb. However, I like to call gluing and sealing a piece of paper or fabric to some sort of background - whether it be a canvas, old wooden table or chair, scrapbook page or ceramic piece - collage.




I was working on this altered canvas yesterday and didn't know quite what direction it would take (trust me, this is not what I envisioned). I love the direction it took me in eventually. The point I'm trying to make here is, the music sheet is a page torn from an old song book. It is kind of brittle and tender so I had to be a tad careful when distressing it even further! It is inked with Distress Stain and then watered down with images stamped on it and then inked around the outer edges.

Because of it's delicate state I opted to use Globecraft Glastique Finishing Glaze as an adhesive to bond it to the canvas. I brushed a liberal amount on the page backing - but not to the edges - I wanted them to remain free so they would curl up. Then it is pressed gently onto the canvas. I simply rubbed the top of the page flat with my fingers to work any bubbles out. Then I brushed another liberal amount of Glastique on the top. This acts as a sealer and will really protect the paper from any further deterioration and oils from touchy fingers.

The little corrugated cardboard heart is also sealed with Glastique after roughing it up a bit. The Glastique Gloss gives a bit of a shiny coat when dry - not a lot but just enough shine. If I had wanted a complete matte finish I could have also used Glastique Matte.

A nice side-effect of the Glastique is it doesn't make your fingers sticky. I like to use fingers for most of my applications and I found with most liquid adhesives my fingers would get so sticky I would constantly have to stop and wash them off otherwise every little bit and bauble would stick to me - not so with Glastique. Plus, it's easy clean up with water! 

Try it for yourself and let me know how you like it! If you can't find Glastique in a local store near you just click this link to shop online.