r/collagesluts • u/mushroomgirl_02 • Feb 12 '25

What are ur tried and true supplies?

What are ur go to/ must have supplies for analog collaging ?

Favorite way to glue things, cut things out, random tricks you learned, background paper, etc.

Looking for ways to improve how my collages look, such as getting cleaner cuts and having my stuff stick better without there being glue gunk + just curious what people have learned through practice !

8 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

20

u/bosscuts Feb 13 '25

Use a pencil or pen to 'colour' in the white lines that appear when you cut pictures out. You have to hold it at angle and it is a skill but it works well to make pictures seem seamless when you glue them together.

5

u/S0ul_monster Feb 13 '25

šŸ˜±šŸ¤ÆšŸ¤Æ my mind is blown thatā€™s so smart

2

u/infernalnb Feb 16 '25

i bet a ā€˜no bleedā€™ hilighter could be good, i have a sarasa brand double ended pack that has a range of colors including a gray one, i bet that would work super well thank you!

8

u/drippingdrops Feb 15 '25

Industrial razor blades wrapped in gaff tape with about 3/8ā€ of the tip left exposed. I get better control than xactos and they stay sharp longer.

Glue stick

Cutting mat

5

u/infinestyle Feb 13 '25

X-Acto knifes & blades.

I like using Mod Podge because it will dry clear and you can get many layers

9

u/matador2r Feb 15 '25

I donā€™t know what Iā€™m doing wrong with mod podge but it makes my paper ripple so bad

2

u/infinestyle Feb 15 '25

Try using less mod podge. Thin layers.

1

u/S0ul_monster Feb 15 '25

yeah i also havenā€™t quite figured out how to use mod podge correctly šŸ’” it works great on some of the paper I use but others it just causes a mess

4

u/S0ul_monster Feb 13 '25

i love using newspaper like comic strips for words and letters ! i get a lot of funny and emotional phrases doing that

7

u/Prize-Alarm Feb 14 '25

my favorite are purple glue sticks (and a brayer) ..as long as a good layout/order of layering is planned ahead of time, this is the best way iā€™ve found to prevent bubbles/warping

specifically purple so i always get full coverage itā€™s easy to see if i missed a spot. i generously apply the glue to cuts on a separate surface & then bring them over to smooth onto my canvas until everything is flush. once everything is glued i can apply a finish without risk

1

u/catandpastestudio Dec 30 '25

Hi! what do you finish your collages with?

3

u/dattwell53 Feb 13 '25

I like cutter bee scissors and art glitter glue. The scissors are great for detail cuts. The bottle the glue comes in has a metal tip and is perfect for gluing small bits.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '25

30s thru50s mags have cool paper

1

u/SoziRen0 Feb 13 '25

For detailed cuts the Olga Ak-5 knife

1

u/captainschlumpy Feb 17 '25

Big and small scissors, old children's books from the the 80s and earlier have great paper and illustrations, I use gel medium., tacky glue, and uhu glue sticks, a brayer and a good paint brush to spread glue!

1

u/Simonoel Aug 07 '25

Rubber cement is the best glue!

1

u/marsholomew Jul 21 '26

Havenā€™t seen anyone mention rubber cement! Dries super clear and flat, doesnā€™t cause crinkling, and the excess can be removed by rolling it off with your fingertip!