Today is the last day of the 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline:
- Art Supplies for Painters
- Art Supplies for Printmakers
- Art Supplies for Art Journalers
- Art Supplies for Collage Artists (today!)
So let’s wrap this series up with art supplies for collage artists!
Favorite Papers for Collage
The main papers I use are:
- Deli Paper & Wet Strength Tissue Paper – Both of these papers are thin, translucent when glued, and take a beating. Deli paper is cheap and not absorbent. Wet Strength Tissue Paper is expensive and absorbent.
- Watercolor Paper (as a substrate) – I like to use 140lb watercolor paper. I usually buy a box of 9×12 paper.
- Sulphite Paper – It’s thick enough to use for a substrate, but thin enough to collage well. A real workhorse paper.
- Printer Paper (also called Bond Paper) – It’s always around. I don’t love that it curls at the slightest provocation or that it’s wrinkly when it collages, but I always have plenty and so I use it!
- I do use also some book pages, maps, and a bit of cardstock.
As a side note, I paint/print most of my papers and most often reach for my gelatin plate and stencils to do so.
Here’s a video where I share the very basics of how to use a stencil on a gelatin plate:
Glue
The two main glues I use are:
Always match the weight of your glue to the weight of the paper you’re adhering. So, if you’re using a light weight paper, use a light weight glue. If you’re using a heavy paper, use a heavy glue.
Also, I like to decant my Matte Medium into a squeeze bottle.
I find it much easier to pour it out than scoop it out!
Tools
Rubber Paintbrushes (the originals are under the brand name Colour Shapers)…
…are perfect for applying glue. The brushes are super easy to clean and even if you forget to clean them, the dried glue peels right off! It’s magical.
I’m also a big fan of Bondo Scrapers for smoothing down paper to ensure it lies flat and is well adhered.
In this photos you can see that I have a Tri-Art Non-Stick Palette clamped to my table.
It’s the perfect surface for applying glue right to the edge of a piece of paper. I just let the glue dry on the palette and it peels right off! I love it.
The only other thing I’ll throw out there is that I have a big plastic bin that I loooooove to use for holding my collage papers while I work.
Since I integrated it into my practice, it has made things much easier because my desk is so much less of a mess and all of my little scraps have a place to live. When it gets too full, I either put everything away where it actually goes or I make scrap packs!
Key Takeaways
As you’ve seen in this final installment of my four-part series on go-to supplies (paints, printmaking tools, art-journaling materials and now collage supplies) the right tools make all the difference! Here are some ideas to take into your collage practice today:
- Paper choice matters! Choosing the right paper substrates gives your collage a sturdy base while still leaving room for texture, layering and translucency. I use items like deli paper and wet-strength tissue for thin, translucent collage papers that barely show their edges.
- Choose the right adhesive for your project. Both matte medium and soft gel matte medium are part of my routine, offering flexible, archival bonding for layered collage.
- Organization helps! A simple plastic bin for your collage papers keeps your workspace manageable and your creative flow uninterrupted.
- The right materials + workflow combine to support both experimentation and consistency in your art practice.
Next Steps
If you’re ready to deepen your collage practice:
- Gather a small kit of paper types (thin + heavier base) and your go-to adhesives.
- Set up an accessible drawer or bin for scraps and painted papers — that little “scrap pack” habit saves time and inspires new work.
- Revisit your workflow: maybe try creating a series of small collages using the same base substrate to observe how different adhesives or layering decisions affect the outcome.
- Want to dive further? Head over to my online membership at My Art Practice for hands-on demonstrations, live “Office Hours,” and community support around collage and mixed-media art.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re brand new to collage or you’ve been layering papers and adhesives for years, investing time and attention into your materials setup pays off. A strong foundation in the right paper, the right adhesive, and a streamlined workspace will give you more freedom, more confidence, and more creative fun.
If you enjoyed this series — and especially this post on art supplies for collage artists — I’d love for you to:
- Share this post with fellow collage-lovers on social media.
- Subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already, so you don’t miss future posts on printmaking, painting and art-journal practices.
- Comment below with your favorite collage paper or adhesive, or let me know what you’d like to see in the next series of supply posts.
Thanks so much for following along with this 4-part series and for being part of the community. Happy collaging!
