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[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

ModPodge disaster!

Have any of you used ModPodge before? On Pinterest it seems like this is a magic medium that works on anything. Well after I drew this octopus I had the idea to mount it on wood. So I used ModPodge. Well not only did I find out that the MP stretched the paper (so now I had to try and stretch all four panels so it would match up), and it wrinkled up the paper leaving bubbles, but ALSO when it dried, the shrunk back up and now I'm left with this big gap! ERGH!

Attachment 405076

So now I am thinking of doing a dark blue/purple wash over it to look like in the deep ocean and hopefully it will cover up the gap. No way I am drawing another one. I should have just used my trusty spray mount. MP is like kids' craft stuff you'd use for stuff at Michaels.

Also I got the matte finish and it's still kinda shiny.

I think it really looks cool, I've never had any problems with the paper stretching before, I'm wondering if it's the type of paper you used. I usually wipe away bubbles with brush, you didn't use a foam brush did you, sometimes they can make more bubbles. When mine has been too shiny, I just put water downed Elmer's glue on top. You can also take of shine buy spraying with a water soluble finish that is matte. Experimenting is half the fun!

[capt_noonie]

Did you use it to tile anything together? I used 70lb drawing paper that's ok for use with watercolors and light washes, so it's not the paper. It's pretty thick. And no, I didn't use a foam brush. I hate those things. I used a 2 1/2" wide paintbrush, like the kind for painting your house. When it bubbled up I used a plastic ruler as a squeegee to flatten out the bubbles. This is probably what stretched it, which was fine, if only it stayed that way as it dried, but it shrunk back up unevenly, and that's why I was left with that gap.

I just put one layer of a dark blue wash on top and it started bubbling up in a few places again.

I'm just annoyed bc at least if it says matte it should dry matte. I shouldn't have to do another step to get it to what they said it should be in the first place.

[Cha Cha]

I get frustrated when I use ModPodge too. It is not the magic they claim it to be, not for me anyway. It says it is a glue/sealer, but I have never used it on anything as a glue that held together so I only use it as a sealer/finisher. I do use a foam brush and don't have any problems with bubbles unless my brush is wet or I have thinned it too much. I use it over photos and my biggest complaint is that I get brush marks. I have used both glossy and matte, and there is a pretty significant difference in the two.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

Did you use it to tile anything together? I used 70lb drawing paper that's ok for use with watercolors and light washes, so it's not the paper. It's pretty thick. And no, I didn't use a foam brush. I hate those things. I used a 2 1/2" wide paintbrush, like the kind for painting your house. When it bubbled up I used a plastic ruler as a squeegee to flatten out the bubbles. This is probably what stretched it, which was fine, if only it stayed that way as it dried, but it shrunk back up unevenly, and that's why I was left with that gap.

I just put one layer of a dark blue wash on top and it started bubbling up in a few places again.

I'm just annoyed bc at least if it says matte it should dry matte. I shouldn't have to do another step to get it to what they said it should be in the first place.

The bubbles may have worked out, I've never had anything dry with bubbles, not sure why yours is excessively bubbling. I've never tilled anything, most of the papers I've used were thin, like newspaper. Was yours in the jar or the spray can? I always use the jar, but I wonder if the spray would work better for your application?

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

I get frustrated when I use ModPodge too. It is not the magic they claim it to be, not for me anyway. It says it is a glue/sealer, but I have never used it on anything as a glue that held together so I only use it as a sealer/finisher. I do use a foam brush and don't have any problems with bubbles unless my brush is wet or I have thinned it too much. I use it over photos and my biggest complaint is that I get brush marks. I have used both glossy and matte, and there is a pretty significant difference in the two.

When they say glue, they mean paper to a porous surface. I mean you couldn't use it to glue something together like a cup handle. It's basically watered down Elmer's glue.

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

When they say glue, they mean paper to a porous surface. I mean you couldn't use it to glue something together like a cup handle. It's basically watered down Elmer's glue.

Yes, that's what I mean, paper to a porous surface. Directions generally say to put down a layer of ModPodge, then put down your picture, paper, or whatever, then go over that with a layer of ModPodge. Many times, after it's dired, I can pull the layers apart or a corner will curl up. Especially anything with a glossy or waxy finish like crayon, or even the smooth finish of a photo, or directly onto something painted. It may attach in spots but if there is an air bubble it will lift. So I never use it as a "glue" but I do use it as a sealer. ModPodge will not hold a photo on canvas like Pinterest says. Much more effective to use a spray adhesive.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

Yes, that's what I mean, paper to a porous surface. Directions generally say to put down a layer of ModPodge, then put down your picture, paper, or whatever, then go over that with a layer of ModPodge. Many times, after it's dired, I can pull the layers apart or a corner will curl up. Especially anything with a glossy or waxy finish like crayon, or even the smooth finish of a photo, or directly onto something painted. It may attach in spots but if there is an air bubble it will lift. So I never use it as a "glue" but I do use it as a sealer. ModPodge will not hold a photo on canvas like Pinterest says. Much more effective to use a spray adhesive.

I thought you have to glue it down with the ModPodge and then put many layers on top, the top layers also seal the paper to surface, but mainly I've worked with paper and wood, not fabric, so I don't know.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

The bubbles may have worked out, I've never had anything dry with bubbles, not sure why yours is excessively bubbling. I've never tilled anything, most of the papers I've used were thin, like newspaper. Was yours in the jar or the spray can? I always use the jar, but I wonder if the spray would work better for your application?

The stretch was like 2mm, so if you didn't tile anything I doubt any stretch would be noticeable with the naked eye. My MP is in a plastic jar with a screw lid. I didn't know they made a spray. I should have just used my 3M spray mount. That stuff is the best. I recently found some of my projects from college and they are still stuck on good! This was from 1998-2001.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

I get frustrated when I use ModPodge too. It is not the magic they claim it to be, not for me anyway. It says it is a glue/sealer, but I have never used it on anything as a glue that held together so I only use it as a sealer/finisher. I do use a foam brush and don't have any problems with bubbles unless my brush is wet or I have thinned it too much. I use it over photos and my biggest complaint is that I get brush marks. I have used both glossy and matte, and there is a pretty significant difference in the two.

I got the matte bc I read the glossy feels tacky even when dry and the brush marks are more noticeable in glossy. I bought the large jar, and I doubt I will repurchase when and if I finish this one.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

What is a Tesla light? LOL

Love both of these ideas!!!

[capt_noonie]

So this is what I came up with. The dark color is supposed to simulate deep ocean water. The paint covered up the gap nicely but you can still see where the paper edges are. I am never going to use Modpodge for glue again. As far as sealer, I have far superior products that I will use up before I use MP.

Still have to cut the wood off, but I've cropped it so the wood won't distract. Also thinking about putting a trim around it for a frame.

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[capt_noonie]

Here's our $10 pendants hung up. In the before pic, it's fairly plain, looked kinda Caesar's-ish to me. After I painted it, bf said too gold and looked too Art Deco, so I dirtied it up. We'll put in "Tesla" bulbs like the one on the left. I like how it peeks out from under the glass. Overall, not crazy about it, but for $10 hey you can't really complain.

Sorry about the crappy pic. My camera sucks. Also no island in the after pic bc I haven't cleaned and I'm lazy today.

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[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

Here's our $10 pendants hung up. In the before pic, it's fairly plain, looked kinda Caesar's-ish to me. After I painted it, bf said too gold and looked too Art Deco, so I dirtied it up. We'll put in "Tesla" bulbs like the one on the left. I like how it peeks out from under the glass. Overall, not crazy about it, but for $10 hey you can't really complain.

Sorry about the crappy pic. My camera sucks. Also no island in the after pic bc I haven't cleaned and I'm lazy today.

Attachment 405141

Attachment 405142

Awesome job! Looks like you added some patina.

[KazzyK810]

I've only ever used modge podge on fabric, and as you say, it doesn't hold up well over years, but thats what I usually want. I've mainly covered plastic storage boxes with fabric to coordinate them to my current decor, so don't want a long term commitment. 3m adhesive spray is my permanent go to product.

My friend used matte MP to make her extended family Chirstmas gifts. She took old family photos, printed them to look old (sepia?.) and then MPed them to rustic wood pieces, and even diftwood for the panoramic of their family vacation cottage on the lake. Rustic isn't my style, but I thought they looked really cool.

[Wylie's Mom]

We got our island lights up and HOLY HECK, what a ginormous project this was, whoa! I wanted them attached to a distressed board rather than the ceiling...and that is no small feat, believe me. In addition, my poor hubby had to go up into the attic and add "blocking" to the ceiling above the light bc there were no trusses/studs to which we could attach the add'l light fixtures (our previous island light had only one ceiling plate piece that branched out into 3 lights). Anyway, I'm so pleased w/ how it turned out.