February 2002's
Glue of the Month

Rabbit Skin Glue by Gamblin Artist Colors

Some of our users have been asking about Rabbit Skin Glue, so we looked into it for you. We found Gamblin Artists Colors to be one of the few manufacturers of this type of glue in North America. We contacted Martha at Gamblin's and she told us some interesting facts about Rabbit Skin Glue. Yes it is made from rabbits -- French rabbits no less. More accurately, Gamblin imports rabbit collagen from France. Collagen is the most common protein in mammals -- like humans and rabbits. Its main job in the body is connecting (gluing) things together. Unlike other collagen glues, rabbit skin glue is very flexible, but not as strong. When dissolved in water and heated, it is a light syrupy consistency that paints easily onto fabrics or paper. Rabbit skin glue works on any porous material. It does flex with moisture however so Gamblin does not recommend it as a canvas seal for paintings, but many artists do prefer it. Rabbit Skin glue can be used as an adhesive or a sealer, or it can be mixed with a binder such as talc or silica to create a gesso or filler. It is non-toxic, but not so easy to use as it requires mixing and heating.

You can get Rabbit Skin Glue at most artist's supply stores.

Past Glues of the Month

If you've discovered a glue that you've grown attached to, please let us know. Maybe we can honor your glue in a future month.

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