I use this for collaging papers and ephemera and it is very strong and dries quickly. I paint over it and sometimes scrub back the paint and the layers underneath are protected by the gel. It also works as a final glossy varnish if you like the gloss look. I also use it for photocopied image transfer as it is so clean and simple. I absolutely love it and prefer it to the usual pva glue used for collage because of it's versatility.