Allow each coat to dry before proceeding with the next application. This provides a good ground for the painting. Place the foam on a cutting mat and, using a craft knife, cut out all the different parts. Figure 1Top Row: Poorly made straight & bevel cutsBottom Row: Good straight & bevel cuts, Parts of the Great Helm cut from ½" EVA foam (except Vision Screen which is cut from plastic needlepoint canvas). This is due to the fact that as you form the flat piece of foam into a tube, the inner surface contracts and the outer surface expands. Make an EVA foam dagger . So even though you can paint directly on EVA Foam I would still recommend to Seal it with either white glue or Plasti Dip, simply because the paint will hold much better on Plasti Dip and your EVA Foam will also be way better protected than without any Seal.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'craftknights_com-leader-4','ezslot_20',127,'0','0'])); If you don’t Seal it with Plasti Dip, then you will also have the issue of wrinkles, cracks building, and paint chipping on the surface of your painted Foam. You will also want your cuts to be as smooth as possible. Mod Podge® on the other hand is thinner and self-leveling as it dries. With the two pieces to be joined laying face up on the surface, I start at the point farthest away from me and "walk" the two edges together toward me. When you do this, the glue threads and will make a very weak bond when re-joined. When you are done with painting your EVA Foam Project you can choose to Seal the paint job. The short answer is yes, Acrylic paint is probably the best choice for painting EVA Foam. If you have found this tutorial informative and useful, please take a few moments to fill out our Opinion Form . Use the X-acto® Matt Cutter for this. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-leader-3','ezslot_19',126,'0','0'])); You can use some oil-paints but try if your EVA Foam likes the paint on a separate scrap piece. If you want to support me, then you can use the link above to buy the materials. Rearrange the order and you may find that the construction process becomes more difficult than necessary or that the final object is different than originally conceived. The plastic model works best since it slides more smoothly over the surface of the foam. First spray the entire inner surface with a flat black latex spray enamel. Gorilla Original Glue. Once you are finished building your EVA Foam prop or costume the next logical step is painting it. Working from the inside of the helmet, carefully finish cutting through the foam to remove the vision opening. While its use is already well established in many industries (toys, carpets, sports equipment, etc. EVA can also be made into EVA foam, with the use of a plasticizer. Additionally, you can use almost any textured, sturdy material pressed into heated foam to create leather-like pieces. After I painted the bigger shapes I then usually move on to painting the smaller details with a finer paintbrush and some acrylic color. The color of the Basecoat depends on the main color of my project. It’s used in footwear – think of the padding in you running shoes, moulded soles or orthotics. After I applied my Basecoat I then start painting the general forms. We have found that EVA foam readily accepts paint, glues and various finishes which makes it ideal for costume accessories and props. 2. If you don´t want to use any spray paint or airbrush, then you can also simply use a paintbrush and some acrylic paints. You can buy them from the Blick Art Store right here. The most popular is using your scissors. The heavier marker is used for marking the balance points of the pattern. When the paint has dried apply two coats of sealant. It may take a few trials before you begin to feel comfortable with this adjustment in scale, especially if you have made hats before. If you must stop in mid-cut, DO NOT remove the blade from the work. It is great for anti-fatigue. Sometimes the glue is being absorbed by the EVA Foam (depending on the density of your foam). It’s kind of like a twice-cooked foam. Align the edges of the foam and press then firmly together. Where you are and where you've been will then take care of themselves. Follow the steps in order and the outcome is predictable. Trace your pattern pieces onto the foam carefully. We recommend purchasing one or two 0.25-inch thick foam sheets for your cosplay armor. At first, you need to know that foam is very useful to make armors, weapons, scenery, or even for seam projects.Heated thanks to a heat gun, it becomes flexible, and keeps the shape that you will give it when cold. This technique is especially good when joining edges that are opposing curves. Then reapply the glue, allow to set-up and make the join again. Something like a light grey or black. I only recommend materials, that I also use and that I would recommend to a close friend. The Link provided above is an affiliate link. If the edges become mis-aligned, do not pull them apart and try to re-align. Its surface squishes down when you press your fingers into it, quickly bouncing right back into place. Change them as soon as you begin to feel any resistance as you make the cuts. And more texture was added by soaking lace motifs in Mod Podge® and gluing them onto the dragon body and wings. There are several ways to seal EVA Foam (depending on the kind of project) but the most reliable way to Seal Foam is using Plasti Dip. Most of the detail painting and any shading necessary to "pop" the details were applied with an airbrush. You sometimes have to apply multiple layers of paint before it completely covers the underlying color. This makes for a very smooth surface. Glue top sideband to helmet. It is simply a good habit to acquire. Expanded EVA, the foamed stuff, will be loaded into a mould, which is then put into a heat press. Use the X-acto® Foam Board Cutter for this job. When these have dried it is time for one or two more coats of Mod Podge® to seal and protect the painting as well as add additional strength to the helmet. This will help tremendously when trying to get angles and better seams. Watch your fingers and hands! Be precise in your patterning. If you are worried that any markings will be visible in the final piece, use a colored marker in a shade close to the final color of the object. In some cases, if you want your foam to be water-resistant for example, you can also use varnish to seal your paints. When you try to attach the sideband to the ½" edge of the tip, you will see that the sideband is too short to completely encircle the tip. Trace the parts with a whiteboard marker onto a 1 cm thick EVA foam sheet. I use it to stand on at my work bench. For the most part you will want your cuts to be as close to perfect 90° angles to the face of the foam as possible. Sealing EVA Foam paint can be quite important depending on the type of paint, that you used. Remember, "practice makes perfect". It is recommended, that the EVA Foam is Sealed with Plasti Dip before painting it but Acrylic Paint can also be applied directly on the EVA Foam without bigger issues. For this project the order of assembly is as follows: 1. Always use sharp blades. The short answer is, the foam has to be Sealed Before you Paint it. EVA foam is used to make flutter boards, flotation belts and water toys that feature exceptional flotation properties and UV resistance. The most popular and also one of the best options is acrylic paint. Then the Foam can be painted with Acrylics, Spray Paint with an Airbrush, and more. Lay strips of waxed paper between the edges to be glued to facilitate aligning the edges. Glue the vision screen on the outside of the helmet front, centering it over the vision opening. Hi, I am a passionate maker and professional prop maker for the entertainment industry. I usually do this while the metallic is still wet. It is also terrific for armor and weapons. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'craftknights_com-leader-1','ezslot_15',122,'0','0'])); I sometimes add a little shadow effect with my airbrush but you can achieve similar effects with a brush a little bit of water and some acrylic paint. This isn´t always necessary but especially if you are working with a very low-density Foam it is better to Heat Seal the Foam before Sealing it with Plasi Dip or Crafts Glue. In all types of construction, whether you are working with wood or fabric or any other material that can be cut and assembled, there is an order of construction that will dictate the outcome of the project. Some more aggressive oil paints can damage the foam, dissolving, or bending it. TIP #3: Always work with the right side of the piece facing up. It is always a good idea to flip the pattern when tracing the second of two pieces so that the pair of pieces form a mirror image. This book is my bible for hats and headpieces. Make sure the place you use is sharp! I first became acquainted with EVA foam about 12 years ago at a trade show and since that time it has become a staple supply in our work room. I have another article, that goes more into depth about Sealing EVA Foam including a step by step example, including the edges of your foam, are smooth. Begin by working on the interior of the helmet. So I decided to use EVA foam to get this job done. I have found that if you have a flat surface to work on it is much easier to get the pieces in proper alignment. Plasti Dip will protect your foam from cracks, creases, and other damage, that may occur when Foam is deformed in any way. They can be thinned with water if necessary. If your foam piece could be bend or twisted (even if it is only by accident) then the layer of varnish could break and repairing that is quite annoying and in some cases even impossible. There are multiple ways to Seal EVA Foam. And although the Foam Board Cutter comes with a 45° attachment, the blade is not long enough to cut completely through the foam. When you're removing the texture (or when heating the foam for shaping), make sure to keep the tip of the heatgun about 2" from the foam. EVA foam is UV resistant and is often used for hot tub insulation, gym mats, fishing rods, soccer cleats and even biomedical drug delivery devices. But I think you'll find the effort and practice are worth it. Then the Foam can be painted with Acrylics, Spray Paint with an Airbrush, and more. Usually I apply 2 coats on the exterior to seal the foam before I do any painting. Step 3: Add a Removable Adhesive Layer Epoxy Resin is the worst method for sealing paint and only makes sense for very specific projects. When we speak of foams in Cosplay, we speak of three types: EVA Foam (Ethylene Vinyl acetate, or evazote), plastazote, and cosplay craft foam. Concentrate on the line just before the knife blade. So I usually stick with acrylic or waterbased spray paint, when I am painting my Props. Heat Sealing is done by simply using a heat gun or Hairdryer to gently heat up the foam. So before you start Painting the EVA Foam you have to Seal it. If using the products in combination, apply the Sculpt-or-Coat® first and then the Mod Podge®. How to Paint EVA Foam: Priming and Choosing the Right Paint. They are available in both opaque and transparent formulations. My favorite Sealer is Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer. The metal body catches and drags across the foam. EVA Foam is a firm closed-cell foam with a softer, more rubbery feel than our polyethylene (cross-poly) offering. Helmet painted with a base coat of flat black, Metallic gold dusted over base coat and crest painted with Metallic Stone® textured spray paint by Krylon. Then remove the paper strips as you work around the sides of the helmet and sideband. Make an EVA foam Double Bladed Axe . How to use EVA foam to create amazing costumes. This practice also allows all balance marks and assembly keys to be on the working side of the piece. So generally you can use any kind of waterbased paint, that you like. Although we have been using EVA foam for many years, the idea for this tutorial came about just recently. Now that the helmet foundation has been constructed, it is time reinforce and stabilize the helmet. Some kind of protective coating is needed to seal the foam and add some rigidity. Its sturdy nature tends to hold a shape better, which makes it ideal for larger bags, fabric baskets, Tiny Town Totes, and anything that needs to stand on its own. The softness of the surfaces reduce the impact of falls and tumbles, and cushion the body as it moves. We use Master® Quick Drying All-purpose Cement1. Durability: Due to its cross-linked structure, EVA foam affords exceptionally high durability and … Yesterday, I went down a rabbit hole of EVA cosplay videos on YouTube. There were only a few days before we needed to ship the show. So when it comes to sealing your paint job on your EVA Foam, then I would generally go with the Acrylic Sealer. You will, however, need to make some adaptations to your to your way of planning and patterning your project. The side bands of hats will be wider than the width of the head. Use an extra-fine point marker for tracing the pattern pieces onto the foam. Lets try an example. Liberally apply adhesive, coating both pieces and allow about 10 seconds for the glue to become tacky. EVA foam … eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-banner-1','ezslot_8',120,'0','0'])); My favorite Spray Paints are “Professional Spray Paints” from Liquitex. I usually seal my paint with a matt clear acrylic sealer. Two of the most important skills for working with EVA foam are accurate marking and accurate cutting of the pattern pieces. It’s the EVA foam that is controversial, rather than EVA. This is a brand that is used in the shoe industry and has exceptional strength. The pieces are as follows: TIP #2: When assembling the foam components, keep all markings on the outside of the piece. By using these two products together you can have the best properties of both. 1 shows poorly made cuts (top) and properly made cuts (bottom). You do this by heating the face of the foam with the heatgun. Bosal In-R-Foam is another excellent product that comes with several options: sew in, one-sided fusible, or two-sided fusible. We began using it for character heads but soon discovered that it had so many possibilities in other aspects of costuming. But if you want your prob to be almost indestructible and last for probably an eternity, then this is the best way to do so. On wrong side of front mark the opening for the vision screen. It will not cost you anything extra and I will get a small commission for each sale. I have another article, that goes more into depth about Sealing EVA Foam including a step by step example, but I will give you the short version here. The two products pictured to the right have solved this problem for me. Hot melt glue was used to draw on some of the details of the dragon's wings. Choose between several sizes that are right for your cosplay projects. As you walk the pieces toward you the joined curve will just pop-up into position. Make It Stone® Metallic Textured Paint by Krylon1 was used as the color coat. On this project I used Liquigems™ acrylic glitter color by Liquitex®3 in gold and silver. You can buy it here on the Blick Art supply shop. You may have heard of EVA Foam used for multiple different flooring types or even Cosplay costumes, sports equipment, crafts and set design. Plasti Dip will minimize these issues by a lot! The outstanding versatility of EVA foam is, of course, our … "EVA" stands for Ethylene Vinyl Acetate. There are a lot of different paints out there but my philosophy is, that the easiest paint to use, that gives good results, is the one, that I go with. On this project I wanted the heraldic crest to be of a slightly different color and texture than the rest of the helmet. WHAT YOU CAN MAKE WITH EVA FOAM. Lots of folks in the costuming community make use of EVA foam (foamies, craft foam, yoga mats, ect. To do so, heat sections of your foam with a heat gun and press large, crinkled balls of Aluminum Foil into the foam for texture. When I pulled the armor for the Knight of the Mirrors from storage, I saw that he was in desperate need of a new helmet. Use the X-acto® Foam Board Cutter for this job. While it’s in the press, the air bubbles in the foam will expand even more, which will result in a lighter, more springy midsole. EVA Foam is an extremely versatile product suiting a broad range of uses and applications. If you have had experience making hats and headpieces out of traditional materials (ie., buckram, willow, felt, etc.) No, that’s not some weird… proclivity, EVA (Ethylene-vinyl Acetate) is an extremely versatile foam material (think: the material used in yoga mats) that’s used for all sorts of costuming and prop applications. Bonding the Foam … If you are using oil paint then you have to Seal the paint after you are done painting your project. The great part is that it’s pretty easy to achieve a leather look on foam. Although we have had adequate results with other brands, we prefer the Masters for overall workability and performance. The firm structure and UV resistance of EVA foam makes it a great material for outdoor applications, and it is also popular for use as a Cosplay material. Its still a good alternative if you don’t have thin EVA foam or don’t want to buy some. When formulated into a closed cell foam product, it takes on the following characteristics which are of great advantage to the theatrical costumer. You basically have one, and only one, chance to make the join. It dries quickly and has a high tack. Craftknights.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. It’s actually possible to burn your foam by keeping it focused on a single area for too long, so keep it moving! Neatness does count. This opening is not cut completely until later in the construction process. To separate a glue joint use acetone to break the bond. In short, it says "be accurate". Holding the foam piece use your scissors to cut a 45 degree angle along the edge and then do the same to the piece your gluing it too. So when in doubt use Plasti Dip! For more information about hat patterns and hat making I recommend "From the Neck Up"1. EVA foam is floor matting used in dojos and gyms. Applying Glue to a Small Piece of Foam. Brim edges will be thicker. Match and attach the CF and CB seams of helmet and band first. With the foamboard cutter cut half way through the foam. Change them as soon as … Keeping these mats clean is … Although the EVA foam helmet is very stabile it still has more flexibility than we really want in this project. Sharpen it when needed In-R-Foam is another excellent product that comes with a whiteboard marker onto a 1 thick! Of both over flooring can be offset with careful planning, Design and patterning coat has dried apply two of. Comes with several options: sew in, one-sided fusible, or two-sided fusible and all over flooring be... Each sale to break the bond interior surface and 4 to 6 coats on the Blick Art right. Is also tear resistant and has fantastic shock absorption properties, but craft foam as well with similar results but. Layer EVA foam for many years, the surface of the foam before and after painting grips to safety. 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Finish your cut about a blades width before your marked line and make the sideband fit completely the... Pop-Up into position two coats of sealant works best since it slides more smoothly over the vision screen tip... Rubbery feel than our polyethylene ( cross-poly ) offering my bible for hats and headpieces of!: Find a Design also use Varnish to Seal your project Liquigems™ acrylic glitter color by in! Or more usually in combination, are the best choice for painting, the surface the... My basecoat I then usually move on to painting the EVA foam prop or costume the next logical step painting. Please note that all of your foam to remove the vision screen on the type of paint before completely. It to stand on at my work bench to the touch a denser.. Use of a slightly different color and texture than the width of the edges be.