It’s kind of like a twice-cooked foam. The two products pictured to the right have solved this problem for me. Sloppy marking and cutting can result in a less-than-perfect finished product. Remember, "practice makes perfect". Step 3: Add a Removable Adhesive Layer 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. We have found that the Sharpie® brand of permanent marker is the best tool for the job. My favorite Sealer is Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer. With the foamboard cutter cut half way through the foam. 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 this project I wanted the heraldic crest to be of a slightly different color and texture than the rest of the helmet. But it is a little more work to seal your foam with varnish because you have to apply it with a brush (spray varnish will not create a thick enough layer for perfect protection in some cases).eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_16',124,'0','0'])); And the result will be quite hard and not flexible anymore. The short answer is, the foam has to be Sealed Before you Paint it. 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. You generally can´t go wrong with that. Watch your fingers and hands! All of your cuts should be made with a smooth, confident motion. As you walk the pieces toward you the joined curve will just pop-up into position. So if you want your Prop to have a long life, then just seal it with Plasti Dip. If this opening had been cut before the vision screen were attached, the edges of would have flared out and distorted the smooth curve of the helmet. In order to make the sideband fit completely around the circle you need to add 1.5625" to the length of the band. Be precise in your patterning. Waterbased paints include acrylic paint, some enamels, watercolor (this type of color will probably not stick well and you will need a lot of layers but you can use it for weathering effects), waterbased ink and more. Cut your circle and sideband. Finish your cut slightly beyond the end point of your marked line. (the density) ½" thick EVA. Except for the vision screen and tip, all of the pieces are cut x2. Craftknights.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I've seen everything from angel wings to N7 armor to LOTR armor made from the stuff. Because EVA Foam is used for so many purposes besides costumes, it can be sourced from a lot of convenient places in slightly different forms. My favorite Sealer is Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer. Additionally, you can use almost any textured, sturdy material pressed into heated foam to create leather-like pieces. Allow the glue to set completely until it is dry to the touch. TIP #3: Always work with the right side of the piece facing up. They are both water soluble and dry completely clear. I have found that if you have a flat surface to work on it is much easier to get the pieces in proper alignment. EVA foam is easy to work with and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. With this method, my painted areas will get an even smooth paint job with sharp edges. The heavier marker is used for marking the balance points of the pattern. This makes for a very smooth surface. I used Createx™ Airbrush Colors2. They can be used for lots of places where sealing and cushioning are needed. Acrylic sealer is the easiest and best method for Sealing EVA Foam after painting. Brim edges will be thicker. In Part II I will discuss the intricacies of fashioning period hats form EVA foam. In short, you can seal your paint job with a simple coat of Acrylic Sealer, Varnish, or even Epoxy Resin. Use an extra-fine point marker for tracing the pattern pieces onto the foam. You do this by heating the face of the foam with the heatgun. The photo at the right shows a selection of the tools that we have found to be most useful for marking and cutting EVA foam. The base coat is a flat black spray enamel. EVA foam is used to make flutter boards, flotation belts and water toys that feature exceptional flotation properties and UV resistance. So I usually stick with acrylic or waterbased spray paint, when I am painting my Props. Bonding the Foam … They are available in both opaque and transparent formulations. It may take a few trials before you begin to feel comfortable with this adjustment in scale, especially if you have made hats before. Step 2: Choose a Sheet Size You basically have one, and only one, chance to make the join. After painting, you can choose to Seal your Project with a Mat Sealer, Epoxy Resin or a Varnish. Step 1: Find a Design! Foam play mats, gym mats and rubber floors make great surfaces for exercising, stretching and children's games. And that is, in this case, simply waterbased color. First spray the entire inner surface with a flat black latex spray enamel. How to use EVA foam to create amazing costumes. The Link provided above is an affiliate link. A good contact cement is what is needed. This extremely dense foam can be found in many commercial applications from handle grips to flotation safety devices to sports safety equipment. Paint wrong side of face guard and right side of vision screen black, Glue upper and lower supports at CF and CB, Fabricate heraldic crest and attach to top of helmet. Lay strips of waxed paper between the edges to be glued to facilitate aligning the edges. We began using it for character heads but soon discovered that it had so many possibilities in other aspects of costuming. The short answer is, the foam has to be Sealed Before you Paint it. EVA Foam is an extremely versatile product suiting a broad range of uses and applications. I show you how to make this double bladed axe out of it. 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. There are multiple ways to Seal 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. The pieces are as follows: TIP #2: When assembling the foam components, keep all markings on the outside of the piece. 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. When you do this, the glue threads and will make a very weak bond when re-joined. 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. We have found that EVA foam readily accepts paint, glues and various finishes which makes it ideal for costume accessories and props. Place the two pieces of cushion foam that need to be glued on top of each other, with the sides to be adhered facing outward, as shown to the lower left. I hope this tutorial has spurred your interest in this product and technique. If you are using oil paint then you have to Seal the paint after you are done painting your project. 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. 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. Epoxy resin is water-resistant, it will dry very hard, it will be hit and scratch-resistant (if you don´t scratch it with something like metal at least) and it will keep almost everything away from the paint job beneath it. Its surface squishes down when you press your fingers into it, quickly bouncing right back into place. 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. It is a soft, yet durable polymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. 1 shows poorly made cuts (top) and properly made cuts (bottom). But how do you seal EVA Foam paint? You can also use your rotary tool to do the same although it creates a huge mess. Lets try an example. If any of the edges are mis-aligned, it is better that they be on the wrong side of the finished piece. We had a production of "Man of LaMancha" to get ready for shipping. And although the Foam Board Cutter comes with a 45° attachment, the blade is not long enough to cut completely through the foam. So generally you can use any kind of waterbased paint, that you like. EVA foam blunts the knife quite quickly, so make sure you sharpen it when needed. If the edges were both cut at 90° angles, the transition would be a gentle curve. But if your Prop can be bend or twisted (for example a shoulder piece, that is thin enough to be bend) then I would recommend Sealing it with Plasti Dip. But before you can do any painting, the surface of the EVA Foam has to be prepared. And I share my knowledge and my experience on this blog with you so that you can become a maker yourself. From home gym and exercise flooring to kid play mats and learning mats, there are tons of possible uses for foam flooring. You may have heard of EVA Foam used for multiple different flooring types or even Cosplay costumes, sports equipment, crafts and set design. Then I spray paint the unmasked areas and remove the masking tape after the paint coat has dried. I usually seal my paint with a matt clear acrylic sealer. Not enough time to make a fiberglass helmet. In short, it says "be accurate". you have a good basic foundation for working with EVA foam. Make an EVA foam dagger . So I decided to use EVA foam to get this job done. This will “close” the surface of the EVA Foam to prepare it for Sealing and Painting later on.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',118,'0','0'])); If your Prop is not moving and does not bend (for example a solid armor) then you can seal your Foam with simple white crafts glue. 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. Sealing EVA Foam paint can be quite important depending on the type of paint, that you used. Using heat, paint and other materials, you can turn EVA foam into intricate armor. For this project the order of assembly is as follows: 1. This provides a good ground for the painting. If using the products in combination, apply the Sculpt-or-Coat® first and then the Mod Podge®. I usually do this while the metallic is still wet. It’s used in footwear – think of the padding in you running shoes, moulded soles or orthotics. 2. You will also want your cuts to be as smooth as possible. It is great for anti-fatigue. In some cases, if you want your foam to be water-resistant for example, you can also use varnish to seal your paints. 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 practice also allows all balance marks and assembly keys to be on the working side of the piece. We recommend purchasing one or two 0.25-inch thick foam sheets for your cosplay armor. A very thin layer of this acrylic Sealer is more than enough to seal your paint and protect it from most things.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'craftknights_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_14',123,'0','0'])); And with that you are done, you have successfully prepared, painted, and sealed your EVA Foam! Durability: Due to its cross-linked structure, EVA foam affords exceptionally high durability and … Now that the helmet foundation has been constructed, it is time reinforce and stabilize the helmet. So make sure, that your oil paint isn´t one of them. Most of the detail painting and any shading necessary to "pop" the details were applied with an airbrush. And make your cuts smoothly. Its still a good alternative if you don’t have thin EVA foam or don’t want to buy some. How to Paint EVA Foam: Priming and Choosing the Right Paint. Thick or thin, foam will adapt to your different projects. And more texture was added by soaking lace motifs in Mod Podge® and gluing them onto the dragon body and wings. Epoxy Resin is the worst method for sealing paint and only makes sense for very specific projects. Our foam sheets come without cross or diamond patterns, allowing for a uniform starting point without extra sanding. I sometimes also add a little bit of weathering but that is completely up to you. Allow each coat to dry before proceeding with the next application. "EVA" stands for Ethylene Vinyl Acetate. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'craftknights_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_12',121,'0','0'])); I usually mask all the parts, that are not supposed to be painted in that color, with some masking tape. I usually do this either with an Airbrush or a Spray Paint can. Phylon midsoles are made from EVA by using a compression moulding technique. For more information about hat patterns and hat making I recommend "From the Neck Up"1. Then the Foam can be painted with Acrylics, Spray Paint with an Airbrush, and more. So when in doubt use Plasti Dip! After I applied my Basecoat I then start painting the general forms. But for most EVA Foam Projects using Epoxy Resin is a little bit overkill so I would simply use an Acrylic Sealer Spray Paint can for almost all projects.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'craftknights_com-leader-2','ezslot_18',125,'0','0'])); The short answer is any waterbased paint out there can be used. After I painted the bigger shapes I then usually move on to painting the smaller details with a finer paintbrush and some acrylic color. If you don´t want to use any spray paint or airbrush, then you can also simply use a paintbrush and some acrylic paints. So before you start Painting the EVA Foam you have to Seal it. Hot melt glue was used to draw on some of the details of the dragon's wings. 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. Something like a light grey or black. Before you apply any Seal you first have to Heat Seal your EVA Foam, and make sure, that everything, including the edges of your foam, are smooth. Although it can be obtained in other densities and thicknesses, we have found that the 4lb., ½" EVA is the most versatile for our needs. We use Master® Quick Drying All-purpose Cement1. 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. Creating the foundation for your cosplay armor: A working pattern is the most important step in this … EVA foam floor tiles and all over flooring can be installed in a variety of different areas as foam is a multi–purpose floor covering. Use the X-acto® Matt Cutter for this. They can be thinned with water if necessary. This is no less true when working with EVA foam. Place the foam on a cutting mat and, using a craft knife, cut out all the different parts. “Professional Spray Paints” from Liquitex. Where you are and where you've been will then take care of themselves. Start your cut about a blades width before your marked line and make the cut in a continuous motion from start to finish. You have to choose the right way depending on your project. The openings in the face guard are cut by using a ½" punch to make the top and bottom curves, then connecting the resulting holes with straight cuts. Make It Stone® Metallic Textured Paint by Krylon1 was used as the color coat. The Sharpie® markers come in a range of colors from black through yellow. Sculpt-or-Coat®1 and Mod Podge®2, used alone or more usually in combination, are the solution. This technique is especially good when joining edges that are opposing curves. I prefer to move at a rate of approximately 10 centimeters per second. 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. It is also terrific for armor and weapons. Make sure the place you use is sharp! When you are done with painting your EVA Foam Project you can choose to Seal the paint job. There were only a few days before we needed to ship the show. Keeping these mats clean is … One of the first things you will notice is the fact that most projects will be slightly larger in scale than the same item built using traditional methods. Although the EVA foam helmet is very stabile it still has more flexibility than we really want in this project. Bosal In-R-Foam is another excellent product that comes with several options: sew in, one-sided fusible, or two-sided fusible. Plasti Dip will protect your foam from cracks, creases, and other damage, that may occur when Foam is deformed in any way. This will help tremendously when trying to get angles and better seams. Always use sharp blades. If the edges become mis-aligned, do not pull them apart and try to re-align. By using these two products together you can have the best properties of both. And we are constantly finding new uses for the product. 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. That being said, you don´t have to Seal your EVA Foam after painting it. Alone or combined with thermoplastics, it will address your needs.Foams that you will find in the cosplay world are usually foam you find as exercise mat or ground sh… You can buy them from the Blick Art Store right here. 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