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Arizzel — Cosplay with Floral Foam Tutorial
Published: 2013-06-07 22:10:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 18841; Favourites: 235; Downloads: 49
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Description
Had fun making this tutorial. n_nCosplayers have always been so wonderful to share things with me. Has helped me grow myself as a cosplayer. Hopefully in my time I have picked up a few things that i can now share to others.
I love using unconventional and/or little-thought-of materials, and making them work.
Some key check points a cosplayer might look at when selecting materials for a costume:
Whats inexpensive?
Whats lightweight?
Does quality show?
Sometimes its hard to find materials that fit all 3, but I may have found something with floral foam. Hopefully this tutorial makes floral foam a little less frightening to work with and can save some cosplayer's budgets.
Enjoy carving and green dust!
See more of my costumes updates, works in progress, more photos here: [link]
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Comments: 41
My "response" to this, as it were. I used the floral foam but I used different materials to harden it.
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Eeey, and I thought floral foam would be looked down upon. I'll try using it. :>
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Thanks so much for the tutorial, I will definitely try it. I have one question - what paints are suitable to use after the layer of glue?
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Just plain acrylic paints work.
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Then, how to make it solid (hardened)?
I want to make a gun.
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There is many methods. I guess find one you feel comfortable with.
First seal up the foam with some white glue: elmers, modgepodge, gesso. This will make it less fragile and more of a solid base to work with.
He are some ways I have covered it to make hard in the past:
cover in paper mache or paper clay.
these dry more hard and rigid, and allow you to sand smooth
One object, i sealed it up with a lot of glue and brushed resin over it. Once resin cured it made it hard.
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Glad to hear!
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This tutorial might be helpful when I remake my gun for Panty and when I do my own ears and horns for my pony costumes XD
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Glad to hear. Good luck on all your projects!
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is elmers glue like PVA? seeing as i live in england i need an alternative
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Based on my research. Looks like elmers glue is a type of PVA. I think it would be a safe bet.
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ok, thank you very much ^w^
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How do you cover it in resin? That part confuses me
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I have yet to try. But there is some quick curing resin that i am thinking of dipping it in. Well see. If im successful ill make a tutorial when i get around to it.
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Huh... I never thought to use this stuff o.o Looks messy but oddly looks kind of fun at the same time xD
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How did you mount it? I'm using it for a cosplay, and I need to fasten the pieces onto a string for a necklace and I have no idea how to get it onto the string without it falling apart.
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Without knowing what your making. Few things you can do: take a needle/pin up to the size of a screw driver(Depending on the size of the thing your making)
And gently twist dont push through. The foam will flake and scrape away leaving a hole. Just patience and no quick force and it should hold.
Or if you want to make a little half ring out of clay to loop it through. Glue it to the foam. My #1 glue of choice is E6000. It has held and mended so many things for me.
Hope that helps
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Thank you very much for this! I've been looking for a way to make light weight props
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Im glad! Good luck. and please share any of your projects with this. Would love to see.
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thank you 
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So glad it help. Ask any questions, and if you make anything with this method i will love to see!
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WOW! This is fantastic and incredibly helpful. I didn't know that stuff was so awesome. XD Thank you for taking the time to put this together.
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No problem. I enjoyed creating it greatly. And super bonus if it helps someone.
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Well, indeed it is. You get your super bonus.
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Do you think mod podge would work instead of elmers glue? :*
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Yaay thank you! It's working great c;
I'm making some pony horns for friends and this is such an easy method! (way better than heavy clay or wood)
Thank you so much for the tutorial ^.^
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Omg I am so excited! Please show me when you done, I would love to see! And also, I would like to post links to what other people made using this method, if that would be cool with you!
And np. Let me know if you have other questions and such. Hopefully I can get around to other tutorials soon.
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This is a lovely tutorial, thanks for taking the time to put it up! One question - how well does the foam hold up? Is it a little flexible, or do you have to be careful with thinner pieces?
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The foam inst flexible. You will have to be careful with thinner pieces until you seal it up with glue, paper clay, or paper mache. I have bonked things a few time and they lived but nothing super thin. I try to do things thicker than a half inch to 3/4 inch to be sure(though my points on spikes are thin because they have a thick base.
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Awesome, thank you for the info! I'm going to have to find an excuse to experiment with this stuff.
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Thank you! Hope its clear for everyone
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