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AmenoKitarou — Foam and Worbla armour MEGA TUTORIAL
Published: 2014-07-13 17:12:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 195536; Favourites: 2828; Downloads: 0
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Description
Brace yourselves! The MEGA tutorial is coming.Part 1 Foam Shaping, Part 2 Foam Detailing, Part 3 Worbla
You will need to view full size to read this monstrosity
I hope this will help someone, somehow, someday~!
Please leave feeback and share! Enjoy.
P.S. PLEASE READ FAQs before asking questions in comments
- What kind of foam? Where do I buy?
EVA foam. 5mm thick. I buy it in the form of a gym mat from local malls.
- What kind of glue?
I use contact adhesive (you can buy this at any hardware store). But hot glue also works~
- Where can I buy worbla?
If you are in Sydney, there is a place that stocks it locally called The Sarlacc Pit in Parramatta. If you are elsewhere... I have no idea. Google "Buy Worbla Online" maybe?
- I can't afford worbla. What can I do?
Follow the tutorial until the end of Part 2. Then seal and paint it as a foam armour. Part 3 is completely optional.
- I tried this and it didn't work so well.
Practice. Fail. Repeat. Learn.
- Video tutorial?
There is nothing exciting about listening to my voice while I do tedious things. So I assure you this is the best medium.
- Commissions?
Yes. PM for details and quote.
- I thought you disliked worbla?
I do. But since there are many people out there who love worbla, and I am working with it now, why not share some knowledge?
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Comments: 166
Thank you thank you thank you! Very easy to understand and follow! Very sincerely, a mom making her daughter's Water Dragon Warrior Princess armor with no EVA\Cosplay experience!
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Do you have an exact store you buy EVA from? I bought some online, I believe it was 1cm, but its so thick and hard to maneuver/bend into shape.
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Thank you so much for the tutorial.. gonna try it at home later!
A question.. how do you seal/coat the foam before coloring them? (is this the right term?)
the foam I had in my country have these little holes and when I try to primer it with pilox airbrush spray it wouldn't get even and I can see more little holes DX
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I think you'll need a high density foam, it might be called EVA foam, or floor matting (the jigsaw piece ones), or like mattress foam (for when you go camping and put under your sleeping bag). This foam has tiny weeny holes and you can seal it with PVA/school/white glue, gesso, etc. I like to seal it with hairspray. :> I hope this helps?
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I hope you do someday about how to make armor and swords with just foam or rubber sheet.
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that works just the same way, only without the worbla
when you're done with all the foam shaping, seal/prime it with e.g. plastidip (that's what i did, i've seen other options here in the comments and all over the net if you search for it). afterwards you can paint on it with acrylic paint.
edit: and now i saw that he gave just the same answer in the description...
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Jesus christ it's so good I almost cry XDDDDDDDDDDDD
If you don't mind, I will share it on my facebook page - for people who don't understand complicated tutorials! Like me! Ha! 
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Thank you so much.
If you don't mind, please share this via my facebook album
My page name is: Amenokitarou (A.K.WIRRU)
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Sure!! 
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Thank you so much.
If you don't mind, please share this via my facebook album
My page name is: Amenokitarou (A.K.WIRRU)
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I found out the hard way if you leave worbla sitting in the heat it will fall apart and make you cry more. >_>;
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Why use the worbla over the foam? Is it just preference? Can't you get a similar finish without the worbla?
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Personally, I think it is mostly preference. But adding Worbla (or wonderflex) makes it very stiff. So you can bump, drop, step on it and it wont get ruined. If it's just foam, it can bend and get creases or even crack your paint layer if not done well.
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I mainly do it only to projects that I know I'll travel with a lot.
I rarely use worbla but when I do it's always over a foam base.
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What do you use to glue the pieces of foam together? And what is the thickness of the foam?
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What will happen if I just make that part with eva foam? If I have a "ready" armor with all lines and all, but no worbla on eva foam. Can it be good without worbla, too?
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He mentions above that if you can't find/afford worbla, you can just paint it to look like armor and you're good to go -- the worbla part is optional.
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You just solved so many problems for me. i love you so much right now~
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Do you think this will work for a breastplate as well? I recently made this one: www.facebook.com/LucaLouiseCos…
When I finally have enough money to afford Worbla, could I just cover the breastplate in the stuff like with your method? (I don't want to start over >.<)
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Holy crap, this is GOOD. I need practice on foam shaping, rly bad
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The BEST HOW TO WORBLA ever found!!! AMAZING! Thanks for sharing it with us!
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This tutorial will prove most useful when creating the Golden Fleece from "God of War III"
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does the contact adhesive give you more time to get the edges together better and have less gaping, thus giving you a smoother finish that will be filled in with the PVA glue finish before paint. I am just starting to play with the foam and I tried hot glue on a large edge and had trouble getting a nice seam.
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This is gonna be very helpful for what I have planned... thank you for the tutorial...
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Hahaha I love how you explained the steps 
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It's called Worbla, it's a thermoplast.
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Thanks man, looking for some tips on my first foam project, nice work
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I've always been a bit intimidated by eva foam, but this seems to be simpler than I thought! (though still now easy, of course). Cosplay I'm working on requires pauldrons only (not full armor) so it's a good way to start
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Simple, yet really got the point across. Freaking love it.
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Dumb question, but I assume this can work for Halo armour templates as well? Just curious since it has a LOT of details too
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Hi! Great FX Shop Humor you have! I can feel your pain that you've been up at 3:00am several times on your cool projects. Thanks for your Tutorial!
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For foam, should we use EVA foam or would craftfoam work aswell? I use a 6mm craftfoam, even for details,but when I try to bend it, it won't allow me to,so now I'm stuck with a lot of seams in my details. I readed about using hot glue....How does that work? Putting hot glue on the seam,and pushing it together?
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Loved this! I'm in the beginning stages of a Star Wars: The Old Republic cosplay. I found plenty of helpful tips in here, thanks a million!
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If I may place a recommendation: Harbor Freight Tools stores sell EVA foam sheets, 12x12 feet for $8. It's good foam, used for workshop floors, and you get a good lot of it for a good price.
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Hello, this tutorial is awesome! Can I translate it to russian an post into russian cosplay community on vk.com ? I will add a link on your Deviantart
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Sure can!!
Can you also link facebook.com/Amenokitarou please?
I am much more active there and much more likely to reply to questions
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