Enamels + Foam = Headache

Hi folks,

As you well know by now, I am a maker of costumes and props both for my own personal use and as an artist for hire. I make props, mostly for cosplay at the moment, using mainly foam and maybe a wooden dowel core here and there, which also means I have to watch what I use for painting. Now I have made my share of mistakes in the past from using regular spray paints vs. plastic-bonding spray paints, but none has been more frustrating than making the error of using enamels.

The use of enamels can be easily summed up in a series of short words when it comes to foam props and armor: Don't do it. As it says on the tin, Enamels are meant for hard surfaces such as wood, metal, and rock. They are great for that purpose, but when used on softer, more flexible surfaces, they tend to cause nasty cracks in your work. Now that may be a good thing, you may want that kind of look for your armor/prop/costume piece. If so, by all means have at it, I would love to see what the idea is since creativity comes in all forms. However, When it comes to sealing your pieces, I highly recommend avoiding Enamels for foam. Extra emphasis on the highly.

Of course, I also want to thank all of you for taking the time out of your day to read my little blog post on what to avoid when it comes to painting. Until Next time, I bid you a great day, Stay creative and keep on building guys! This is Raf signing off.