#armor guide

Using expanding foam is a pretty straightforward process–you spray, carve, cover, and paint. You can’t get to that point if you don’t have the right tools, though. This is what you’ll need to make your next prop:

Cardboard

For making the base that the expanding foam will stick to.

Craft Knives

You’ll want a whole bunch of these–they get dull fast.

Masking Tape

Newspaper

Water

To help the foam rise.

Spray Bottle

Wallpaper Paste

You can use regular old Elmer’s Glue if you can’t find any, but this will work a lot better.

Paper Mache Clay

This may not be the paper mache you recognize. When mixed with water and glue it becomes a thick, clay-like material that is very durable once it hardens. It will give your prop its hard coating.

Sandpaper

For smoothing out the paper mache.

Since it isn’t a tool it isn’t listed above, I’ll write it here: remember to get several cans of expanding foam. You’ll carve away a half to two-thirds of the foam on your prop to get the right shape. You can also always add on foam and recarve if you make a mistake, but you’re out of luck if you don’t have any more left to use.

All of these materials are pretty cheap and commonplace–just pick them up from your local craft and hardware store and get working!

This guide was made under the wing of Costume Discounters (www.costumediscounters.com). Please go check out their site!! They sell wigs, shoes, shirts, essentials…all sorts of goodies.