Foam Clay Basics - 3 Things You Need To Know To Get Started | Cosplay Apprentice

[@leef3048]

Well edited, to the point, and very useful information. Thank you!

[@KidOfMischief]

Awesome information! I finally felt comfortable enough to open my foam clay bucket thanks to you! Thank you, can't wait to create!

[@Theperilsofbev]

That freezer nugget!😂 love it, thanks

[@bareboneeccentrics921]

I appreciate the detail and time u put into the video

[@linkpaivichit7651]

This was extremely helpful. Thanks for the tips!

[@helencosgrove3711]

so here's what I want to try, I want to use this clay to take a texture impression, eg press it into the trunk of a tree, then once dry use it as a stamp onto cards etc, do you think that would work?

[@jthoma82]

Yes! Thank you. I had been struggling using foam clay and my evil Ted molds because they'd never fully cure. Now I know better. You sir, just earned a subscriber.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!!!! Thank you so much for subscribing and for watching!! You rock!!! :)

[@emmagriesel4703]

Why have i never thought of using foil under the clay for intricate shapes omg thank you😭

[@CosplayApprentice]

So glad the video was helpful! :) Thank you for watching!!!!! :)

[@emmagriesel4703]

Also i use it to make magnets and keychains not for cosplay so that's why i didn't realise 😭

[@sakurafaith6187]

Is there any specific sealant you need to keep it in place or any is okay??

[@kitkendal5140]

What’s the best way to adhere the foam to something? I have a worbla base for a helmet and I’d like to smooth it out with foam but I wasn’t sure if the foam will stick to the worbla? Or if I’d need some sort of adhesive on the surface first then mold the clay over.

[@cesarantoniocancinorueda1036]

Awesome video!!! Can you recommend the name of the product to seal after And can I use hot glue or regular glue to stick pieces together?

[@Chipboykins]

When fully dry how hard does it get ?

[@Impasta44]

It gets pretty hard it depends on how long to leave it to dry hope this helps😀

[@Nicetrybutnotsleeping]

That's what she said

[@dylsdrumz7081]

about as soft as a low medium density eva foam, it is more fragile however before being sealed so be careful as it tears and cracks easily

[@samcheeseman7413]

This is so cool! Great tips and tricks. Would you know if this can be used for lost foam metal casting?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Not sure, but if you try it, please let me know :)

[@shieldofthebear1784]

More great tips Skylar. Keep em coming.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thanks John! If you keep watching them, I'll keep making them! :)

[@countwackadoodle1905]

Can I cast it in plaster molds?

OMG tsym! i needed the water tip so much

[@CosplayApprentice]

When you get your *Foam-Mo* what are you going to make first? Let me know in the comments!

[@LovestoLaughLiss]

Can I use clay foam in a plastic jello mold? I need to make a partial brain to glue to a ballcap. I have a brain jello mold I'd like to use, and wondered if I needed to grease it first before putting for foam in.

[@BarbieDreamDungeon]

I'm making a mask with mine. Can I give it a coat of drywall joint compound to make it hard and durable? It's a goat so I need the horns to really stay on there

[@mrd456]

could ise this to cover the outside of a mixing bowl or 40cm styrofoam egg and once dried it will stay on?

[@sewgeekdesigns9113]

I was looking at the gear mold glad I know it will work

[@melmellowEdits]

I have a question! Does it like peel off if you use a paper machete bace! This video was really helpful thanks

[@markmeadows186]

Nuggets! Thanks for the tips!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!! Sure thing! :) Thanks for watching! You rock!!

[@LotharDax]

I have a quality question. I am a second time buyer and I opted for the big tub this time. The first 300g tub I bought was awesome and worked well. This 900g tub not so much.. the consistency is like silly putty and even in the storage bag it slides to the lowest point and sticks with flashing like thinness to where it was touching the bag. At the bottom I noticed darker gray specks. I kneaded it thinking it hadn't been mixed properly with no improvement. This has been very problematic on my project. It slides to the lowest point even after I've taken my heat gun to the outer layer hoping to dry it out in hope that it won't move as much. I am not putting thick layers on and after it moves it becomes paper thin at the higher points and very thick in the crevices. I didn't have these issues with the 300g tub. Is there something that I can do to the 900g tub to improve it?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thank you so much for reaching out and letting me know about this. We want to make sure our product is as consistent and great to work with as possible so I want to help you figure this out. Can you DM me on Instagram and send me pictures and or video showing what is going on so I can better understand the issue, that will help me to know what to recommend/how to fix. :) Thank you again for reaching out, I'm sorry for any delays or inconvenience it has caused at a crucial costume season :/

[@zemogener0]

I just bought this too and it’s doing the same thing. My batch doesn’t hold its shape :( I even did a thin and simple “snake like” design and it flattened out within a minute.

[@2735angel]

Is there a difference between this and standard air dry clay? Im looking for an air dry that does not melt before drying that also isn’t super brittle. Usually the more stiff an air dry is the more it cracks easy.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Normal air dry clays are going to be hard once dried. It is a air dry foam clay, that stays more flexible

[@U2fan24]

Will it flex after drying?

[@lizzievenus4574]

Do I need to use a filter/respiratory mask when using the Foam Clay?

[@CosplayApprentice]

No, it is non-toxic :)

[@aprilblackregentart6647]

That sculpting tho 👀 wow

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thanks!! :)

[@Geeder2]

Are you able to use contact cement for gluing purposes ?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yes, and superglue and hotglue

[@caats3240]

I want the use this to make hooves for a satyr costume. It will essentially go over the end of a shoe. I’m worried it will crack easily or won’t clean up well since ren faires have dirt paths. Mostly worried about it cracking so how stuff does it get?

[@LiveseyMD]

I wonder what is the best way to connect foam clay and eva foam the way it will be hard to remove for children costume.

[@shortstack2982]

I bought the big tub Jan 2nd 2023. Went to use it today and it looks watery and black in the bottom. Is it safe to use? Spent $40!

[@KristineFlynn]

I just used foam clay for the first time. I sculpted a face( relief) with 1000g of foam clay. The sculpture swelled and flattened out. I’m used to regular clay. Does foam clay have to be thin and in a mold? Why did my sculpture succumb to gravity? Thank you.

[@ElainaLeon-t2b]

Hey! Great video!! I was wondering how I would get foam clay to stick onto eva foam. Can I use hot glue? I need it bend with the curvature of the hat so was thinking gluing before dried. Thank!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Check out my video on making Hiccups chest plate or helmet. I show a great way to get it to stick to the foam. You score little cross-hatching pattern on the foam and then press the foam clay into it and shape it. Because it has a slight shrinkage as it dries it grips tight around those crosshatching and holds tight with no need for glue and will match the curve of your piece perfectly :)

[@maddestmike5791]

Does it stick to plastics?

[@Oraclemoonchild369]

Awesome ! Do you put under light epoxy to make it shiny ? If you like to make some some key chains…. Ha!

[@Chim_reynolds]

Can you use epoxy resin on top of foam clay like you could regular clay????

[@petrino]

how can you make flat sheets? can you run it in a pasta machine?

[@JustinMajor-hn7yi]

I used a rolling pin:)

[@grimheart7894]

Can u use it to make cosplay items like wands and stuff??

[@MaureenSullivan-kh8ir]

Can you use it on your face

[@okinawaBallerina]

Wanting to use it for my daughter's Halloween costume. It'll definitely be worn outside so what would happen if it rains? Would this hold up to getting a bit wet?

[@CosplayApprentice]

If you seal it with something like plastidip and paint it, it should hold up to a bit of rain just fine but not submerged in water for a long time. Hope that helps :)

[@SteveGames24]

Question. Is foam clay suitable to use to create a bodysuit? Like a Ninja Turtle suit?

[@witchywoman6607]

Hi, I just bought some foam clay and I’m going to be using it in molds for picture frames right onto my project now I’ve read that it shrinks by 15% if this is true how can I fill the gaps? And two can I glue it to the piece right away? Please and thanks. I’m sorry one more question I’ve only seen like 2 videos but what I’m wondering is for a clean filled mold can I scrape it back with say a ruler like air dry clay which I bought but I’m older now and it hurts my hands 😂. Arthritis ouch.

[@adrianapoteet2158]

What do you recommend as too thick? 1 inch thick? Half inch?

[@obscuriosities]

Hey, great vid! Q: once it’s dry does it have any give to it? (Say if u were to press really hard with your thumb, would it be hard as a rock or give and bounce back a little?) annnnnnnd once dry can u stick pins in it? I’m looking for something for sculpting details on a a custom dress form that could accept compression/tension-pressure (say, from tightened straps-think corsetry) that would have a semi-equivalent amnt if working give to it, as layered belting leather, like a traditional custom shoe last. Thanks so much for any info!

[@littlefantasyartist7]

Hi! Love your foam clay. But after a little while it separated and now has black liquid in the bag? Can I still use it. Or has it turned to old? Thanks!

[@CosplayApprentice]

It is still good, that is just a little bit of settling, if you just knead the foam-no back into itself, it will just blend back into mix. Unless the foam clay is all dried out it still should be usable :)

[@tinalawler4973]

Can you achieve fine details using foam clay please?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yes, definitely, especially when using silicone molds! :)

[@JustinMajor-hn7yi]

Nuggets!!:) Thank you so kuch for the info!! Im.a total.newbie@@

[@jkmjemmadesigns5553]

Does it stick to surfaces or mist/ can be glued?

[@merydorago]

Quick question, how much sculpture are durable? I want to make horns on the back of my head but I'm affraid that they might broke easly when hitting something or falling (on second scenario I guess sculpture of any clay will break)

[@ashleyleonard8148]

Any advice on tiny pinholes/pits when using resin molds to shape the foam clay? Ive tried pressing harder. Waiting long. Using weights on top. Doesnt seem to stop the little "bubbles". Would a heat gun after casting into the mold eliminate them? Or a good primer like plasti-dip? 😊 thanks!

[@jenniferbrock2921]

How long does your product last?

[@CosplayApprentice]

If you don’t leave the bag or tub open to the air and seal it up whenever your not using it, it has about a 1 yr shelf life in our experience :)

[@Lukeypukey85]

Thanks for the tips. When you said about adding water to fill gaps, can you use it to cover seems on foam easily? Thanks again.

[@albow4oops5]

Question- how heat stable is the material once set? I make fishing lures and I am wondering if it would stand up to 350° plastisol. If not, do you think I could resin coat?

[@CosplayApprentice]

I'm not sure on that, I haven't tried it for that use. It would fall apart in water on its own but if you coated it it might be fine. If you try it let me know so I can tell others that might be looking to do the same thing :)

[@albow4oops5]

@@CosplayApprentice will do

[@sonicblonic]

how much foam mo did you have to use for hiccup?

[@CosplayApprentice]

It went really far, I didn't have to use a ton. A small tub of Foam-Mo made it through the helmet and chest plate and pauldrons and still had plenty left over :)

[@psychofairynails2937]

Can u use foam clay on shoes/heels? X

[@georgemartinez1720]

What Brand of paint and Brushes you use

[@sherrilaupert]

Hi there, Thanks for the great video! Just subscribed. Was hoping to order today, but it’s still unavailable on Amazon. Will purchase when it becomes available again, but I need some fast for a Halloween costume party next weekend. I want to make a Marvin the Martian helmet. Is there another brand that you recommend in the meantime? How about tools for shaping/sculpting? Best EVA foam glue? Paint? Sorry to bombard you with questions. First timer here and I need all the help I can get! 😊TIA

[@jtschaeffer5700]

I got a tub of this clay and am super excited to use it. Problem is, as I'm sculpting with it, I am trying to sculpt details into it with silicone tools and the foam is not holding details. The foam is expanding back into the crevices I'm sculpting and I can't find anything about how to fix that problem or if it can even be fixed and I have to just dremel details later after it dries. I haven't seen this problem posted anywhere and this video seems to prove that it isn't normally a concern. I have tried adding water to the lump of clay, stretching and kneading, adding water to the surface and letting it set for a bit. There is also an inordinant amount of air bubbles in the foam clay itself that kneading and stretching doesn't seem to fix entirely and when it dries, the bubbles colapse leaving cavities in my sculpts. Any tips on that front? Thanks so much! Love your videos and am looking forward to trying out WTFoam when it's back on the market!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Sorry for the delay in responding. With Foam-Mo, you have to think of sculpting it differently that traditional clay, with regular clay you and just kind of press in, or scoop out and carve into. Foam-Mo is more elastic in nature and so the sculpting process becomes more of a push and pull to pull foam clay to where you want it and push it in or out to shape. I would recommend metal sculpting tools. Hopefully that helps :)

[@jonnys5889]

I made antlers out of only clay foam and wire, and, they're very floppy when I walk.. Do you know how I can make it more rigid before I paint it?!

[@georgemartinez1720]

Do you make your own sculpting Tools

[@cpt.seabones7179]

This is amazing, well done. When is the Mandalorian helmet pattern coming for patreons?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thanks man!! I haven't finished digitizing it yet but once I do I'll drop it in there! :)

[@Lee_Hollows]

This is such an informative video! Thank you! I do have a question, do you have to prime or seal before painting? I’m planning on trying out foam clay for myself, but I see other people priming it with Plasti-Dip, is this recommended?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thank you so much for watching!! :) Yes I would highly recommend sealing it with something before painting. Plastidip or latex or something. This does two things, it helps use less paint so it doesn’t get sucked into the foam on the first coats, but even more so, it blocks access from the air to the piece which will help prevent it or slow the drying process. Because of the nature of it being air drying, if it continues to be exposed to the air it will keep drying and eventually become more brittle. Depending on the size of the piece I find it best to seal it within the first 24 hours, bigger pieces may take a little longer to reach optimal stage of being cured :)

[@618DiarrheaSquirrels]

Good to know!!

[@Selavel1]

I am making a halloween mask for a Star Wars Sith Lord and I have the base made out of bakable clay...will foam clay stick to this or do I need to go another route to finish this?

[@CosplayApprentice]

I'm not sure, I haven't tried adhering it to bakable clay before. :/

[@monica5120]

This is awesome thank you

[@kalinadesseaux8011]

So no need to heat seal foam, just plastidip, right?

[@CosplayApprentice]

The Foam-Mo does not need heat sealing, you can jump straight to plastidip :)

[@tigerleearts1290]

So when are you going to show us how to use foam clay like icing that we can use with cake decorating tip? Love the video.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thanks!! :) I already have a video on that :) here it is kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGPFq4pnnb55epI

[@tigerleearts1290]

@@CosplayApprentice yes but it doesn't say how much water to foam clay.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Oh gotcha, yeah I should try to measure it out and see if I can get a set ratio for it. Mostly I just added water till it became the consistency of icing :)

[@tigerleearts1290]

@@CosplayApprentice yes please that would help us have a starting point.thanks.

[@kulanjango]

I am really hyped to make your Hiccup's armor pieces. But I was wondering how much foam-mo and WTFoam I need for the three pieces?

[@CosplayApprentice]

One 300g tub of Foam-Mo will be more than enough, you'll have left over for other projects, the Helmet and Pauldrons could probably be done with just a 4mm pack and a 2mm pack and you'd definitely have some 2mm and probably some 4mm left over. I'm not sure how much the Chestplate would take I'll have to look at the pattern and try to guess on that.

[@CosplayApprentice]

I'm so excited for you to make the hiccup stuff! I absolutely love his dragon scale armor!!!

[@kulanjango]

Thanks for the help, I'll try to make some pictures of the progress. Also your videos are so helpfull, It makes it so much easier when you are new at this. Looking forward for new videos!!

[@coocoo2163]

is this similar to the foam clay u find at the dollar store? i've been trying to find something similar to that

[@CosplayApprentice]

It is an air dry clay, the stuff at the dollar store will dry out super fast and become really brittle, Foam-Mo will stay flexible longer. :)

[@Yeet_master69]

How can I get it overseas?

[@cynder2021]

I am considering this to add onto a current project, but did have a few questions. Since it water does make it easier to sculpt, how does it do in more rainy weather conditions? Or areas on a costume that might need to be lightly washed And if its a material that is not suitable for water even when dried, is there a way to prevent that?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Great question, I would recommend sealing the Foam-Mo with something like Plastidip once it has setup for about 24 hrs. This will give it a protective coat that will prevent it from havin issues in the rain or if you need to wipe it down with a wet rag. It is not recommended to have it submersed on water though. :)

[@berner]

Does it have an odour? I'm really sensitive to the smell of EVA foam. I spent about $200 on foam puzzle mats to protect my floors (I made a home gym) but it wasn't long before the smell of them gave me a headache and made me feel nauseous; so with regret I had to throw them out. Either way, I thought I'd ask because I don't wanna make cosplay armour/weapons if it's going to make me sick at conventions and if it turns out it does, then your help will help me with deciding on going with foam clay or look for alternatives. Thanks!

[@rrc3035]

I know this is an older comment, but maybe you or someone else will find this helpful. I have some modeling foam (not fo-mo, but similar) and it basically smells like nothing. I can't detect any sort of odor in a fully dry piece. in fact I love how it leaves almost NO smell on my hands after working with it, unlike like other clays where you have to wash your hands a bunch. If there's any smell at all it's only noticeable when you're sanding it. Again I don't have the same brand, but maybe this helps.

[@katieee_llyn]

This is probably a dumb question- but is modeling foam and foam clay the same?

[@RoRo-zh4uf]

So any brand of foam clay is fine? Because I just picked up some make modelers foam clay from michaels store..

[@CosplayApprentice]

There is definitely a difference between different foam clays but a lot of it comes down to personal preference. Some shrink a lot more as they dry, some stay more flexible than others after they dry etc. Hope your project goes well! :)

[@RoRo-zh4uf]

@@CosplayApprentice oh ok great thnx...that's just all I could find and have to work with here 👍

[@RichardKuivila1947]

So this stuff can ONLY used for Coz-Splay projects ?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Nope, you could use it for lots of different things, it’s just very useful for Cosplay projects :)

[@saltlifegull4091]

Love the video, but it's unavailable on Amazon:( New subscriber:)

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thank you so much for watching and subscribing! :). Sorry, we sold out on Amazon, we have more on the way but it might be a couple weeks before it is back on the shelf at Amazon :/

[@OstlerHouseDesign]

Nuggets!!!! 🍟

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!!!

[@laylayourfavskis]

How do you store it so it doesn't dry out? because i got mine and I'm worried it'll dry out soon! Also amazing video love it!!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Basically just make sure you squeeze s as much air as you can out of the bag, seal it up and snap the lid on tight :) Thanks for watching!!!

[@laylayourfavskis]

@@CosplayApprentice oh alright!! Thank you so much! ❤️

[@georgemartinez1720]

Awsome vidieo

[@CosplayApprentice]

Thank you!!!

[@diegoyonamine8943]

Nudgets And Hacks ! 👍

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!! Thanks for watching!! :)

[@Grpyphon]

Nugget Time!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!!!! Hey, thanks for sharing it to the discord!!!! :)

[@kevinostler3613]

Ring that bell like it's dinner time!

[@CosplayApprentice]

Hahahaha, I'm glad you liked that! :)

[@Tavarasy]

You know that the video is working, when your viewer is about to purchase a tub of foam-mo with the only justification: “I have a strong feeling that I need it” :)) so my question is - what is the shelf life of your foam clay?

[@CosplayApprentice]

Haha, it's pretty awesome stuff!! If you keep the bag closed and the lid on, it's got a shelf life of a year. :)

[@soweroblackheart8890]

Nuggets

[@CosplayApprentice]

Perfect!!! :)

[@zambiekill7046]

So it's like sturdier slime

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yeah, that you can shape and then it will set up and hold it's shape once dry :)

[@leiajones5613]

Nuggets are yummy

[@CosplayApprentice]

Hahaha :) Agreed!

[@stormcrow3096]

Nuggets.

[@CosplayApprentice]

Yay!! Thanks for watching!!!

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