Transferring Images onto Foam - Designs can be downloaded from your computer and printed on transparency film. Use an overhead projector or overhead tracer to make your image as large or small as you want (some tracers can project the image right from paper). If you are really good at freehand drawing you can draw right on your foam. Sheets of foam have a plastic skin on them. One side is printed with manufacturer info. The other side is white or kind of clear. This film needs to be removed. Definitely remove the printed side first.
Major Tip: Use a hair dryer to help warm the film and soften it to remove. Start at the edges of the foam. Try not to pull off strips of it. You want to do it in as big of sections as possible. Warm a 2' area and start removing by lifting off across the edge. Go back to the first place you started and lift off more and work your way across. This helps keep it in one piece. Try to remove your sections this way, working your way down. What happens is that if you pull off in strips you have to get under that film to lift it off.. Often this creates small gouges in the foam and you want to avoid this as much as possible.
After you have removed the printed side you have 2 choices.. Remove the other side before you transfer your images onto the foam or transfer the image onto the foam with the plastic film still on it. It's easier to transfer the image onto the film BUT when you go to remove the film it's harder to do and you have more chance of putting nicks and gouges in the foam. It also slows down the cutting process because now the Hot Wire Knife has to cut through the plastic in addition to the foam. Don't think you can get away with just leaving the plastic film on either. Paint and coatings do not adhere to it well and if you are doing any layering of the foam and need to sand it the film can't be sanded away..
PLAY!
Use your tools right away. Set time aside everyday or a few days a week just for getting used to them. Make yourself familiar with ALL your tools.
As you do this your creativity will start whispering to you all sorts of ideas and designs. If you're like many of us pretty soon you will be exploding with all you want to do.
Materials - Eps - Polystyrene foam (styrofoam can also be used but is about 5 times the cost and has other disadvantages). EPS comes in 4' x 8' sheets and comes in a variety of thickness. I do most of my work in 1 1/2" thickness and the thinner sizes for embellishments and lettering. EPS is also available in small to large blocks. This is pretty pricey and minimum orders usually start at $250.
You can also pick up free scrap foam from packing materials used for electronics and appliances.
Paints - Acrylics, Floral Spray Paints, Outdoor Latex. Do NOT use spray paint like Krylon unless you prime your foam first, then do a test on it to make sure it will not eat up the foam. Always test. You don't want all the time spent on creating your work of art just to have it ruined from a paint that melts the foam. Of course you might want that look for a project and then you would want something to gobble up the surface.
Adhesives - Foam Fusion - Gives a strong and lasting bond. Brush it on when working with larger areas.
Treatments & Coatings - Foam Coat, Bounce, Boost, Grit, Stone Spray, Glitters
Tips & Tricks
Learning to work with EPS foam and Hot Wire Tools is easy, but we all wish we had a "go to" place to answer questions or possibly find an easier or different way to approach a problem. There is a joy and satisfaction in creating and having the right tools and as much knowledge as possible makes this easier to achieve. This section is to help you reach that goal. Why? Well, I could just sell you the tools and leave it at that, but I want you to be glad you bought them. I don't want you to feel frustrated or lost when working with them. Designing with Hot Wire Tools and EPS foam should be opening new windows of creativity for you. If you are in business this should bring you increased profits. Whatever your reasons I want you to enjoy and have FUN with your tools!
If I don't have the information you are looking for you can drop me an email and I will put it out to the universe and do my best to find an answer. If you have a tip or technique that you would like to share, please send it to us and we will post it (of course it will be helpful if it's pertinent to foam cutting and treatments and not how you found the secret to painting a ceiling quickly by rollerblading in circles around the room).
Please send pictures of your work. I'm excited to see what you accomplish with the tools and will post photos in a revolving format. If you just want to share with me but don't want them posted in our Gallery please indicate this in your email when you send them.
Enjoy!Linda Soto | ||||
