By Zarry
Apr 27, 2020
Hey! What's up guys, it's your boy Zendalrolicksisenardovelnisanaa here, and today I'm going to be showcasing some modular, concrete walls made of XPS insulation Foam, and, how to make them.
For this project, I recommend using 1 Inch thick XPS, as it'll be the perfect height for these. It's a little bit difficult to work with seeing as utility knives or exacto knives aren't thick enough to go all the way through. So, you can use an Ulfa Knife or go ask mom for a sharpened kitchen knife.
Cutting it with the kitchen knife is pretty difficult though, and often leads to strange markings and uneven edges (see image 5). You can alternatively use scissors, but this also leads to cracking and uneven edges, however, this project is great for beginners as it's very forgiving in terms of cutting it, especially because of how easy it is to break the foam.
Take it from me, this is my very first time working with XPS foam, and at least in my opinion, they look pretty good. Don't ever, and I mean freaking EVER, be afraid to try new things when it comes to building. I used cardboard for set Peices in Farewell, I had never done that before. And sure, maybe the paint job and cutting edges reflect my lack of skill, but it added so much to just a few episodes. And it really wowed my viewers.
Once you have your piece of foam, use an Exacto knife to bevel the edges and kinda break some pieces of foam off. This will make it look exceptionally realistic. However, you need to be VERY careful not to bevel to hard; not only is it going to look too smooth and man-made, but you might cut yourself (I did).
One you feel you've beveled and broken the foam enough, you need to texture it:
Using a ball of crushed up aluminum foil, press against the foam to give it some texture and make it easier for the wash to get in all the details.
Now to paint it.
Using some grey acrylic craft paint, coat the entire piece in it, try to get a lighter gray as the wash will severely mute this effect.
And on the topic of wash, here's how to make it!
Get a small jar with a nice tight lid, fill it with some water. About a quarter full. Then get some black acrylic craft paint and squeeze some in it, this doesn't have to be too precise. Then, drop in two or three drops of dish soap, two or three drops of Dishwasher Flow Aid, and a small pour of black ink.
Now comes the fun part:
Using a rather large brush, coat the entire piece in your new wash, make sure to get in all the details you made earlier. If it looks too dark when it's still wet, that's alright because it normally lightens up after drying. If you feel it's too bright still, hit it with some more wash! Too dark? Get a big makeup brush and lightly put some white paint on it, get rid of all the excess on a paper towel or rag, and dust the high points and edges.
Now, you're all done! I hope you found this useful, informative, and inspiring.
But that's it for the tutorial! Hope you enjoyed, have a great rest if yer' day!
For this project, I recommend using 1 Inch thick XPS, as it'll be the perfect height for these. It's a little bit difficult to work with seeing as utility knives or exacto knives aren't thick enough to go all the way through. So, you can use an Ulfa Knife or go ask mom for a sharpened kitchen knife.
Cutting it with the kitchen knife is pretty difficult though, and often leads to strange markings and uneven edges (see image 5). You can alternatively use scissors, but this also leads to cracking and uneven edges, however, this project is great for beginners as it's very forgiving in terms of cutting it, especially because of how easy it is to break the foam.
Take it from me, this is my very first time working with XPS foam, and at least in my opinion, they look pretty good. Don't ever, and I mean freaking EVER, be afraid to try new things when it comes to building. I used cardboard for set Peices in Farewell, I had never done that before. And sure, maybe the paint job and cutting edges reflect my lack of skill, but it added so much to just a few episodes. And it really wowed my viewers.
Once you have your piece of foam, use an Exacto knife to bevel the edges and kinda break some pieces of foam off. This will make it look exceptionally realistic. However, you need to be VERY careful not to bevel to hard; not only is it going to look too smooth and man-made, but you might cut yourself (I did).
One you feel you've beveled and broken the foam enough, you need to texture it:
Using a ball of crushed up aluminum foil, press against the foam to give it some texture and make it easier for the wash to get in all the details.
Now to paint it.
Using some grey acrylic craft paint, coat the entire piece in it, try to get a lighter gray as the wash will severely mute this effect.
And on the topic of wash, here's how to make it!
Get a small jar with a nice tight lid, fill it with some water. About a quarter full. Then get some black acrylic craft paint and squeeze some in it, this doesn't have to be too precise. Then, drop in two or three drops of dish soap, two or three drops of Dishwasher Flow Aid, and a small pour of black ink.
Now comes the fun part:
Using a rather large brush, coat the entire piece in your new wash, make sure to get in all the details you made earlier. If it looks too dark when it's still wet, that's alright because it normally lightens up after drying. If you feel it's too bright still, hit it with some more wash! Too dark? Get a big makeup brush and lightly put some white paint on it, get rid of all the excess on a paper towel or rag, and dust the high points and edges.
Now, you're all done! I hope you found this useful, informative, and inspiring.
But that's it for the tutorial! Hope you enjoyed, have a great rest if yer' day!