Flexible Paint for EVA foam?
- Thread starter Rinzler
- Start date
Fullmetalsam
Active Member
When working with foam, the flexibility of the paint is not as important as the flexibility of the sealer you are going to use on that foam before painting it.
People use plasti-dip as a sealer.
The fact that it is colored is nice, but people usually paint over the plasti-dip... hence it's use as a sealer and not as the final "paint".
Anyway - there are various other sealers you could use on foam.
I personally use Flexbond (a product made by Rosco) which is very flexible and durable and has given me excellent result in various applications. However, it's hard to find and a bit expensive.
You could just as easily use regular watered-down white glue - as suggested in this craft foam armor tutorial.
People use plasti-dip as a sealer.
The fact that it is colored is nice, but people usually paint over the plasti-dip... hence it's use as a sealer and not as the final "paint".
Anyway - there are various other sealers you could use on foam.
I personally use Flexbond (a product made by Rosco) which is very flexible and durable and has given me excellent result in various applications. However, it's hard to find and a bit expensive.
You could just as easily use regular watered-down white glue - as suggested in this craft foam armor tutorial.
Rinzler
Well-Known Member
What were the ratios of paint to podge that you used?
Fullmetalsam
Active Member
This is similar to using Flexbond.
Flexbond is part latex, part glue... which makes it perfect for sealing foam - it improves the bond between paint and foam and makes sure the paint is flexible.
BAK55
Well-Known Member
Like I said, I was experimenting and didn't actually take measurement. I mixed more than I needed to be sure I could cover all that needed to be and I also wanted to be certain I had enough so I wouldn't have to mix more and not be able to match the same color.
I would say 1:1 ratio would be a good starting point, more Mod Podge can be added to streach out the amount you have or more acrylic paint can be added to keep a richer color. Mod Podge dries clear, so the acrylic paints are used to add color and opaqueness. Both are vey flexible.
I had made belts out of EVA foam for some costumes at a con coming this summer, so the paint really had to be very flexible and be endurable. It's been about two months since I finished the painting, and it's still very flexible and I'm sure it will ramain that way as long as the belts last.
Rinzler
Well-Known Member
Well what a disappointing day off, I went to get more EVA foam from local supplier and they have shut down and nearest outlet is 100+ kilometers away! 
Checked a few paint stores and no luck from any of them with any vinyl paint or Kryon or Flexbond, the people who work at these stores looked at me like I was odd for suggesting a paint that might flex without flaking :S
Checked a few paint stores and no luck from any of them with any vinyl paint or Kryon or Flexbond, the people who work at these stores looked at me like I was odd for suggesting a paint that might flex without flaking :Smetalgreyfox
Member
Is the flexbond mixed into the acrylic paint prior to application onto the foam?
Would this be a better alternative to PAX paint? (PAX paint = pros-aide and liquitex)
FYI Rinzler and I are pretty much working on the same project. I've been hovering most Tron related threads.
@Rinzler - google PAX paint. I've been trying to do research on it recently...
Danosuke
Member
Well what a disappointing day off, I went to get more EVA foam from local supplier and they have shut down and nearest outlet is 100+ kilometers away!
Latex paint works fine. Just how much stretching are you planning here?
Rinzler
Well-Known Member
Mainly for the arm and leg armor I am anticipating that it will require some flex with normal human range of motion.
Fullmetalsam
Active Member
It doesn't have to be - but it can be done (mix the paint in the flexbond).
However, doing this will usually give you a bit of a "uneven" paint job... because you'll have to do multiple coat to get a solid color"... and each coat of flexbond will be "thick" enough to be noticeable.
I don't know if this is clear or not - but usually I do 2 coat of flexbond, then paint, then clearcoat.
metalgreyfox
Member
Fullmetalsam,
I was thinking of mixing Flex with Liquitex 1:1 and some thinner. The paint will be strictly Black and it will be painted on black(dark grey) closed-cell foam. Do you think one or two coats of this slightly thinned paint will result in a streaky/thicker paint? Thanks
I was thinking of mixing Flex with Liquitex 1:1 and some thinner. The paint will be strictly Black and it will be painted on black(dark grey) closed-cell foam. Do you think one or two coats of this slightly thinned paint will result in a streaky/thicker paint? Thanks
Rinzler
Well-Known Member
MCL34N
Well-Known Member
Fullmetalsam
Active Member
If you thin the mix a bit - it shouldn't result in a streaky/thicker paint.
But that's just speculation - haven't tried that myself... usually when I mix paint with flexbond it's to give a base coat to the foam when the color of the foam I used is too "different" from the color of the paint I want to use. So I'm still painting over that flexbond/paint mix.
