How to Make Character Centerpieces Made of Foam
- 1). Cut out your character in the correct size and use 3M spray glue for Styrofoam to attach it to the face of a 4-inch-thick Styrofoam sheet with the bottom of the artwork near one edge of the Styrofoam. Spray both the back of the artwork and the face of the foam with glue. Allow the glue one to three minutes to set for the best tack.
- 2). Spread the artwork out and attach starting at one edge, carefully smoothing the paper as you go to avoid wrinkles. Allow this to dry fully before moving on to the next step. If your character artwork does not have a flat section at its bottom large enough to create a solid, flat base, draw one in. This can be grass or floor under the characters' feet or simply black space. This will be the foot of the centerpiece so make it at least as wide as the widest part of the character cutout.
- 3). Cut your character from the foam using a jigsaw with a long blade or electric carving knife. Carving knives can be found in the kitchen section of most major department stores. Cut the character away from the larger panel first, by cutting a large semi-circle around it, then trim off unneeded pieces. Smooth the edge of your centerpiece with a sure form plane or a coarse file.
- 4). Paint the raw foam edge of the centerpiece with latex or acrylic paint. Do not use aerosol spray paint, unless it is the newer water-based variety; the solvents in the paint will dissolve Styrofoam. Use two or three coats to get good coverage. Allow the paint to dry then coat the entire centerpiece with sculptural arts plastic varnish, or a water-based similar product. Water-based varnish can be purchased at the paint counter of your local home center.
- 5). Use the spray adhesive to attach the centerpiece to a piece of 1/4-inch plywood an inch wider and longer on each side. This will provide the weight needed to allow the centerpiece to stand up securely. Paint the edges of the plywood where it protrudes from the centerpiece the same color as your table covers.
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