The Difference between Materials

            After much anticipation I will now show you the difference between using materials for props. I know you’ve all been wondering about how to make a prop for your cosplay. In order to make a decent prop, you must know the different and how to use the materials for each prop. Common materials include spray foam, cardboard, or worbla. 

Worbla. Picture taken from cosplaysupplies
A webwite that sells worbla.

          Worbla is the thermoplastic plate and modeling material which enables you to shape it into any desire shape with heat, therefore it is the most expensive but proven to be the best, be/cause of its functionality.  Although worbla is listed as the best material for crafting cosplay props, I only choose to use it for armor, because it’s not strong enough for making weapons. Here is a Simple Worbla Tutorial

A quick look on how to use spray foam. Picture taken from Angela Clayton

Aside from worbla, spray foam is the second most recommended before worbla was well known. Spray foam insulation is an alternative to traditional building insulation; however cosplayers have found another use of the material which is shaping the spray foam for their props. A way to use spray foam for your prop is to spray it on a stencil of your desired design then carve it when it’s dry. While worbla is expensive and weak for weapons, spray foam is affordable, durable, and more effective for making weapons. One can of spray foam is enough to for me to make a durable and long lasting prop.

Card board: a common material that can be seen everywhere, it's traditionally used for packaging. However, cosplayers have used their creativity and have found a way to transform this plain brown paper into something amazing, which is making it into a cosplay prop. Making a prop out of cardboard is a bit difficult compare to the other two materials. Crafting with cardboard not only time consuming but also require a lot of energy. Worbla and spray foam are light and easy to shape, unlike cardboard that is hard to cut into desire shape because it is a heavy duty paper. However, making cosplay prop out of cardboard is probably the cheapest material with a decent quality. 

My Akali sword I made with cardboard.  (Quick tutorial) I cut out my sword shape on a peice of paper, then I repeat the steps 4 time but with cardbaord. Then I put paper mache on to the cardbaord that I glued together. After it dried up. I paint my sword with acrylic paint.

                     As people say "quality comes with price" this saying can also apply for making props. The pricing for all three materials is quite different. Obviously, worbla is the most expensive out of them due to the material quality and functionality, therefore the price for a piece of worbla range from $18 for a 14.5" by 9.8" a sheet and $88 for 39.25" by 59" a sheet. Second is spray foam at $7.63 for 12 ounces. Last but not least is cardboard which can probably be found anywhere in your house from boxes. Price being the factor here, spray foam is the more desirable material for me.

                     After comparing all three materials, I would like to conclude that spray foam is my favorite material for props. However you guys should experiment with the different materials. Knowing the pricing for the different materials and its function, I hope you guys will try it in the future.

Now I’m going to teach you how to make a basic prop. 

HOW TO MAKE A BASIC PROP!

         You now know some common materials that are used to make props.  Coming up are some pointers on how to make a decent prop. First step of creating anything is making a draw out the design, blueprint, and size. The prop should be adequately sized for the intended user. With an outline of your desired design, you can use it as a stencil to cut out the shape. With one of the three materials, you can now shape the cutout to your design. Be careful to not to apply it all at once but to apply it slowly in layers. After you finished your draft prop with either material. It is time to strength the prop with paper mache, prime, or other idea you have. To finish the prop always PAINT it because it creates the realistic feel. No one will know what it is until you color it.

Tips: When using spray foam, remember to wait for it to dry before carving it and for cardboard, remember to use paper mache to strengthen the board. Last but not least, paint is your best friend; you should generally be trying to make it look as realistic as possible.

•  For more great tutorials: tripleacosplay.com