Kobracast Art Sponsorships

Worbla’s Kobracast Art is a bit of an unknown compared to most of our other products, and we’re looking to change that! If you think you might be interested in helping us do so, please read on!

What is it?
Worbla’s Kobracast Art is a thermoplastic, like the rest of the Worbla line, that is activated with heat (70C or 160F) to become easily shaped, and holds its shape when cool. A few factors set Kobracast apart from the rest of the line: it is very thin, very sticky, can be easily sewn by hand or a machine, and is tricky to work with freeform because it is so thin and sticky.

As a result, Kobracast is often used as reinforcement for foam or paper builds, but it also is excellent for use with fabric manipulation and sewing, which is what we really want to focus on next.

Tricky to use?
Kobracast when heated becomes very sticky and pliable, so the way it is most often shaped with sewing is either by first laminating it between two layers of fabric, or by shaping it over something that has a protective layer such as plastic wrap or a heavy duty mold release. Fabric therefore needs to be capable of taking the heat necessary for laminating, and if using a shape to mold it over, that shape needs to be very carefully protected to prevent sticking.
It’s not often shaped by hand freeform or used as a sculpture element without an additional material giving it body.

What sort of uses?
Collars, cuffs, hats, bags, shoe modifications or lightweight armor – we think there a lot of possibilities! We’ve done up a series of examples and videos to give you a starting point to reference, and we’d love to see what you think you could do with it! 

What’s neat about Kobracast is that it acts a bit like interfacing – it adds body to fabrics – but it has memory that allows you to do things like permanently set pleats, or ruffles, or other specific shapes that can take a beating without taking damage the way most other structured materials might, and that can be easily ironed back into shape as needed. Kobracast is also waterproof and can be washed with cold water, making it excellent for areas where sweat might be a concern! 

How to heat?
We usually use an iron at medium/high settings with a teflon plate. If we’re ironing only one side to fabric, we use parchment paper to prevent it from sticking to anything else.
We have also used a heat gun for heating more complex shapes on forms (like hat blocks) or for targeted curves (like the witch collar example). We do not suggest a hair dryer for shaping, as the max temp output for those is only 140F and it will take quite a bit of time to activate.

Examples:

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Lenore (@elementalsight)

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Lenore (@elementalsight)

 

What We’re Looking For

If you think you have a project that might work well with Worbla’s Kobracast, we’d like to supply you the Kobracast in exchange for photos of your final project and a writeup or tutorial of what you’ve done and how you’ve done it. We have a form you can fill out here! Please feel free to share this page with anyone who might benefit as well! We’re open to folks in Canada and the United States.  If you have questions, contact Lenore@worbla.com! 

Using Worbla to Reinforce a Foam Breastplate

Sometimes you make a piece or project and it turns out that you need it to be sturdier than you planned. Or maybe you specifically need foam to be on the outside of a build, for your LARP rules, or for detailing purposes. Or maybe you’re just trying to use as little Worbla on a build as possible because you’re on a budget!

One way you can use Worbla that we’ve started to see more and more of is as a backing for foam, instead of covering it! We want to walk you through the process and when and why and how you’d use Worbla that way!

This breastplate was made using one of Kamui’s paterns, out of 1/4″ L200 foam. It’s lightweight and flexible, but a little too flexible: if you’re wearing a piece like this, it is going to want to crease at your middle where you bend, that’s just the nature of foam!

We made this chestplate to be a front only: it will be covered by a jacket over the back, so this keeps the heat of wearing it down: foam doesn’t breathe after all! We reinforced the neck so that area wouldn’t warp, and the front chest, while allowing the sides to be flexible so we can put it on various model sizes.

Breastplate assembled from Kamui’s pattern. Be kind about those gaps, this was our first attempt at a multi-piece foam build!
We smoothed the gaps with Kwick-Seal putty and sanded everything with a Dremel. We found the sanding bits were too rough for the lower density foam, but the grinding bits worked perfectly to smooth and shape.
The inside of our breastplate
We cut some Worbla’s Finest Art slightly smaller than the piece we wanted to cover
Worbla was heated and pressed to the foam. We used Finest Art because it has the best adhesion out of our standard products for this sort of work. We also added the collar piece, and a bit along the center/collarbone to reinforce that area. It isn’t pretty, but it doesn’t have to be! We’re using scraps here after all.
This area needed 2 layers of Worbla instead of 1 just to ensure that things didn’t flex when we didn’t want them to.
You can see how we folded the collar over here, giving us a nice clean edge that would hold its shape no matter what.
We sanded the Worbla here with the Dremel to help speed up the priming process.

The end result is a solid breastplate that can be worn without worrying about creasing at our flex points, while staying lightweight and inexpensive – great for a quick build.

Here you can see the complete piece with the first coat of Flexbond to prime it. The Worbla down the centre also allowed us to heat and curve the panel under the breast to hold that shape with ease. Without the Worbla, this foam is soft enough it won’t support it’s weight against gravity for long, but here it has no issues.

Paint

We had some fun experimenting with new paint for this project!

Deco Art sent us some paints to test that we used for the base of this build! Their Matte Black, Black Premium Acrylic, and Americana Decor in Soft Silver (and Premium Acrylic in red, not pictured)
Folk Art’s color shift series! We used the Orange Flash on its own, and Blue Flash laid over our Jacquard blues.
We used Jacquard for our blues, their Sneaker Series Neo Opaque, and Lumiere series. Sharpie oil-based markers in white and black helped us with the last details!
Step one was laying the base coats down, using Deco Art black and silver, and the Folk Art orange. As you can see the orange goes on really patchy.
Closeup of the orange after 3-4 coats. It’s just too thin to stand on its own against a smooth black, and would have absolutely benefited from being layered over a similar base color. Lesson learned for next time!
We used painters tape to give us a clean line for the red and orange, and started filling in the red with Deco Art Acrylics.
Painter’s tape laid down to give us clean edges on the underbust detail
Painting in the underbust
You can see the original base blue we used, and the skull outline done using a chalk marker. These are great for sketching as you can erase mistakes with a wet cloth. This was sketch one, which was redone to be smaller and at an angle later.
Our skull painted with white Deco Art acrylics, the black detailing done with black acrylic and touched up with a black, oil-based sharpie. The blue seemed too bright, so we went over it again with a darker shade from Jacquard and then the Folk Art interference paints. We also did paint the black with the matte at this point – it has a great finish!
Here you can see the smooth silver of the Worbla neck (only one coat of primer was needed because this was pre-sanded), and some of the detailing we did with a stipple sponge


Final Project

Chestplate and matching bracer with finished paint
Inside of the plate – the Worbla means it can hold itself up without warping!

There you have it! You can use this technique at the start of your build, or add Worbla when you’ve completed and already worn something, if you discover it needs to be reinforced!

Worbla Giveaway!

If you’ve always wanted a chance to work with Worbla, this is a perfect opportunity for you! From now until September 5th 2020, we are running a giveaway for a free sample sheet – 9×14″ – of Worbla’s Black Art to folks in the USA and Canada who enter!

Who can enter?
Anyone in the United States and Canada! We should be able to ship to APO and Territories without issue, at a max of 1 per household!
 
Cost?
Nothing – shipping’s even on us! We will be shipping without tracking via USPS and Canada Post, so be aware that delivery might be slower than average!
 
Just for Cosplayers?
Absolutely not! Worbla is for everyone, and we’d love to see Haunters, Theatre Folk, Jewelry Makers, Doll Customizers and more! If you’ve wanted to try Worbla for a project, this is the best chance to do so!
 
How does it work?
We have a form you need to fill out via google forms – you’ll need to follow us and make a post on social media using the #WorkWithWorbla hashtag to spread the word and show us what you want to make or try, and that’s it!
 
We have around 300 sheets to give away, and less than 40% have been claimed – so submit now!
 
 
Click on the button above, or click here to be taken to the entry form!

Getting Started – Simple Tutorial Collection

If you’ve recently purchased or been given Worbla and are looking for a project to start with, we’ve curated a list of our simpler tutorials and projects you can use as a launching point for your adventures with the Worbla’s Art product line!

First, we suggest you make yourself familiar with the folding and sandwich methods of Worbla, as they are the foundation of many of the following builds. Don’t forget we have a full list of more than 200 tutorials here!

Building with Worbla

Painting and Priming Worbla


Worbla can be painted with almost any method and material, but here are some tutorials to get you started!

Sarah Kerrigan – Shoulder Armor

We asked Neocoolstar Cosplay to create a tutorial for us using Worbla’s Black Art, and she created this writeup on how she created her Shoulder Pauldron for Sarah Kerrigan from Star Craft 2.

Materials used:
Black Worbla
Foam
Paper
Pencil
Box Knife
Weldwood Contact Cement
Heat Gun
Googly Eyes

The Process:
Human Sarah Kerrigan doesn’t have a lot of reference photos, but before she became part of the Zerg, she was a Confederate ghost. Since Nova is a ghost in the same universe, you can use her armor design as reference. But I’ll be using the cut scenes in Star Craft 2 to get my references for Kerrigan’s armor.

I started out with a free template from PunishedProps.com, cut it out, and traced the pattern over foam.

Once the foam is cut, I use Weldwood Contact Cement to glue the two foam pieces together.
Pro Tip: To speed up the contact cement curing process, use a heat gun on the glue until it bubbles and dries.

I placed the glued foam on my shoulder to test how it would look relative to my body. Then I made marks to redefine the shape so it looked like Kerrigan’s armor piece. The tip is more pointed so I added more foam to the end with contact cement.

Now the piece is ready for details. Here I just eyeballed the design, drew it on the foam, and made shallow cuts with a box knife. I then heated up the cuts to open the foam. I also added googly eyes for the rivets.

Here was the difficult part. Worbla does well with uniform caved objects like spheres. My shoulder armor had caved and concave areas as well as a cut out which would be where I’d include transparent Worbla to the piece. Since I didn’t have transparent worbla at the time, I had to leave it as an open hole.

This whole process takes time and requires a bit of coaxing for the Worbla to wrap around certain areas. It did break in certain points where I’ve stretched it too thin, but I patched it with scrap Worbla since the new Worbla still maintains its self-stick property.


Here I finished wrapping worbla around the piece and took some of the extra worbla lying around to see if I can still roll it into a pipe which is typically used for decoration.

Here I’m cleaning underneath the Worbla where the cutout is. I did the wrap method since that’s the method I’m most familiar with and it has saved me money in the past. Also, people won’t typically see underneath your armor piece.

Here is the finished piece.

Worbla Sheet Instructions

Worbla’s sheet form plastics (Currently Finest Art, TranspArt, Black Art, Mesh Art, FlameRed Art) do not have hard ‘instructions’ the way Worbla’s pellet plastics do, but this page will hopefully give you an understanding of the basic process of how to work with Worbla’s sheet plastics to achieve a variety of effects and results.
Instructions2

Working with Finest Art, Black Art, Mesh Art, FlameRed Art.

Heating:
These products activate at 90°C (195°F). Heating can be done with a heat gun or oven. Water is also possible but can be more difficult to control.
Once heated, the material will become flexible, malleable, stretchy and adhesive. When cool, they will return to a hard plastic.

Sculpting:
When activated, these Worbla sheets resemble warm beeswax: detail can be sculpted in but the plastic is resilient enough to avoid ‘squishing’ as you work.
Worbla can be combined to create a putty to sculpt from, or be added to an armature or form. No adhesive is required to attach Worbla to most forms or to itself. These types of Worbla can be reheated endlessly, and will cool in the shape they have been given. There is no shelf life for Worbla, a project can be worked on endlessly.

Dragon sculpted from Worbla's Finest Art by Accessories for the Universe.
Dragon sculpted from Worbla’s Finest Art by Accessories for the Universe.

Molding:
Heated Worbla can be draped over a form and pressed into shape, pushed into a mold, or vacuformed. Complicated shapes may need you to work in sections, avoid undercuts, or have a second pair of hands to achieve a smooth look. A mold release is suggested for most molds to prevent the adhesive in Worbla from sticking.

Worbla's Finest Art draped over a clay form to create a bird skull by Pretzl Cosplay
Worbla’s Finest Art draped over a clay form to create a bird skull by Pretzl Cosplay

You can see another example of Worbla being cast here.

Flat Shapes:
These Worbla products are usually backed with either the fold method or the sandwich method to create flat shapes, to give the plastic body and prevent it from warping while being shaped. This involves creating the shape in flat foam, often in separate pieces, covering the foam in Worbla, and then joining the pieces together to create the final result.

Top and right: Worbla sandwiched over foam to create overlapping plates for leg armor. Bottom left: shoulder pauldron made of overlapped sandwiched foam and Worbla's Finest Art. By Kamui.
Top and right: Worbla sandwiched over foam to create overlapping plates for leg armor. Bottom left: shoulder pauldron made of overlapped sandwiched foam and Worbla’s Finest Art. By Kamui.

Reinforcing:
Worbla is often used to cover a structure made of foam, paper, or other lightweight material. Cut a piece of Worbla larger than your shape, heat and wrap. Some darting (removing material) may be needed for very complex shapes, or you may need to work in sections to get a smooth finish.

expanding foam carved into shape and then covered in Worbla for a lightweight prop. By Kamui.
Expanding foam carved into shape and then covered in Worbla for a lightweight prop. By Kamui.

Differences in the above materials:
Mesh Art is the ‘stickiest’ of the sheet plastics. The mesh structure in it lends strength, but can make molding and sculpting more difficult.
Finest Art and FlameRed art are less sticky/adhesive than Mesh Art but still have a strong adhesive property for joining parts. FlameRed has a flame retardant built in and is smoother and will stretch further without tearing. Finest Art has the roughest texture (like an orange peel).
Black Art has a smoother texture (close to fine-grit sandpaper) and will tear if stretched. Black Art takes fine detail the best, but is the least adhesive of the group and will require additional heat and pressure for secure joins.

You can learn more about each product here.

Working with TranspArt:

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Worbla’s TranspArt (Transpa Art) is currently the most difficult of Worbla products to use, due to the high activation temperature and lack of adhesive. We always suggest researching this product thoroughly before working with it to avoid frustration.

Heating:
TranspArt can be heated by a heat gun or oven, and activates at 120°C (250°F). That is above boiling and as a result heat-resistant gloves are highly suggested to avoid injury or discomfort.

Sculpting:
TranspArt does not create a ‘putty’ the way that other Worbla plastics do. When activated it is a very flexible, malleable plastic that can be melded: however it must be quite hot and it is easy to overheat and turn the plastic to something closer to hot glue which can stick to your work surface. A silicone sheet is highly suggested if you are working with TranspArt, a parchment paper sheet can work as a substitute but your TranspArt may still stick if overheated. When melded into a sculptable form, TranspArt clouds to a more quartz-like appearance.

This skull was molded and sculpted by  Naruvien Art&Design. TranspArt becomes milky and more crystal-like the more it is worked.
This skull was molded and sculpted by Naruvien Art&Design. TranspArt becomes milky and more crystal-like the more it is worked.

Molding:
TranspArt can be molded over and into most molds, and its excellent flexibility makes it easier to remove from complex shapes. It vacuforms very well, and home made deep draw systems are also easily achieved without damaging the plastic. We have videos of various vacuform methods for TranspArt here.

Flat Shapes:
TranspArt does not adhere to itself and is a much more flexible plastic. As a result the sandwich and fold methods are much more difficult to achieve. Large completely flat shapes may droop and require additional support (such as wings) but curved shapes hold better. Consider adding curves or large base support to create more stability.

This 'splash' wearable art was created by Abrahamd Levy. Note that the large base allows the TranspArt to hold its shape against gravity.
This ‘splash’ wearable art was created by Abrahamd Levy. Note that the large base allows the TranspArt to hold its shape against gravity.

Coloring:
TranspArt can be dyed with polyester dyes such as iDye poly, painted with spray paints and spray tints, colored with alcohol inks (like sharpies), and painted with glass paints.

TranspArt gradient dyed for a pheonix headdress by  Gothichamlet of Cowbuttcrunchies.
TranspArt gradient dyed for a pheonix headdress by Gothichamlet of Cowbuttcrunchies.

Note:
TranspArt does technically self adhere, but the temperature range is so narrow to create a solid join we do not generally suggest relying on TranspArt’s adhesive properties, instead instant glues (such as crazy glue) work well. TranspArt is solvent stable and glues will not fog it.

To learn more about TranspArt, click here.

We have a wide range of tutorials, in text, pictorial and video form. Take a look at our list here!

Deco Art and Crystal Art Instructions

Crystal1

Working with Worbla’s Crystal Art

You will need:

  • Crystal Art
  • parchment paper or a silicone cooking mat
  • a container to heat your Crystal Art in
  • water
  • heat resistant gloves (with nitrile or latex gloves overtop)
  • a heat source
  • molds (optional)
  • sculpting tools (optional)
  •  You can heat your Crystal Art in a number of ways:

    In a pot of boiling water:
    Do not use a pot you will use for food again. Heat water to boiling and using a metal strainer add Crystal Art pellets until they turn glossy.
    In the microwave:
    In a silicone cupcake mold, add pellets with enough water to cover them. Microwave in short bursts of 10-20 seconds to start, and 10 seconds each time after, until pellets are malleable. Drain water.
    With a heat gun:
    In a silicone cupcake mold or ceramic bowl that will not be used again, add pellets. Holding the heat gun 10-12 inches away, use a medium or low setting to begin to heat the pellets. When they start to become malleable and form a clump, a higher setting can be used.

    Note: Pellets activate at 110°C (230°F). Do not overheat. If pellets turn brown, remove heat source immediately. Do not leave in microwave unattended. It is best to work with smaller batches than one large amount.

    Once heated, transfer your Crystal Art to a silicone mat or parchment paper surface. Knead lightly. Then work the Crystal Art into molds, shape by hand, or sculpt with tools.

    Crystal Art being used in a silicone mold by Naruvien Art&Design
    Crystal Art being used in a silicone mold by Naruvien Art&Design

    Note: Crystal Art is HOT and STICKY. Always work with gloves to insulate your hands. Cover work gloves with nitrile or latex gloves and keep those gloves and all tools WET while working to prevent sticking.
    If Crystal Art sticks to a surface, allow it to cool completely before attempting to remove. Do not work on bare laminated surfaces, fabric, varnished wood or areas susceptible to damage. We don’t suggest using Deco Art for dental appliances as it has not been rated for such use. 

    Crystal Art sets as a translucent, flexible plastic.

    Crystal Art pieces can be reheated endlessly, cut with scissors, painted, glued, and scraps can be reused. For more inspiration, check out our various galleries and tutorials.

    Last Minute Man’s Kitchen introduces Crystal Art in this video below (Make sure to turn on captions)

     
     

    Deco1

    Working with Worbla’s Deco Art

    You will need:

     

  • Deco Art
  • parchment paper or a silicone cooking mat
  • a container to heat your Deco Art in
  • water
  • a heat source
  • molds (optional)
  • sculpting tools (optional)
  • heat resistant gloves (with nitrile or latex gloves overtop) ((Optional))
  •  
    You can heat your Deco Art in a number of ways:In a pot of hot water:
    Do not use a pot you will use for food again. Heat water – it does not need to boil – and using a metal strainer add Deco Art pellets until they turn clear.
    In the microwave:
    In a silicone cupcake mold, add pellets with enough water to cover them. Microwave in short bursts of 10-20 seconds to start, and 10 seconds each time after, until pellets are clear and malleable. Drain water.
    With a heat gun:
    In a silicone cupcake mold or ceramic bowl that will not be used again, add pellets. Holding the heat gun 10-12 inches away, use a medium or low setting to begin to heat the pellets. When they are completely clear and malleable, remove.

    Note: Pellets activate at 65°C (150°F). Do not overheat. If pellets turn brown, remove heat source immediately. Do not leave in microwave unattended. It is best to work with smaller batches than one large amount.

    Once heated, transfer your Deco Art to a silicone mat or parchment paper surface. Knead lightly. Then work the Deco Art into molds, shape by hand, or sculpt with tools.

    Note: Deco Art is STICKY. If working with gloves, cover work gloves with nitrile or latex gloves and keep those gloves and all tools WET while working to prevent sticking. Deco Art can be handled with bare hands, but do work with caution.
    If Deco Art sticks to a surface, allow it to cool completely before attempting to remove. Do not work on bare laminated surfaces, fabric, varnished wood or areas susceptible to damage.

    Deco Art stays malleable and ‘fluid’ while warm. Cool finished shapes in cold water until fully opaque, or leave in mold. Otherwise gravity will pull your Deco Art out of shape.

    Deco Art cools to a opaque, hard white plastic.

    Deco Art Claws by Lightning Cosplay
    Deco Art Claws by Lightning Cosplay

    Deco Art pieces can be reheated endlessly, painted, glued, and scraps can be reused. For more inspiration, check out our various galleries and tutorials.

Worbla’s Deco Art

Now available in North America, Worbla’s Deco Art is the Worbla branded option for moldable plastic pellets. Heat these pellets to 65°C (150°F) with a heat gun, oven, or hot water to create a plastic putty with a low thermal transfer that you can shape by hand, push into molds, and sculpt with tools! It’s an excellent option for sculpting things like skulls, filling in gaps in Worbla armor, making multiple copies of something without resin casting, building up dimension quickly and adding counterweight to things like pommels on swords.

Top left: Deco Art details by Vera Ikonia. Bottom and right: Deco Art on Worbla by Lightning Cosplay.
Top left: Deco Art details by Vera Ikonia. Bottom and right: Deco Art on Worbla by Lightning Cosplay.

How it Works:
Deco Art comes in white pellets that when heated turn clear. You can treat these clear pellets like a plastic putty and sculpting material, either shaping it by hand or with tools, or applying it directly to the surface you wish to build up. Once cool or ‘set’ the plastic turns opaque white. Deco Art stays fluid while warm, so it is important to either cool a piece quickly in cool water, or to keep it in a mold until the plastic is opaque again. Otherwise gravity will ‘pull’ your sculpture out of shape!

Deco Art Claws by Lightning Cosplay
Deco Art Claws by Lightning Cosplay

Deco Art, like all Worbla Products, can be reheated endlessly and scraps can always be reused, so mistakes are easy to correct and makes this material very friendly for those who want to begin sculpting things such as teeth or horns. The surface of Deco Art is much smoother than other Worbla Products, making it excellent for detail work where priming is either not an option due to time, or difficult due to space. Deco Art can be painted with acrylics or spray paint, and the pellets can also be dyed in advanced with polyester dyes such as iDye Poly.
Deco Art is excellent for building up dimension quickly, allowing details in armor to be made quicker and smoother than with the traditional Worbla Scrap/Noodle method.

It took less than an hour to add all of this raised detail. (Gemstones are Crystal Art)
It took less than an hour to add all of this raised detail. (Gemstones are Crystal Art)

A mold used to make many quick copies of a  button shape by Lightning Cosplay. This would take much longer with resin, so Deco Art allows smooth casting without worrying about fumes or time.
A mold used to make many quick copies of a button shape by Lightning Cosplay. This would take much longer with resin, so Deco Art allows smooth casting without worrying about fumes or time.

The Owl for Tyrande Whisperwind's bow is done in Deco Art, while the body is made with Worbla's Finest Art. By Lightning Cosplay.
The Owl for Tyrande Whisperwind’s bow is done in Deco Art, while the body is made with Worbla’s Finest Art. By Lightning Cosplay.

The finished bow, painted. By Lightning Cosplay.
The finished bow, painted. By Lightning Cosplay.

Deco Art can also be used for very diffused lighting effects, when a more opaque look is wanted.

Skull comparison with Black Art, Deco Art, and Crystal Art
Skull comparison with Black Art, Deco Art, and Crystal Art

Crystal Art and Deco Art horns light test!

A post shared by Amanda (@elementalsight) on

Videos on Deco Art!

Shappi Workshop did a video review of Deco Art and showed some of the different ways it can be used and colored.

Here is a video of Deco Art being used to add a dimensional detail to Worbla’s Finest Art by Kirshbeere Cosplay

And here’s a video of Deco Art being used to add a dimensional skull to a shoulder pauldron by Lightning Cosplay.

Worbla’s Deco Art is Coming soon!
It will be available in 4.4oz and 14oz packages!

Worbla’s Crystal Art

Worbla’s Crystal Art is the newest product to the Worbla lineup, offering a moldable, sculptable translucent plastic that can be used for gems, water effects, light diffusing and so much more!

Crystal Art pieces used with silicone molds.
Crystal Art pieces used with silicone molds by Naruvien Art & Design .

What is it for:
Crystal Art offers an alternative for those who can’t resin cast due to time, space, or health. It also allows you to create incredibly flexible pieces – ice crystals that will bend with a bodysuit or claws that will flex but never break no matter how many steps you take. Crystal Art can be rolled out to thin strips or sculpted into simple shapes or pressed into molds and blended with other Worbla products for limitless potential.

Crystal Art Rose colored with metallic pigment powder.
Crystal Art Rose colored with metallic pigment powder.

How does it work?
Worbla’s Crystal Art is similar to Worbla’s Deco Art: it comes in pellet form. You heat these pellets with a heat gun or other heat source to 110°C (230°F) and once activated, you can blend the pellets into a translucent workable material. Unlike Deco Art, Crystal Art remains translucent once cool, and thinner pieces are flexible.

Molding Crystal Art by Yume Cosplay
Molding Crystal Art by Yume Cosplay

Painting and Tinting
You can paint Crystal Art, and it can be tinted with sharpies, alcohol inks, resin dyes and polyester dyes such as iDye Poly.
Crystal Art colored from left to right: With alcohol inks (purple) with acrylic ink (blue) with glitter, with resin dye (red), with  acrylic paint (mottled brown) with sharpies (blue).
Crystal Art colored from left to right: With alcohol inks (purple) with acrylic ink (blue) with glitter, with resin dye (red), with acrylic ink (mottled brown) with sharpies (blue).

Important!
Unlike Deco Art, Crystal Art has a much higher activation temperature and thermal conductivity. In short: it’s hot! We suggest working with heat resistant gloves with latex or nitrile gloves overtop, and keeping your gloves and tools wet so that Crystal Art doesn’t stick to things or you. Crystal Art also has a memory like rubber, which means if it is stretched out and cooled, when re-heated it will want to ‘rebound’ to a more compressed shape. Keep this in mind when sculpting!
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A crystal formation made with Worbla's Crystal Art, with Black Art used as the base to hide the battery. By Hogal Cosplay
A crystal formation made with Worbla’s Crystal Art, with Black Art used as the base to hide the battery. By Hogal Cosplay

Of course, the opportunities for lighting are endless:

Crystal Art and Deco Art horns light test!

A post shared by Amanda (@elementalsight) on

More Examples of Use!

A Widowmaker helmet with  lenses from Crystal Art by Team Paraluna
A Widowmaker helmet with lenses from Crystal Art by Team Paraluna

Owl eyes made with Crystal Art and Black art by Rylai
Owl eyes made with Crystal Art and Black art by Rylai Cosplay

Crystal Art tinted  with resin dye, alcohol ink, and sharpies.   Made in a silicone mold.
Crystal Art tinted with resin dye, alcohol ink, and sharpies. Made in a silicone mold.

See it in action!
We also have some fantastic videos showing how to work with Crystal Art, to give you an idea of the process. Check them out below!

Last Minute Man’s Kitchen introduces Crystal Art in this video below (Make sure to turn on captions)

 

Naruvien Art & Design show how to heat and shape Crystal Art, using it with TranspArt to make a magic staff.

 

Naruvien Art & Design also showed the process of making her dragonscale bracers out of Crystal Art shaped into flat sheets.

 
Hogal Cosplay shared how they made their crystal structures pictured above.

 

Hi I’m Rao shared this video of Crystal Art being shaped and tinted to create a gemstone for a dragon pendant.

Pretzl Cosplay used Crystal Art to create demonic runes for her newest costume.

Worbla’s Crystal Art is coming soon!
It will be available in 2 sizes, 4.4oz and 14 oz packages.

Fine Detail with Worbla’s Finest Art

If you’re familiar with Worbla’s products, you know that Black Art is the most suggested for fine detail work, as the texture in Black Art allows you to make fine pieces easier. That isn’t to say you can’t accomplish the same with Worbla’s Finest, however, as Enrico Sequi (Instagram) has absolutely blown us away with his incredibly fine filigree work with the original Worbla.

#cast4art #worbla #newproject

A post shared by Enrico Sequi (@enricosequi) on

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His ability to work in a small scale has all of us impressed!
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But he doesn’t only use Finest Art – nor only work in small scale!
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Check out more of Enrico Sequi‘s work on Facebook and Instagram!

Find us on Twitch

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Want a way of seeing Worbla used live in real time? Cosplaysupplies and Worbla.com partnered with Amanda of Elemental Photography and Design to livestream on Twitch every week, using Worbla products and answering questions.

What is Twitch.tv?
Twitch is a website that hosts live video broadcast from all sorts of content creators – it’s primarily used at the moment by folks playing video games and sharing their experience with an audience, but they also have a creative section that hosts channel categories such as Cosplay, Painting, Photography and more! You tune in to a channel when it is live, an can chat and interact with the host as they stream.

You can find us at Twitch.tv/cosplaysuppliesofficial and previous videos are kept here.

An Introduction to Worbla by Prop Master Eric Heart

One of the best introduction videos I have seen, this one deserved its own page! Eric Heart is a prop builder and the Props Master at Triad Stage in North Carolina, and has a book on Prop Making that includes a section on thermoplastics (that you can see here).

This video includes information on working with Worbla’s Finest Art, moulding over a form, basic shapes, heating and shaping options, as well as attaching multiple pieces. It shows the process of creating a bull’s head over a positive mould.

You can see more introduction videos here!

Laser Cutting Worbla: Tutorial List

Looking for information on laser cutting for your next project? Here’s the resources we’ve collected so far about laser cutting tips, tricks, process and answers for you.

Corsets created by Royal Black Couture, Worbla used in the collar, shoulder, and leaf detail.
Corsets created by Royal Black Couture, lasercut Worbla used for the collar, shoulder, and leaf details.

Laser Cutting FAQ and Gallery
Creating a Digital Template
Introduction to Laser Cutting Worbla Part One
Introduction to Laser Cutting Worbla Part Two
Cutting Worbla with the Epilog and Universal Laser Cutting Machines
Cutting Worbla with a Glowforge

This was written for an Adafruit Pro Trinket using the Adafruit Arduino IDE in C++, so just to be safe I can’t guarantee it will work for you.
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

const int buttonPin = 18; // the number of the pushbutton pin
const int ledPin = 13; // the number of the LED pin
const int strandPin = 6;
const int neopixelNumber = 60; //[INSERT # OF NEOPIXELS YOU HAVE HERE!]
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(neopixelNumber, strandPin, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

int mode = 0;
int max_mode = 8;
int lastButton = 1;
long lastMillis = 0;
int brightness = 128;
uint32_t fire_hot = strip.Color(200, 200, 255); // light blue
uint32_t fire_cool = strip.Color(0, 0, 255); // blue

uint32_t lerp(uint32_t color0, uint32_t color1, int alpha);

int highlight = 0;

void setup() {
strip.begin();
strip.show(); // Initialize all pixels to ‘off’
}

void loop() {
fire();
strip.show();
}

void setPixel(int i, uint32_t color) {
int red = (color >> 16) & 0xFF;
int green = (color >> 8) & 0xFF;
int blue = color & 0xFF;

red = (red * brightness) >> 8;
green = (green * brightness) >> 8;
blue = (blue * brightness) >> 8;

strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(red, green, blue));
}

void fire() {
for (int i = 0; i < neopixelNumber; ++i) ember(i); } void ember(int i) { int alpha = random(257); uint32_t color = lerp(fire_cool, fire_hot, alpha); setPixel(i, color); } #define _r(color) (((color)>>16)&0xFF)
#define _g(color) (((color)>>8)&0xFF)
#define _b(color) ((color)&0xFF)

uint32_t lerp(uint32_t color0, uint32_t color1, int alpha) {
int r = (_r(color0) * (256-alpha) + _r(color1) * alpha) >> 8;
int g = (_g(color0) * (256-alpha) + _g(color1) * alpha) >> 8;
int b = (_b(color0) * (256-alpha) + _b(color1) * alpha) >> 8;
return strip.Color(r, g, b);
}

If this code does not work for you, you can double check it against the original code posted to Valkyries Page here.

Privacy Policy

Cosplay Supplies is using the information collected from the Facebook Poll system to see only how many people have voted in total and to ensure no one tries to vote more than once per poll.

The actual Legal Details follow below.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 31, 2016

Worbla (“us”, “we”, or “our”) operates the Worbla.com website (the “Service”).

This page informs you of our policies regarding the collection, use and disclosure of Personal Information when you use our Service.

We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy.

We use your Personal Information for providing and improving the Service. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. Unless otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy, terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms and Conditions, accessible at Worbla.com

Information Collection And Use

While using our Service, we may ask you to provide us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify you. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to, your name (“Personal Information”).

Log Data

We collect information that your browser sends whenever you visit our Service (“Log Data”). This Log Data may include information such as your computer’s Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages and other statistics.

Cookies

Cookies are files with small amount of data, which may include an anonymous unique identifier. Cookies are sent to your browser from a web site and stored on your computer’s hard drive.

We use “cookies” to collect information. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service.

Security

The security of your Personal Information is important to us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Links To Other Sites

Our Service may contain links to other sites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third party link, you will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit.

We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13 (“Children”).

We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your Children has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us. If we discover that a Children under 13 has provided us with Personal Information, we will delete such information from our servers immediately.

Changes To This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us.

Creating a Smooth, Shiny Finish with Transpart and Worbla’s Finest Art

Worbla’s Transpart makes an excellent top layer to create a perfectly smooth and highly glossy finish for your armor and props.

Aurora Hail Frost Cosplay did this great breakdown of using worbla with foam and spraypaint for different finishes.

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First technique: I painted on top of the foam using 3 types of different colors and then used the TranspArt as a clear coat over foam.
What I did – I painted the foam with spray paint only. Then sandwiched the foam between the Worbla’s Finest Art and the TranspArt together heated it up with a heat gun.
Pros- The technique gave me exactly what I wanted a clear coat over my paint, the heat gun did not burn the paint that was on the foam. Was able to form the worbla without any defects.
Cons- have not seen anything that would cause a negative effect.

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Second Technique: Designs and Chrome paint on Worbla’s TranspArt.
What I did- Painted the TranspArt to have a chrome mirror affect, then cut out designs in the foam . I sandwiched the foam between the TranspArt chrome sheet and Worbla’s Finest Art.
Pros – once I heated the foam and the worbla sheets together, it stayed its mirror like affect. Perfect for a knight in shining armor look. Worked well with the designs. Was able to form without any defects.
Picture #1 above before being heated and formed

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Cons – However I wanted to try to stretch one of the corners of the piece to see how it would react. When I stretched one of the corners the paint particles started separating out making it more see through again (Seen in picture Number 2 above) this affect caused it to have a less mirror affect and more see through, I guess it all depends on what kind of effect you want would make it work out.

Paint
However besides the top right corner having a defect. The rest of the area kept its mirror affect even after being formed. Seen in Picture #3 above.

Elemental also used TranspArt for a protective coat over a mini Captain America Shield.
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I created this shield by using Wonderflex, heated and pressed into a curved lampshade. I coated it with woodglue to help smooth the top out, painted it, then created the silver ring out of thin silver vinyl and the star is a paper cutout. The TranspArt was heated and stretched carefully over everything once it was dry, and it makes a great, perfectly smooth glossy finish that means my paint can’t be chipped no matter how many times I throw this ‘frisbee’.

If you’re looking to make perfectly smooth armor and want a way to keep your paint from chipping, seriously consider TranspArt layered with Worbla’s Finest art as an option!

Full Tutorial List

Here’s a full list of ALL the tutorials we currently have on Worbla.com! Looking for something specific? Use the find shortcut: CTRL + F on Windows, CMD + F on Mac OS

Remember: Just because it doesn’t show your specific character, you can use the same techniques from a Legend of Zelda bracer for a World of Warcraft or Game of Thrones bracer – the basic techniques stay the same!

General Pointers!

Started
Getting Started

Getting Started Videos

Tips and Tricks

General Tutorials:

Attach
Attaching Armor

Books on Worbla


bows
Bows and Crossbows

    Bracer
    Bracers

    chest
    Breastplates and Pauldrons

    Button
    Buckles and Buttons

    Casting
    Casting and Moulding

    fabric
    Covering with fabric

    crown
    Crowns

    Detail
    Detailing

    leg
    Elbow, Knee and Leg Armor,

    Guns and Phasers


    helmet
    Helmets

    masks
    Masks

    pattern
    Patterning

    painting
    Priming, Smoothing, and Painting

    dolls
    Sculpture, Figures and Dolls

    Shapes: Feathers, Leaves


    shields
    Shields

    shoes
    Shoes

    staff
    Staffs and Polearms

    Swords
    Swords and Blades

    transp
    Worbla’s TranspArt

    Deco2
    Worbla’s Deco Art / Friendly Plastic

    TranspArt Examples

    When standard Acrylic isn’t viable, Worbla’s TranspArt (WTA) is a clear thermoplastic that offers amazing flexibility and resilience that is solvent-stable, as well as Non-Toxic and Skin-Safe. TranspArt can be vacuformed, both on an actual machine/table as well as by hand with simple tools, can be tinted and dyed, and is incredibly difficult to tear, dent or rip. Look below to see examples of what our customers have done with our product.

    —————————–

    Ice Queen Original Design by Alix Cosplay. TranspArt ice details on the crown, collar, scepter, and shoes.
    Photos by Martin Wong, Sometimes I Cosplay Photography, and Obscura Vista

    Stella Chuu (also on Instagram) used TranspArt for her Saikizo Frozen Witch headpiece. With photos from Anna Fischer photography, Kaze Photography, and Jwai design

    These amazing Coffee Splash and Milk Pour props are frozen in time and made from Worbla’s Transpa Art and Worbla’s Deco Art. Finished with Heritage glass stain and acrylic varnish. Created by Rochelle Redgard with Lida Marx from The Worx Distribution.

    Abraham Levy created these amazing TranspArt water pieces, inspired by designer Iris Van Herpen. Videos can be seen here, here, and here. The yellow dress was created for Shea Couleé and used in her Crème Brûlée video seen here (explicit), the pink dress was photographed by thedragphotographer and featured on Drag Race All Stars 4 seen here.

    Kuchiki Rukia Bankai Version by LadyShuCosplay, photos by Harui.

    Zeratul’s Blade by Nightshift Cosplay

    This amazing crystal sabretooth skull was created by Naruvien Art&Design using Worbla’s TranspArt and Worbla’s Finest art, and has a red and green led for interior lighting!

    Here’s a video of the lights in action!

    Erza Cosplay used Transpart and Worbla’s Finest Art for her Heavy Luminescence Armor and Sword from Guild Wars 2.

    TranspArt rose by Calypsen Cosplay

    TranspArt Phoenix Headpiece by Gothichamlet of Cowbuttcrunchies.

    Celestial Staff by Whimsy-Mimsy, dyed with iDye Poly

    TranspArt Visor with Worbla Helmet, and Demon Horns by Melting Props, Cosplay and Projects

    These ice crowns were made by Lightning Cosplay

    LED Butterfly Wings by Whimsy-Mimsy Cosplay.

    TranspArt Bluebird headpiece by Atelier Licorice.

    Javakat Cosplay created these glowing apples from Once Upon A Time with TranspArt.

    Omni Blade from Mass Effect by Vmachina.

    Dungeons and Dragons Rose Cross by Careko

    Dragoon Meru from Legend of Dragoon bySpyrah. Wings made from TranspArt, armor made from Worbla’s Finest.

    TranspArt flowers and leaves pressed into sillicone moulds, by Worbla Latinoamerica

    Worbla’s Finest art bracers covered in TranspArt for an ‘encased in ice’ appearance by Naruvien Art&Design

    Sue Storm figure made of clay and then gently vacuformed with TranspArt. Plugsuit made with Finest Art, by the team at Cast4Art. Note the TranspArt even picked up the detail on the bra!

    Aurora from Child of Light Crown and Wings made by Maija Cosplay, photos by Patrick Rotthier.

    Demon Hunter Leg Armor

    Chrix Design shared this detailed writeup covering the Chest Plate, Leg Armor, Pauldrons, Helmet, Shield and Bracer, and Crossbow of her Demon Hunter from Diablo.

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    So many armor parts and so many techniques to use. Love this project, I have learned buckets. Here I will show how the thigh, leg and shoe armor was made.
    And I tried a few thing I have never tried before too, like curved shapes with cardboard base covered in worbla. In this tutorial I don’t explain how worbla works, only how I have used it.

    Thigh armor.
    Since these pieces are single curved I thought I could use cardboard as a supporting core for the worbla, which worked great. I also alsmost always only use one layer of worbla.
    2014-08-26 19.29.35

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    2014-08-26 20.05.09

    Some detail pieces were more curved, here I used foam (2 mm) as a core
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    2014-08-26 20.29.15
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    Detailig done with thin strips of worbla
    2014-09-07 21.53.41

    Leg bracer
    This piece was way more curvy, so foam core all the way.
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    2014-09-05 20.49.41

    I tried two methods here, the first where I used two seperate pieces attached with a seamline goind down the middle, and this (see picture below) where I used one piece and streched it over an acrylic sphere.
    2014-09-05 21.09.05

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    All the pieces attached together and detailed with worbla strips.
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    2014-09-07 21.54.25

    The knees are made from separate foam pieces covered in worbla.
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    2014-09-10 21.25.14

    2014-09-11 20.28.44

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    D-rings are added along the sides to attach the armor to my legs. More about the painting in a later tutorial.
    2014-10-06 17.35.34-1

    Shoe armor
    Shoe covers need to be flexible, and form fitting to the shoes :)
    2014-10-11 12.56.28

    Many armor makers forget to address the back of the shoes. Even though I have no idea what the look like from behind, I will make something interesting.
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    2014-10-11 12.56.44

    2014-10-11 18.17.09

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    Part 3 – Pauldrons