Practical Project – embossing Kapa-line foamboard

I have recently ordered some materials from the 4D Model Shop, based in London (http://www.modelshop.co.uk/) after recommendations from David Neat on the range of materials available only from this shop.

One such material is Kapa-Line Foamboard which contains polyeurathane as opposed to the standard polystyrene. Once the paper lining is removed this allows you to emboss the material, which keeps the shape. One way of exploiting this quality for my project is to make custom stamping tools with designs specifically for the Clayr’s Glacier environment. Another option is to use found objects to create patterns.

I have been experimenting over the last couple of weeks with this technique of testing found objects. The images below show how really simple basic found objects can be used and can be very effective, without spending money or time.

I’m hoping to use my recently made stars from the 3D printer to make a custom tool for embossing the foam. I have also made a stone block tool so that I can make a repeated pattern that gives the impression of the slight depressions and raised areas of a stone wall like I have demonstrated with the practice piece below. You can also see how beating the foam with a wire brush can give the texture of stone, and how the foam keeps this texture even when I compress the foam by pressing the stone block tool into it.