At the beginning of Term 2 when we returned to the workshop we started a two week long masterclass with none other then Sanit Klamchanuan. I feel he needs no introduction but if he does go check out his Instagram for more info on his work.

The two weeks were aimed at us learning to better use EVA foam for constructing props as well as familiarize ourselves with Worbla. A thermoplastic that is malleable when heated. With EVA foam I have some extensive knowledge gained from the cosplay community over a number of years before coming to Toi Whakaari. (See here) However I had never touched Worbla before and below are somethings I learned while using it.

What is Worbla?

• Heat formable: When heated Worbla becomes soft like clay and can be sculpted/shaped in complex designs. When it cools it sets to a durable plastic that can be sanded and painted.
• Reusable: Worbla can be reheated and shaped an infinite number of times making even tiny pieces worth saving. Which helps cut costs of material in the long run.
• Self adhering: When heated Worbla will stick to itself or materials like EVA foam without the use of glues. Making construction of props faster.
• Non-toxic: When heated, unlike all other forms of plastic it does not produce toxic fumes that require a respirator and proper ventilation. Making it versatile to be used in every kind of shop environment.
• Multiple forms: Worbla is usually seen as a black of tan colored rolled sheet. However there are many ways it can be purchased for use. There are levels of smoothness to the sheets themselves, it can come as a clear sheet for use with lights or the need of something see through but a complex shape. Worbla is also available as beads to sculpt or blends pieces together or even as a mesh to help with sewing fabric or other soft components to it.

Worbla like EVA can be cut with a craft knife but also scissors. it can be cut then shaped or stretched once heated to make any complex shape. To help blend the parts together we used a combination of sculpting tools and popsicle sticks.

In this class we were tasked with making a round shield, an axe to fit the style of the shield, and a mask because we had some extra time. Which did not really become the case for me as I did what I normally do and chose a large and complex part for not just the shield but the axe as well. I did mostly finish both before the two weeks were up however unlike everyone else in my class I did not start painting. I still have not painted them as the week after our masterclass ended I started my first internship. (More on that when in the next post) Below you can see the progress picture I took along the way of the builds. Something that I’m still finding challenging is being able to pause in the moment of the build and take photos of my work. I can get so wrapped up in the moment I forget to document for future use in some cases.

This point has been driven home multiple times even since we started this school year by multiple industry professionals. The task of documenting and timing myself is something I plan on keeping on top of more as I move forward. 

The shield and the axe were both designs done by Zviadi Baratashvili. I definitely cannot take credit for that and you can check out his other design work above. Sanit also gave up creative license to alter some of the design for both the shield and axe so they would fit well together which I definitely did in the end.

SHIELD

The shield was made entirely using EVA foam. I started by creating a template from cardstock like butchers paper Sanit had brought and worked from there drawing all the details. I created the initial overall circle shape then drew on all the smaller details. I then transferred some of them to parchment paper so I could keep the over all semi-circle drawing for checking everything lined up. From there it was a process of cutting all the parts in the proper layers to build up from the base. Along the way I would use the dremel to smooth over any rough edges from my blade dulling. As I was assembling I would reference the original design as well as my drawing to make sure everything was there. For the smaller details they were too small to cut by hand so I drew them up in Illustrator and used the Laser cutter to do the work for me. I attached them with a healthy amount of spray adhesive since they would be too small to use contact cement. 

Axe

The axe had an EVA foam base covered in Worbla for shape and detail. I started by drawing out how big I wanted the axe head to be. I used my shield as a guide for scale so they would fit together well in the end. I decided to put wood dowel in the axe head so it would have rigidity. The handle would be a covered PVC pipe and I drilled a hole for the dowel to pass through so it would stiffened even more as well as hold the hammer end of the axe head. I then worked from the top down adding each section of the handle first with foam then covered in Worbla. I shaped the axe blade to it’s final shape on the dremel then smoothed out with high grit sandpaper and a heat gun. The axe head got some small Worbla trim on it and I deviated from the design on the bottom spike and the top detail piece.

Mask

The mask is from the anime Naruto worn by Kakashi when he is younger. I first bulked out cheap face mask that was the base for all of ours. I used aluminum foil covered in masking tape until I got the shape I liked. Before moving on I made sure to re-cut the eyes to match the cat eye shape of the design. Then I covered the whole thing with one piece of Worbla to create the smoothness from the design. I cut out detail pieces and pressed in the shape for the mouth so it would not look odd as a new piece.

Reflection

I have used EVA as a material a lot in the past and am very comfortable with it, however that was not the case for Worbla. It has very different properties but I can see how it is so popular as a material. It’s very easy to create different shapes with just a heat gun and a popsicle stick and you do not need any special PPE to use. There is definitely a learning curve, which I discovered as I was trying not to stretch some smaller pieces while heating and placing on my axe. Patience when using it is a must so as not to rush and stretch pieces or parts you did not mean to. As well I probably picked some pretty complicated designs. Not so much in the amount of detail but more so in the amount of layers and parts in each layer. Not having used EVA foam in a long time I was out of practice which made me slow and lagging behind everyone else in the class. I don’t regret picking these designs I do however need to be more focused on my own work and less distracted by others around me.

Tools used:

• Craft knife
• Sharpener
• Respirator
• Heat gun
• Contact Cement
• Dremel
• Spray adhesive
• Popsicle sticks
• Sculpting tools
• My hands