Dwarf Lord of Ered Luin wrote:
P.S. How's the green stuff, that you used for the base, for terrain making? I've got some of it lying around and have been thinking of, though never actually getting around to, using them.
The foam I used is called a wet foam block and typically used in floral projects. I got it because it seemed to be the perfect size for plinth and was in a convenient block (so that I didn’t have to buy a 4'x8' sheet from the hardware store.) I found several advantages and disadvantage to this particular type of foam.
Advantages
-soft, easy to carve and manipulate. A simple saw and utility knife were all that was needed. Sandpaper was used to easily round corners and manipulate the shape.
-size, very convenient.
Disadvantages
-soft, too soft, if you even grip the foam too much, it starts to deform.
-soft, I tired apply the glue for the sand with a brush and simple tacky glue. The foam is so soft that the brush and glue were ripping the foam apart. I solved this by using a spray adhesive.
-absorbent, because it is a "wet block", it was probably meant to hold water. As a result, I found that I had to use several layers of spray paint on the material because it seemed to soak the paint up.
-fragile, the material is very fragile and will break apart easily if not handled carefully. It tends to leave a green powder everywhere (this was not a problem once it was painted, i even painted the bottom to try and contain the foam in a protective layer).
For my first diorama, the material was not bad to work with. But in the future, I would rather use something that is tougher and more resilient.