Where do you get sculpting foam?

[DPuppets]

Oh thank you Darren! Is there any particular brand or type of liquid laytex and paint that I should plan to purchase?

I use pretty much same latex you use for special effects. Just mix acrylic paint into it. If you can get latex white in color it is easier to mix and get your color. Just test putting your paint in until you get your color you want.

 

[DPuppets]

yeah i want her to be like a cloth puppet with a base of foam, like this cube of foam, can i hollow that out? cuz i want her to have like a nice firm head and not like kermit who is just cloth you get what i am saying? thanks for helping!

Piggy Lover

If you decide to use a block of foam. You will need to flock it. Same thing they do to the pigs on muppets. The unit to flock runs different prices. The one I have ran $700.00. You could cover it with cloth but, you would have too many darts in the fabric. You can hollow it out. It is a long process but comes out really nice.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I know one source of flocking wands is:

Creative Coatings Corporation
28 Charron Ave
POBox 1165
Nashua, NH 03061
Tel 800 229-1957 fax 603-889-3780​

Steve Axtell has pictures of these and a brief overview of flocking on the Axtell Expressions site - http://www.axtell.com/flock.html

 

[Puppetplanet]

Okay, the trick question is: Where can I get liquid laytex? I just did a search on the internet, and well..... some VERY intersting adult sites came up.

This can't be the right stuff! *laughing*

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Any decent art supply store in your area should carry liquid latex. Check the yellow pages and call around. It is usually in the section with the sculpture and molding supplies (most artists use liquid latex to make molds). I generally use Mold Craft Liquid Latex, mostly out of convienence (the local shops carry it) but I am sure there are superior products out there if you ask around.

This is the list of latex suppliers from The Puppetry Homepage if you still have trouble finding a supplier locally:

Chicago Latex Products
345 E. Terra Cotta
P.O. Box 395
Crystal Lake, IL 60039
815-459-9680
spartan@mc.net
http://user.mc.net/~spartan/cl.htm

Cementex Latex Corp
480 Canal St.
NYC 10013
212-226-5832

Environmental Technologies Inc.
PO BOx 365
Fields Landing, CA 95537
707-443-9323

Heveatex
PO Box 2573
106 Ferry St.
Fall River, MA 02722
508-675-0181
800-922-2933

Wisconsin Latex & Adhesives Co., Inc.
PO Box 04703
1836 South 3rd St.
Milwaukee, WI 53204
14-383-8351

You often have to buy in large quantities from these types of suppliers, but they tend to be much, much cheaper than the average hobby or art supply store in the long run.

You might also want to try finding Tool-Dip or Plasti-Dip. That'll work just as well as latex. It's slightly trickier to work with, but the fumes are not as toxic as latex. I prefer plasti-dip for making teeth, but it's getting harder and harder to find in Canada.

Oh, and if you're searching google specify "art supply" latex. LOL

 

[Puppetplanet]

This is the list of latex suppliers from The Puppetry Homepage if you still have trouble finding a supplier locally

Thank you so much Buck! Your a lifesaver, as usual!



Pssst, PiggyLover13, I'm sorry..... I didn't mean to take over your thread. I will go away now.

 

[FISH'N'WOLFE]

Hey Darren, what do you suggest for making teeth? I've posted this question before, but the suggestions didn't produce the nice looking realistic teeth I've seen on David's puppets. The Foam Book Videos suggested some type of plaster coat, which I can't find in any local stores. Davids videos didn't cover teeth at all. Can you help?

Thanks,
-Michele

Have you tried using Foamies? They are simple thin foam sheets (2mm thick) that can be obtained at JO-ANN Fabrics and come in all colors, I use them all the time for teeth and they work perfect, extremely durable- FISH'N'WOLFE

 

[jediX]

I've built most of my puppets from that "foamies" stuff (and that was over 7 years ago) and they are still in great condition.

 

[DPuppets]

Have you tried using Foamies? They are simple thin foam sheets (2mm thick) that can be obtained at JO-ANN Fabrics and come in all colors, I use them all the time for teeth and they work perfect, extremely durable- FISH'N'WOLFE

I have used foamies. But using latex gives little bit of a shine that you can dull down. If you cut the foam in some unique shapes and then cover with latex, then you can decay it and still have that shine that teeth have.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I agree that latex-covered foam is much better than foamies, bt latex is very smelly and a little difficult to work with (though anyone can learn how to quickly) so if you don't want the hassle of latex you might want to consider foamies.

Another great option for teeth is to find joke or novelty stores (or any place that has Halloween costumes this time of year) and look for "Voo Doo" necklaces which often have a lot of teeth that you can use. Bead supply stores also sometimes sell plastic teeth that are used to make jewerly.