Working With Foam: Tips and Tricks - Layering on Curves

As we catch up with the weekly posts, this instructable looks at the techniques needed to layer foam on curved base shapes.

These instructables are designed to be simple and informative, and the skills can be transfered easily across to other mediums. If you have any questions about the tips or any suggestions or comments on tips you'd like to see, I'd be very interested in hearing them.

The materials you need to get your layers acurate are:
- craft knife

- Masking tape

- Pen

- Foam strips

- Your base shape (In this example We are using a cardboard tube)

Due to the thickness of foam, you need to consider the Outside diameter of the foam layer, not just the -base shape you are layering onto.

To do this, a simple method can be adopted by making what is known as a 'foam ruler'.

- Cut a length (this can be any length) of foam using your desired thickness. In this image you can see one in 5mm thickness and one in 10mm.
- Then mark on regular intervals of your choosing. These can be inches, centimeters, half centimeters even millimeters if you like.

With your new foam ruler you can now measure the diameter of your base shape to get the size you need to cut your new layer to, to ensure that it fits correctly and takes into account the thickness of you chosen foam.

Here you can see the different lengths of foam that would be needed dependent on 2mm/ paper, 5mm and 10mm thicknesses and how this affects the length required.

Armed with your foam ruler you can now make sure your foam layers fit accurately and wont be left short again.