Love it or hate it, Halloween has been gaining popularity in Australia over the past decade. While many pundits claim this is the work of evil American TV shows and their influence over Australia’s youth, Halloween parties and trick or treating can be great fun.
This year, the official Halloween night falls on a Monday, which can limit the trick or treating or parties being held, but that shouldn’t really stop you from enjoying Halloween perhaps a few days early.
Creating Halloween props (or props for any occasion) add to the sense of fun and can theme an otherwise empty space just how you want it.
Polystyrene has long been used as an ideal material for building movie sets and TV props, and is just as effective for Halloween props. Its lightweight and moisture resistant nature makes it long lasting, easy to transport and easy to work with. Tombstones, axes, coffins and more can all be created from Styroboard XPS.
Here are some great tips on how to get started with your Styroboard XPS Halloween prop designs:
1. Have an outline of the shape you are going to create ready so you can trace it onto the polystyrene block. This will help you get the right shape without making mistakes.
2. Measure twice, cut once.
3. Remember this is a 3D prop, so make sure you consider how it will from the side as well as the front.
4. Using a serrated knife or a hotwire tool, make the large cuts first to start bringing your Halloween prop to life.
5. If you are using a serrated blade to cut your shape, a great tip is to rub the blade with wax before cutting, it will give you a smoother cut.
6. Using smaller tools, you can create texture on your polystyrene prop. Think kitchen utensils small household tools to achieve different textures such as wood grain to stone or metal.
7. Bringing your prop to life with colour is the final step, however you will need to prime your prop before getting straight in with paint. A standard paint primer or Gesso will protect the foam and stop the paint you use from melting away at the foam.
8. Once your primer is dry, you can use spray paint or acrylic paint to create your customer Halloween look.
Foamex have a great range of polystyrene products that are perfect for the creation of props for any occasion. Contact us today to get started on your Halloween project or even to get ahead on your Christmas props.