Tips and Trics With Worbla - Werkplaatsidc

In this instructable we'll help you with Worbla.

We discovered that whilst using a hot air gun, you can have a lot of fun with Worbla.
We experimented by making a vambrace and a tiny dagger.

Go ahead and try them out.

This was a fairly simple project as far as materials go. This was also our first attempt at using Worbla, so it was kind of an experiment too.

• Worbla

• Scissors

• Heat Gun

• Craft foam

• sandpaper

The first thing we tried was using a PU foam as a base model

So first it was time to shape the whole thing. We made it so it had a nice curved shape to fit comfortably

• Start by overlaying a piece of Worbla,
• cut to larger than the shape,
• and using a heat gun or hair dryer to form to the shapes.

The next thing we tried was to add some nails to the foam model of the previous test.

For this we did not use a full sheet of worbla, the smaller pieces were used.
So that there would be less of a chance the worbla will rip and tear on the nails.

then you repeat the same process

• Start by overlaying a piece of Worbla
• cut to larger than the shape
• use a heat gun to form

Tip : One side of Worbla is shiny, while the other is more textured and dull. The shiny side is the stickiest one.It is important to not heat it up to much

The next thing we tried was to use some carft foam.

For this we tried to make a vambrace

• Step 1 : shaping & heating the worbla around the craft form
• Step 2 : reheating to shape around a persons arm
• Step 3 : adding details

we made some spike details from triangle shaped pieces of worbla.
after heating, roll up the triangle to make a spike. we repeated this 3 times.

then when you want to attach the spikes, simply reheat the bottom and press against the vambrace.

The next part we combined was the shape of the previous technique to the vambrace.
we finished it of by cutting of parts of the front and then adding a couple off layer of worbla.

The next thing we tried was to use some carft foam.

For this we tried to make a dagger

Step 1 : cutting & shaping craft foam

Step 2 : cutting & shaping the worbla, we had chosen to make a rhombus shaped overlay.

Step 3 : heating the worbla overlay layer per layer

Step 4 : adding a handle.

The finished product!

In the picture above you have a worbla smoothing comparison chart.

But,the most commen product used to smoothen worbla is Gesso.

Gesso: Gesso is an artists primer. It comes in white and black, and in various thicknesses. It’s one of the most common materials used for smoothing Worbla’s Finest Art.

Buying Gesso: You can buy Gesso at any art supply store, and I know I’ve even found it in Walmart on occasion. I highly recommend buying the heavy body version if possible, as it cuts your application time in half.

Application: Apply gesso in layers, allowing them to dry inbetween, until the worbla is completely covered. Sand smooth with sandpaper. Re-apply gesso to areas that need to be filled in. Repeat. For heavy body gesso you will likely apply 3-5 coats. For thinner gesso, close to 10 is normal.

Optional: Apply 1-2 coats of Lacquer or Shellac to help fill in smaller imperfections and create a smoother surface. Wood filler can also be used prior to the gesso to fill in large cracks and imperfections. Paint primer can be used after the lacquer for even more smoothness. These steps are all known in thanks to Coregeek Cosplay and Creations!

Results: It’s possible to get one of the smoothest surfaces possible with gesso, but how smooth will depend entirely upon your time spent sanding.

Pros: Gesso is cheap, easy to use, non-toxic and can be used in mom’s livingroom with easy cleanup. It doesn’t require special tools other than a dust mask while sanding. It can give a very very smooth surface, and does not have any issues with dripping/rippling in the surface, and remains flexible and resistant to chipping. Gesso is very easy to paint afterwards and does not require additional priming, and leaves single layer differences of Worbla detailing intact.

Cons: Gesso is very, very time consuming, requiring multiple coats and a lot of sanding. The larger the project, the more likely you’ll spend hours sanding pieces to get a smooth surface. It’s difficult to work around fine details like filigree or scales. It requires patience and time to achieve the look you want.

if you have any leftovers from your project, no matter how small, recuperate what you can.

we did this with our scraps

• reheat your scraps
• knead the worbla so it sticks together
• if the worbla has cooled down
• reheat
• and use something to roll the worbla flat with

then you once again have a bigger sheet of worbla