Cutting, shaping, edging, gluing and a few extra tricks, that is, how to get the most out of EVA foam.Also known as ethylene vinyl acetate.It approaches elastic, i.e. resilient, polymeric materials in softness and flexibility.It is strong at low temperatures, resistant to fatigue cracking, has good water resistance and is also resistant to UV radiation.It has almost no odor.Would you make armor?Let's see what supplies you will need!There are three main types:Templates and patterns are essential to get our work done.Of course, if we are skilled enough, we can create these templates ourselves, even with our free hands!Yet to make our lives easier, we can look for a foundation on which to work.Most of the time it’s simple, other times it can be a nightmare, especially if there are no existing “Pep” files and you need to find the shape and size by comparing the images.Pepakura or Paper Craft is the best way to set up patterns.The pep file is a 3D model that is mapped in 2D.You can read the article about Pepakura by Eclisse by clicking HERE!;)If this method is used, special care must be taken, as the dimensions may vary when joining the pieces due to the thickness of the foam!Tip!If your costume is symmetrical, it is enough to print or draw only one side of the template and cut it out, as it will reverse its reflection.Be sure to mark the pieces properly so that you don’t have a problem with this later when assembling.We can solve the preparation of the sample by taking our own body dimensions.The general method for this is to wrap the desired part of the body with cellophane (eg legs, arms) and then cover it with adhesive tape.We can draw a pattern for this with alcoholic felt, then we simply cut it and we have the template ready.We can also ask a friend for help if we want to make a template for our tribe.EVA is relatively easy to cut, but it destroys the blades.It can be cut with a number of tools, the most popular being Xacto knives, hot knives and scissors.Blunt blades require much more pressure and can rupture the foam instead of cutting.It is recommended to use a metal ruler when cutting straight lines.Scissors: Some people are much more confident in using scissors, as it is perhaps the safest of the tools listed.They are ideal for cutting rolled carpets, are easy to handle and give EVA a smooth edge.We will feel when the scissors no longer carry the foam properly, and then when the scissors squeeze in our hands, we can either throw out the scissors or we can sharpen them.Hot Knives: Accessories for the manual heat knife and soldering blades are also popular when cutting EVA, as you don’t have to constantly change or sharpen the blades.Obviously, there are those who don’t like to use them, there may be several reasons for this, such as being hot and keeping flammable things in the apartment, but it also requires maintenance (it needs to be kept clean because otherwise its heat and cutting ability will decrease).The material is easy to cut after selecting the tool.Personally, I use scissors for thinner foams and wallpaper cutters for thicker ones.It doesn’t matter if we need sharp angles or just bluntly sloping edges for our plan being made.Instead of a description, I would use this video to demonstrate the possibilities.Perfect nails can also be achieved by sanding the edge of the foam, but this is quite time consuming and a lot of dirt.For smaller pieces and finer cuts, blades are best suited for cutting edges quickly.The main tool here is the heat gun.The process is simple but takes time and patience.If we start to heat the foam from one end to the other, we can see which part has already been heated.After heating evenly;we can start formatting.Simple shapes such as curves and angles retain their shape after a treatment.If we want more complex shapes with domes, for example, we have to heat several times.This is complicated because if a large amount of heat is applied to the entire piece, it will lose its already set shape.To avoid this, heat the EVA in small increments and then shape.Wait until the material has cooled completely, otherwise it will not retain the set shape completely.Tip!We can warm up the EVA regardless of whether we are going to shape it.Once the foam has cooled, it becomes harder and retains its shape as well as makes painting easier.The secondary tool is the soldering iron.This can be used in many ways, such as allowing you to make folds and hard nails in one piece as it hardens the edges.Personally, I haven’t tried this method yet.There are not many ways to bond EVA foam.By far the most common and easiest solution is the glue gun solution.When gluing your project, pay attention to where and how the parts will fit together or that the pieces will fit together well.EVA, if painted immediately, will cause the paint to break due to tension and pressure.The best way to protect the paint from cracking is to apply a few coats of glue to the surface before painting or to cover it with varnish after painting.Tip!Carving glue or varnish?Unlike varnish, the adhesive is more flexible, making it more favorable for coating materials, as it does not break immediately under a slight tensioning effect.If you want to belong to a really good Cosplay group, we recommend the Mondocon Facebook community: www.facebook.com/mondoconosokThese were the highlights of the week from the world of e-sports.The coronavirus continues to squirm, but the gamer world is not braking!After all sporting events were shut down due to the epidemic, WTCR organizers also had to cancel the preseason but figured out how to make up for the races.The coronavirus is spreading, but thanks to the gaming world, you have it!