I think I just found one of my new favorite channels on KZfaq. Your personality is awesome and you're so clearly knowledgeable! Thanks for the great work!!

if only all youtube tutorials were like this. Thats a great video, very informative especially on the filler trick for paint

Excellent video Mel, I scratch built a thunderhawk gunship out of plastic card, sprayed ultramarine blue, melting, then used a product called plastic primer, which you get from halfords for around the same price as a can of primer. Done the job, and was able to use spray paint on the model with no issues. Keep up the good work Mel.

I'm making my first XPS foam terrain piece and this video has helped heaps. I'll spray undercoat tomorrow, once I've let the watered down mixed filler dry overnight.

I'm so glad I found your channel, you've been an inspiration. Cheers.

Found your channel today. You are 100% wholesome and your videos have been so helpful already!

I'm glad I stumbled upon your video. I tried your method on a project for my son and it worked perfectly! Thanks a bunch!

This is amazing and seems so obvious now. How did it take me 4 years to find this? This will save so much time.

Very useful tips, Mel. You're full of them.

Genius! I tried it last night to see what happens and it works! Love it.

As always this was exactly the video I needed for the weekend! ❤️

Mate the history lesson is more than welcome!

Mel, that history lesson was great. It just added a mee stop on my travel list when I get to travel Europe here in a few years when my girls are old enough.

Another cracking video! Loved the little history lesson. Thanks again!

I liked the history lesson. Thanks Mel

Excellent video with vivid explanation.

Have come across this video whilst doing some Halloween craft. I really love your presentation, you can tell you love what you do. Thank you for the tips 👍

Thanks so much! Gonna give this a try tonight. Much appreciated!

Love the lessons and the History.

Great technique Mel

Wow, this is super informative! Thank you so much

Great techniques, thanks

You can seal the surface with many different things if you want to use spray paints on EPS. My preference is for mis-mixed latex house paint (I think I've heard you refer to it as "emulsion paint"). But I would only do this if there were some specific thing I wanted to use a spray for. In particular, I've used that kind of sealer before using rock-texture sprays to get a fairly convincing rock look with foams. If I just want color, there are better ways than a spray can, IMO.

Thanks for the great advice.

Thank you this was awesome.. I'm going to use these techniques for my project(Dan)

Great video

thank u so much for explaining the propellant. now i know! 😊

so glad i saw this. I actually want a rock like texture so i'm gonna try to melt a piece as a test :)

You get an abo here. I lost my first terrain bay using wrong spraying primer.

Great explanation

watered down PVA glue also works great as a primer for the spray paint!

Good work

Mod podge with paint mixed in can be used a primer. Not only does it cover well but it also harden's the foam adding to durability. So no need to go outside (especially as it is 16 below right now in my neck of the woods) Then, paint for desired effect. You can then use a polyurehtane seal on top. To make sure you don't damage your project, Minwax brand spray is the only one that will NOT melt XPS or EPS foam, provided you stay a minimum of 12 inches and do small passes going back and forth and repeat a few times when your coat is dry. Not my idea, got this from Balck Magic Craft..

Just stumbled across your channel, and I’m happy I did, I don’t comment on KZfaq, but thought I’d make an exception, thanks for the excellent work.

Great info here, very-informative, did NOT know that about the propellant-effect on foam!! Can I ask what type & brand-filler you're using there?

lol on the inside the studio view of EPS that was the first thing I thought of "that could be a texturing technique" lol

Great vid

Oooh, you can use that melting effect as a feature to get a rough, volcanic, or burnt-out rock texture. :)

My oh my…. That idea of using it for texturing really hit the excitement up to a 10!!! Lol (good video though 👍)

I'm really thankful for your video! God bless you. What is the product name that you use to protect the foam? Fila? 🤣 I do not understand... Thanks

I've found with some terrains you might want the styrene to melt. Such as an extraterrestrial planet or a dry desert. I now know how to keep my garden plants green all year around though.

Always wanted to know how to do this without buying expensive paint or using a long process. Thanks.

Amazing

Great video, very useful information. I am going for the filler method, it seems to also increase paint coverage. Maybe also fills the small gaps in the EPS surface?

BRAVO!!!!!!!! That was like a MAGIC TRICK!!!!!!!! I'm MORE impressed with that then sawing a lady in half!!!!!!! Please Mel don't saw a lady inhalf!!!!!! Well unless she's a mini and going in a tank turret hatch LOL:)!!!!! GREAT JOB BUDDY!!!!!!!

Can you use an airbrush with acrylic paint directly on to styrofoam without it melting?

exactly the video I was looking for🧨 im just getting ready to seal a diorama and dont want to use modge podg. I find it never ready cures hard enough. going with tamiya clear...🤞

modgepodge and paint mixed together make a great sealer and strenghtener

I’m thinking of making a prop using xps foam, can I use the filler and spray filler then sand or wet sand it, also what filler did you use?

Really useful video. I was wondering if you have any tips for spray painting over the winter as I find spray painting outdoors can leave a nasty texture from the spray cans

Thanks Mel. So since the propellant is the problem Airbrushing acrylic paints onto XPS is risk free? Or are there traps too?

Really enjoyed this thank you. I’m about to get some polyfilla & get cracking with this. Wanted to ask how to get rid of the styrofoam bubble effect to leave a smoother finish. Would you apply a few coats of filler maybe?

Great video. I've heard that a coating of wood glue works also.

Quick question, what reason would you use spray paint and not acrylic? I was looking to make a sea container like you did but I was looking to do one for a 6 inch figure diorama.

Mate, awesome job on your channel. I just found it. I have a question, because I am from Greece, I would like to know the brand or the kind of the filler you use, because the market is saturated with differents products. Once again fantastic work and great information

All about ModPodge, Bose . Mixed with any acrylic paint for your base coat. I use car primer on this and works a charm with light passes . Eps , XPs , foam core, works on everything and very inexpensive

Thank you once again Mel. What about a coat of PVA or Mod Podge?

Hey there ....terra trainer...I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides.Hey there ....terra trainer...I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides. Hey there ....t...I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides.Hey there ....terra trainer...I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides. Hey there .......... Mr Tutor... I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides.Hey there ....terra trainer...I really liked your video of especially the filler being used to get a smooth paint job. Since I am a beginner @ Dioramas...and am making for the first time an Airport along side an Indian village ...coz that's where I live( south western India) ,town of the Krishna temple , Udupi. Now coming to my query, I am currently making my own planes for the airport as, thats the fun part...and not just buyin stuff ....from anywhere...so since this is a CARGO Aeroplane I have begun work on...could you tell me.....if an aerosole spray paint ...of glossy type which I have ...would give a realistic finish to the whole aircraft...? Or even here I might wanna use the FILLER......like you mentioned...for the glossiness??? SO...should the FILLER be part of every glossy paint job? Also for your info...in the airport-village diorama .....for the air crafts ......., I am using a FOAM BOARD ..which in...India looks more like a chart paper ..2-3 millimetres thick and has a smooth surface ...on both sides.

Is Xps the same a blue Styrofoam? And expanding foam polystyrene

😂 I love 💕 the accent...

Mel; Any ideas on how to DIY a filler like product? I thinking for my Winter 2019 layout expansion to use your spray technique for the mass of scenery, but all that filler. OMG. So what about thin paper mache, strips of cloth soaked in some sort of glue/paste/tack, or thinned down (homemade) sculpt-a-mold for resurfacing? Great tutorial. Especially considering you & your paint pot isn't ass over tea pot. SEE YOU DOWN THE LINE. Jim

I've never warmed my spray primer before, is that a climate thing? Or something that always helps?

You are awesome!!! What is this filler called in the US please?

Krylon, rustoleum and testors all make foam primers, i used krylon primer and the flat camo green on my rc foamie

Yes, the melting is deffo caused by the paint solvent and not the gas propellant 👍

Watered down PVA as a base coat before paint? Acrilic primer liquid for the concrete walls?

Quick question: does the expanding foam have the same problem of melting?

The filler. Is it dry wall putty?? or what exactly is it.

I was thinking you could use the melting action of the paint to texture your foam instead of carving. It could pass for swampy ground, river bank, rough concrete/rock. I'll get back you on that.

All I want is some clear primer to coat some EPS panels that I have already successfully painted. But it seems impossible to find. Hours and hours searching and still no luck, and I can't risk melting these as they're cut to specific QRD mathematics and would cost way too much to get more done.

Yea

Mel where did you get the microphone your using on the videos your using

yeah

EPS XPS Styrofoam . . . I use the foam stuff that they package TVs and such with. What is that foam made of? Anyone . . ..

Minwax polycrylic sealer works to seal the foam brush it on to get a thicker coat its water based as well so no issues you can use any spray cans then!!

Yeah ! Three thin coats for the win ! Thank you so much for all your great tips, my younger kids (5 &7) now think I am a genius in terrain making ^^. I can even make them actually do terrain stuff (and their favorite part is applying filler, don't know why :)) I have also used water based spray cans that don't seem to melt foam. Well they did not so far. Keep up the great job, I love your channel.

Excellent video! Thank you! I make feral cat shelters out of discarded styrofoam I find. I usually use acrylic porch or deck paint, but this would be much faster, especially if I have to make an emergency shelter.

u could easily place a stick or thin metal piece to hold foam away from you while spraying it, just a tip.

what is filler?

Liquitex has a range of water-base acrylic spray paint that are safe for foam, but they are terrible for small projects because their valves tend to get clogged fast.

Water based acrylic craft paints work well. Just go with around a fifty-fifty mix of paint and water.. Apply with a cheap airbrush kit.

I use craft acrylic paint in a airbrush if you do not have an airbrush you can put craft acrylic paint with a 50/50 mixture a water and paint into a spray bottle and spray it on just make sure that when all the painting and stun that you seal it up what a sealer I've never had problems with any melting using acrylic

Another idea for thouse who have an airbrush. If the melting problem is in the propellent - just get rid of it - drain the paint from the can and put it in the airbrush.

What exactly is this filler? Joint compound?

What is filler

I like to see those bees on your garden :)

What is "filler"?

I had to go through 9 adverts (skipped) today just to get the vid. Otherwise good information.

I’m building a Buster Sword out of insulation foam.

Just paint it acrylic or reg outdoor paint. Then spray paint if u want.

Love you Mel. But. You're fundamentally wrong on this one. I can't speak for all companies (they all use their own formulas) but, I can guarantee that the the can of grey plasti-kote primer you have on the table uses propane as a propellant. Try turning on a propane torch without lighting it and passing it over foam and see if it melts. It does however contain acetone to thin the resin in the paint and is used because it dries quickly. What your doing in this video is holding the can far enough away to allow the acetone to dry before the paint hits the foam. Oh, also on your last video... it's usually not the nozzle that gets clogged up. Usually it's the rubber seal just beneath the nozzle that does. It will get paint on it and stick thus, not allowing it to evenly distribute the paint to the nozzle, creating the mess and that will clog up the nozzle.

In-credible. I needed this video BEFORE I PRIMED THE WALLS I CARVED. What they melted into, defies belief. Bitter. Still in disbelief.

Please stop telling people that it is the propellant that is damaging the foam. What’s doing the damage is the solvent and or the carrier for the paint. Water based acrylic and latex paints use the same basic propellant and do not damage the foam.

You're a funny Guy but anyway, thx for the learning.

It's not the propellant. It's the solvent they use for the paint. By spraying from a distance, you are allowing the paint to partially dry. Alcohol based white pigment spray shellac will seal the foam without melting and you can paint it with whatever you want after the shellac dries

So the trick is to use spray cans the way you should always use them? At distance, upright and light coats. Surely they should be able to figure this out for themselves lol

I have no clue WHAT this thing called filler is your using. Needs scenario explanations, it looks like something we call SPACKLING here in the states. You might want to hold the can up close to the camera so we can read the ingredients labels or something. No clue what brand name either.

Less lectures more hands on

Very good tips but a bit to hyper for my taste. Relax man, take it easy.

This is embarrassing but what is filler ? I’m new to the hobby