STYROFOAM brand foam crafts

Rectangle Wall Sculpture

How hip! Create your own custom retro décor with the original retro craft material - STYROFOAM™ Brand foam.
   Completion Time - 
2-4 hours
   Designer - 
Kathleen George

Materials

STYROFOAM Brand Foam
  • Sheet, 36" x 12" x 1"
Other Materials
  • Acrylic paints: black; red iron oxide; white; yellow
  • Brushed metallic satin-finish spray paints: platinum; copper; gold
  • Pre-mixed mediums, 16 oz.: stucco; spackle
  • Balsa wood strips: 1/2" x 3/16" x 36", three;
  • 1/2" x 1/2" x 24", two; 1/4" x 1/16" x 36"
  • Fine-gauge craft wire

Tools

  • Serrated knife
  • Candle stub or paraffin
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Paintbrushes, 1": firm; soft flat
  • Putty knife, 1"
  • Disposable palette
  • Small disposable bowls, four
  • Measuring cup and spoons
  • Water basin
  • Paper towels
  • Scissors
  • Small coping saw
  • Craft snips
  • Fine to medium sandpaper
  • Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
  • Thick, white craft glue

Instructions

  • 1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Refer todiagram to cut foam sheet into appropriate pieces. Smooth cutedges with fingertips.
  • 2. Mix 1-1/3 c. stucco medium with small amount red iron oxidepaint in small bowl; add a drop or two each of yellow andwhite paints to create light coral color and mix well. Removea bit less than half of light coral mixture to second bowl;add more white paint to create pale coral color and mix well.Cover bowls with damp paper towels.
  • 3. In third bowl, add a drop or two of black paint to smallamount white stucco medium to create gray color. Cover bowlwith damp paper towel. Note: Paint colors can change as theydry; test colors on scrap foam.
  • 4. Using firm paintbrush and diagram as guide, spread thin,even coat of stucco onto appropriate foam piece, covering topand sides only. Create one rectangle at a time to preventuneven drying.
  • 5. Use putty knife to smooth surface of stucco. Dip softpaintbrush in clean water to lightly smooth foam edges whereexcess stucco tends to accumulate.
  • 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to cover rectangles with appropriatecolors; let dry completely. When dry, sand any imperfections.If needed, apply second light coat of stucco; let dry.
  • 7. Mix 1/2 c. spackle with 1 T. water in small bowl to createeasy-to-spread mixture. Apply mixture to long, thin strips offoam, creating as smooth a surface as possible. When foamstrips are dry, refer to painting diagram and spray paint onerectangle gold and remaining with two to three coats ofplatinum; let dry.
  • 8. Cut 24" balsa strips to 20" long using coping saw with fineblade; sand cut end smooth. Spray paint 20" strips and 1/16" x1/4" x 36" strip copper and remaining strips platinum; let dry.
  • 9. Use craft snips to cut these lengths from long copper woodstrip: 12"; 7-3/4"; 6-1/2"; 5-1/2"; 4-3/4"; 4"; 3-3/4";3-1/8"; 1-3/8".
  • 10. To create design grid framework, arrange two 20" woodstrips vertically on work surface, parallel to each other and16" apart. Center and glue three 36" strips horizontallyacross copper strips at 4" from top, center, and 4" from bottom.
  • 11. Refer to diagram to glue darker coral squares andrectangles to grid, followed by light coral and grey squaresand rectangles. Glue metallic foam strips to tops of lightcoral and grey pieces.
  • 12. Refer to diagram to glue wood strips in place; most narrowstrips will be glued onto backs of rectangles with exceptionof two strips glued to surface of top coral pieces.
  • 13. Cut two 3" lengths from wire; twist ends together to formhangers. Glue loops to vertical wood strips at top back ofwall sculpture. Let dry completely before hanging.If you enjoyed this project, look here for more inspiring ideas:Architectural FinialsButton CubeTwig Wall Art