How to Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Metal

Want your props and armor to look realistic? Then you need to know how to paint EVA foam to look like metal. This guide will give you the paints you need, prepping tips and how to weather after you finish painting.

How to Prep EVA Foam for Painting

Prepping your EVA foam for painting requires two important things:

• Heat seal – Take your heat gun quickly over the foam until the surface looks shiny and all the pores are closed. This will help get you a smooth surface.
• Prime – Prime your heat sealed foam with 2-3 layers of a flexible primer such as Flexbond or Plasti Dip. This will ensure the paint won’t crack and the foam won’t absorb it either.

What Paint Do You Use to Make EVA Foam Look Like Metal

• Metallic/metal acrylic or airbrush paint from brands like Vallejo, Folkart, Liquitex and Createx.
• Rub N Buff or other metallic gilding waxes
• Chrome airbrush paints such as AK Interactive Super Chrome, Ultimate Mirror Chrome, FusionFirm Liquid Chrome or ChromaAir
• Alclad II laquers
• Mix paints with Vallejo Metallic Medium

How to Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Gold or Brass

• Step 1. Base coat – After prepping your foam, paint a base coat with a matte black color. This will give realistic shadow and depth for antique golds or brass. If you want bright, reflective gold, do a base coat of gloss black and then a bright metallic silver or chrome.
• Step 2. Gold or brass paint – Use warm yellow-gold paint or metallic wax paint for golds. For brass, use a brass paint or mix a metallic gold with raw umber paint. Apply these in thin, even strokes.
• Step 3. Highlights – To add highlights to raised surfaces, rivets or sharp edges, lightly dry brush with a bright metallic silver or light gold.
• Step 4. Shadows – While your base coat will help for this, additional aging can be done by diluting a small amount of black or dark brown paint with water and wash it into recesses and corners. Then wipe away the excess with a paper towel.
• Step 5. Weathering – Washing or rust can be great to further age your golds and brass.

Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Copper or Rose Gold

• Step 1. Base coat – Apply a dark matte black or dark brown base to make the metallic layers look deep and realistic.
• Step 2. Paint copper or rose gold – Apply a metallic copper or rose gold paint lightly with a brush or sponge over the base coat.
• Step 3. Shadows or weathering – To create shadows or weather, use a wash with dark brown or black paint.

How to Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Silver

• Step 1. Base coat – Paint a base coat of solid black or dark gunmetal gray to add dark shadows in the recesses and the silver layers will pop.
• Step 2. Paint silver – Dry brush a metal silver acrylic paint in thin layers. In between layers, wipe off almost all of it with a paper towel. You will build up heavier coverage on flat areas.
• Step 3. Shadows or weathering – To create shadows or weather, use a wash with black paint.
• Step 4. Highlighting – Lightly apply a silver Rub n Buff or wax paint to sharp edges and rivets to simulate a bright reflective surface.

Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Chrome

• Step 1. Base coat – Paint a gloss black paint for your base coat. This is vital for that reflective, mirror chrome finish.
• Step 2. Paint chrome – Choose the right chrome paint and dust the coats in light layers from a short distance rather than one heavy wet coat.
  • Note: You want to let some of the black show and over-applying chrome paint will mute the mirror reflection and dull it to a silver.

How to Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Steel

• Step 1. Base coat- Paint a base coat of matte or satin black.
• Step 2. Paint steel – Dip a dry brush in a dark gunmetal or steel-silver acrylic paint and wipe most of it off the brush. Then brush lightly across the surface to only catch raised areas. Build this up in multiple thin layers.
• Step 3. Highlight – Dry brush a lighter silver paint on sharp edges, corners and rivets.
• Step 4. Shadows and weathering – Create grime in panel lines or corners by using a dark wash.

Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Iron

• Step 1. Base coat – Paint dark charcoal, dark metallic grey or gunmetal as a base coat.
• Step 2. Paint iron – Dip a dry brush in a steel-silver acrylic paint and wipe most of it off the brush. Then brush lightly across the surface to only catch raised areas. Build this up in multiple thin layers.
• Step 3. Highlight – Dry brush a light silver or tin paint on sharp edges, corners and rivets.
• Step 4. Shadows and weathering – Create grime in panel lines or corners by using a dark wash.

How to Paint EVA Foam to Look Like Black Metal or Gunmetal

• Step 1. Base coat – Paint dark charcoal, dark metallic grey or gunmetal as a base coat.
• Step 2. Paint gunmetal – Dry brush gunmetal grey or metallic black acrylic paint and wipe most of it off the brush. Then brush lightly across the surface to only catch raised areas. Build this up in multiple thin layers.
• Step 3. Weather – Add chipping with light silver paint or paint marker on edges.

How to Weather EVA Foam to Look Like Metal

Your different metal types will require different weathering techniques:

• Brass or Gold – Mix a little bit of black or dark brown paint with water. Then apply the wash mixture over the recesses. Wipe away excess from the high points with a damp cloth or paper towel. For brass, you can add verdigris rust as well by painting or using Dirty Down Verdigris.
• Copper or Rose Gold – Mix a little bit of black or dark brown paint with water. Then apply the wash mixture over the recesses. Wipe away excess from the high points with a damp cloth or paper towel. For copper, you can add verdigris rust too by painting turquoise or using Dirty Down Verdigris.
• Silver – To tarnish your silver, mix a little bit of black or dark brown paint with water. Then apply the wash mixture over the recesses. Wipe away excess from the high points with a damp cloth or paper towel.
• Steel – Mix a little bit of black or dark brown paint with water. Then apply the wash mixture over the recesses. Wipe away excess from the high points with a damp cloth or paper towel. You can also add fake rust with paint and cinnamon or Dirty Down rusts.
• Iron – Mix a little bit of black or raw sienna paint with water. Then apply the wash mixture over the recesses. Wipe away excess from the high points with a damp cloth or paper towel. You can also add fake rust with paint and cinnamon or Dirty Down rusts.
• Black Metal or Gunmetal – Simulate a chipping affect to raised surfaces or edges with a base layer of silver and liquid latex for masking, or just use silver paint or paint markers along the edges.
• Hammered metal – Dab your metal paint over the base coat with a dense sponge to create a textured appearance.

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