Thermoplastic Overview
Worbla | Black Worbla | Thibra | Wonderflex
Introduction
Thermoplastic Definition: is a plastic material, a polymer, that becomes pliable or mold-able above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling.
For Thermoplastics, I created a categorical system in order to rank important characteristics of the thermoplastics. I hope this helps organize and highlight the differences between the multiple types of thermoplastics products out there.
The 5 categories are Adhesion, Smoothness, Sculptability, Flexibility, and Craftability:
- Adhesion scores the strength the product has when sticking to itself or other materials
- Smoothness scores the texture of the surface once the product is dried. This category includes how to prime. - Sculptability scores the ability to mold and manipulate product scraps. - Flexibility scores the ability the material can stretch and form to complex shapes. - Craftability scores the difficulty when handling the product and the learning curve. |
Worbla's Finest Art
If you would like to try Worbla's Finest Art for yourself, you can check out some prices here or www.worbla.com
Adhesion: 5/5 🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉
- WFA has a great self-adhesion quality; however, there may be a small downfall to this. If you place a piece WFA in the wrong spot, sometimes it can be difficult to take off and reapply without having minor damages.
- WFA scraps can be blended together pretty seamlessly: it may take a little elbow grease at times to achieve a completely smooth surface. Moreover, the scraps can easily be used as a "clay"-like material in order to achieve smaller details.
- WFA does not stick to foam. This can be a good or bad quality depending on the project.
- WFA has a bit of a texture when dry. It looks like fine sandpaper or small wood shavings; however, with the correct primer it can be smoothed out.
- WFA contains small wood shavings or wood pulp, so it is compatible with other wood products such as wood filler, etc. That means WFA can also be sanded.
- WFA can be primed with multiple different products depending on the project at hand. Wood glue or other types of glue will work for any solid sculpture that will NOT be exposed to any type of bending or tension (For example: a horn). Flexbond and Gessopodge (Gesso and Modpodge) are two primers that work excellent for projects that are exposed to a bit of bending (For example: any armor piece you slide into or large pieces that are not supported).
- WFA has the quality where you can combine heated scraps to create a "clay"-like consistency to sculpt with. Reminder that there are small wood shavings/wood pulp in the product, so the details can only be so fine.
- WFA can be sanded which can help create a crisp edges and ameliorate any unwanted texture to a certain extent.
- WFA has the ability to mold/create concave or convex curves. Keep in mind, the more the product stretches, the thinner it gets - exposing more of the bumpy texture.
- When creating female chest armor, the breast shapes will need to be double-layered if you are molding them on hemisphere shapes.
- WFA is EXTREMELY craft friendly! It does NOT stick to your hands.
- WFA and WBA probably have the easiest learning curve for beginners. These products are the easiest to use for the most iconic armor making process: The Sandwich Method.
Worbla's Black Art
If you would like to try Worbla's Black Art for yourself, you can check out some prices here or www.worbla.com
Adhesion: 4/5 🐉🐉🐉🐉
- WBA does not have as strong as an adhesive quality as WFA. If you want a strong hold, you will have to heat the product more than usual when piece parts together. I have learned that putting small strips on the underside of the project, where the seam line is, will help strengthen the seam.
- On the positive side to this quality, when a mistake is made, it is easier to undo the mistake without destroying a small part of the project.
- WBA does not have wood shavings in the product: therefore, the texture on the surface is finer and less rigid.
- WBA can be sanded; however it needs to be done with care in order to avoid re-heating the product, creating small burs along the edges.
- Since WBA does not have wood shavings in the product, you can NOT prime or use any wood products on the material without them chipping off.
- WBA can be primed with Flexbond, Gesso, and Mod-Podge. I recommend using more flexible primers.
- WBA is incredibly easy to sculpt with. This product has finer particles in it, making it easier to obtain those small, minute details. I find that sharper edges are easier to obtain with this product - the pinching technique has a sharper result with this product compared to WFA.
- WBA is able to mold and maintain any concave or convex curves.
- WBA is able to be used in a molding or 'Vacuum Form' type manner. However, it does not pick up every detail, but will maintain a large majority of the shape.
- WBA stretches out fairly decently. When draping the product over a hemisphere, there is a minimal texture created from stretching the material - far less than WFA.
- WFA is EXTREMELY craft friendly! It does NOT stick to your hands.
- WFA and WBA probably have the easiest learning curve for beginners. These products are the easiest to use for the most iconic armor making process: The Sandwich Method.
Thibra
If you would like to try Thibra for yourself, you can check out some prices here or www.thibra.com
Adhesion: 5/5 🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉
- Thibra has an extremely high level of adhesion. This product will stick to itself very easily, and will also stick to a plethora of other materials. The hardest thing is finding a non-stick mat to craft on.
- Thibra will stick to foams, woods, and even rubbers - which is great for any shoe work.
- Removing a mistake with Thibra will be difficult without destroying some of the product; however, it blends and smooths out incredibly easily. So, any scars or damage can be easily smoothed out and fixed.
- Thibra has the smoothest texture and consistency when compared to any other product I have worked with to date.
- Since Thibra is incredibly smooth, the only down side is painting and priming the product. I recommend priming Thibra with a flexible primer such as Flexbond, Gesso, or Modpodge OR use a spray primer that specifically says that it is made for plastic on the label.
- Do not FORGET to use a sealing spray on this material. It is vital to keep your paint safe and secure. I would recommend 3-5 layers of sealer depending on how crazy you are.
- Thibra cannot be sanded
- Thibra is fantastic for sculpting 3-dimensional objects. When heated the product can be used just like clay, and it will even take your fingerprints!
- Thibra is great for any organic shapes; however, trying to get a crisp angular edge takes some work - extremely similar qualities to clay.
- Thibra stretches the most out of any product in this review. When pulled far enough, the ends of the Thibra start to thin out incredibly thin and eventually break. Imagine pulling a kneaded eraser apart, but made of plastic.
- Thibra maintains it's extremely smooth texture even when stretched and pulled. The product's texture does not get bumpy the further it stretches when compared to WBA and WFA.
- Thibra is a wonderful material, however, it has a large learning curve - especially if you are trained on using WFA and WBA.
- Thibra has a lower heat point compared to many other materials.
- On a VERY important and helpful note: Thibra is not WFA or WBA, so it has qualities that are extremely different. Therefore, many of the methods used with WFA or WBA may not work the same way with Thibra. I would recommend using Thibra for mainly the casting method or using it in a 'Vacuum Form' type manner. It picks up an insane amount of detail (including your fingerprints) and can create some amazing textures. I would also recommend using Thibra for any 3D or "sculptural" type projects or details. I would NOT recommend using the "Sandwiching Method" method when using this product.
Wonderflex
If you would like to try Wonderflex for yourself, you can check out some prices here or www.wonderflexworld.com
Adhesion: 4/5 🐉🐉🐉🐉
- Wonderflex has two distinctively different sides: One side has an adhesion quality and the other side is made of a mesh that does NOT have an adhesion quality.
- Wonderflex is able to stick to itself fairly easily, but not too well to many other objects.
- Wonderflex has a smooth texture when dry: however, be careful to EVENLY heat the product to reduce any bubbling.
- Wonderflex must be primed with Gesso, Modpodge, or FlexBond
- Wonderflex cannot be sanded
- Wonderflex CANNOT be shaped or sculpted into objects or concave/convex shapes. This material needs to be flat patterned in order to achieve in complex shapes.
- Wonderflex has a mesh lining, therefore any scraps cannot be used to sculpt smaller details.
- Wonderflex is extremely RIGID due to the mesh lining.
- Wonderflex is MEANT to be rigid, so the material will be helpful for strong, supportive under structures.
- I recommend to mainly use this product for simple under structures that do not have any complex shapes.
- Personally, I grew up on Wonderflex since it was cheaper to buy. So, I learned all of my crafting vocabulary from working with Wonderflex before I transitioned to Worbla. It made the transition extremely easy because the craft vocabulary is similar.
- I find that Wonderflex is really easy to work with. Similar to WFA and WBA; however, there are some specific characteristics of Wonderflex that makes it annoying to work with - the bubbling and one-sided stickiness.