Worbla

Reinvention

Storytelling

Once a design has been approved I block out the initial shape in Polystyrene then create details with Wet buff clay (pottery clay). Then I pattern the worbla using a scissors. You heat the worbla with a heat gun and it begins to take the form of the sculpt (core or former). You can add details in layers as it sticks to itself. To take it off I like to use pressurised air. It help release it. This can then be painted with car paint or acrylic paint. It holds it shape and is light weight. It also come in a transparent form. You can see this in the puppet Lumo. It was lit from inside.

Material

Other

Craft

Other

General Technique

Forming and shaping
Other

Specific Technique

Heating:
These products activate at 90°C (195°F). Heating can be done with a heat gun or oven. Water is also possible but can be more difficult to control.
Once heated, the material will become flexible, malleable, stretchy and adhesive. When cool, they will return to a hard plastic.
Sculpting:
When activated, these Worbla sheets resemble warm beeswax: detail can be sculpted in but the plastic is resilient enough to avoid ‘squishing’ as you work.
Worbla can be combined to create a putty to sculpt from, or be added to an armature or form. No adhesive is required to attach Worbla to most forms or to itself. These types of Worbla can be reheated endlessly, and will cool in the shape they have been given. There is no shelf life for Worbla, a project can be worked on endlessly.
Molding:
Heated Worbla can be draped over a form and pressed into shape, pushed into a mold, or vacuformed. Complicated shapes may need you to work in sections, avoid undercuts, or have a second pair of hands to achieve a smooth look. A mold release is suggested for most molds to prevent the adhesive in Worbla from sticking.

Properties & Qualities

Application

Sculpture Other Art

Colour

Black Red Beige Other

Sample Information

Date of creation

2000

Dimensions

750mm x 1000mm

Culture & Context

I used the material to create large scale puppets for Macnas that have travelled the world and over millions people have seen them.

One was a character called Lumo and the other Gilgamesh.

Process & Production

Worbla is a thermoplastic. It comes in sheets of 750x1000mm. It is predominantly used in the Cosplay world to create masks and armour. It is a German brand of non-toxic thermoplastics that come in sheet and pellet forms. Each product in the Worbla’s Art Line has a specific use, color coded to help differentiate them at a glance.

From armor builds to fabric manipulation to gemstones, Worbla products are designed to help you build faster than traditional materials might allow, with a far more forgiving margin of error. When heated, Worbla plastics become pliable, adhesive and moldable – simply mold into the desired shape and allow to cool. Worbla plastics can be heated endlessly and have no shelf or pot life, require no specialized tools or ventilation, and can be used in small workspaces and classrooms without extensive safety gear. https://www.worbla.com/

Recipe Details

Use a heat gun to form it. Keep all off cuts at you can use them to sculpt small details

Credits

Craft Maker

Paul McDonnell

Library Contributor

National College of Art & Design Ireland

Photographer

Julia Dunning

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