using a dust mask while dealing with this is my heartly advice for everyone

50 years ago, a friend of mine, used to make things out of Styrofoam, and then bury them in sand and pour molten aluminum in to the foam. Of course, the foam would burn away the same way wax does and loss wax casting. It was really cool.

Thanks for mentioning the dust. Even if you use it a dust-making material/process, many people's lighting and vision will not pick up  up the fine particles flying around. Respirator, or at bare minimum a dust mask, is recommended to save your lungs.   As someone who has known generations of artists/makers, and some of the old-timers who now regret not wearing PPE, please be smart/safe creators!

As someone who works almost exclusively in the digital space, it's a delight to watch an experienced hand work with materials I have no exposure to.

I don't think I'd ever work with foam just because of the cleanup though, but this was a fascinating watch all the same.

Anyone else getting goosebumps when he cuts the foam?😅

Warning: that dust is STICKY 😅

What I love about your videos is that you remind me of those old season industry pros I used to see at the county fair plying their trade and WELL rehearsed speal. Not that this is well rehearsed but you have the same level of expertise that oozes out of everything you say.

I used to go to the county fair every year with my dad when I was a kid. He used to have a booth every year and I would go with him and spend all day watching vendors repeat the same road weary scripts. It was truly a highlight of my year. You could ask these old timers ANYTHING to do with their business and they would go on for AGES with real lived industry experience. Truly unprecedented access to true died in the wool tradesman.

I LOVE and appreciate you sharing your knowledge SO much. THIS is what YouTilube was meant for. To document and preserve industry professionals, such as yourself, sharing their knowledge for future generations. Bless you kind Sir. You are a delight. And your wisdom is priceless.

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm here to watch you create, Robert. Whether mold or mannequin it's All Good. Whatever you want to do. 🤩

Good to practice sculpting with foam or clay.

Accidental divots are our chance to learn 😁

"Thumbs up" before even hitting play.
I already know.

Gorilla Glue's polyurethane glues are another option for gluing foam, they're foam and not quite as hard as an epoxy joint nor rubbery as a hot melt glue joint.

Since we're already in a molding and casting frame of reference, we should also remember that we can make/cast our own PU foam blocks. We're already using silicone and resin materials from Smooth-On and similar companies, they all have various densities of liquid foams we can mix and pour to make material stock virtually any size we need!

Just watching this makes my eyes itch

A tremendous video and in all honesty, based on my relentless study of sculptors material videos on YouTube, definitely the clearest no nonsense explanation of what foam is. Excellent communication all the way through. Bravo.

I like your unplanned way of projects. I gather a whole bunch of things and it tells me nope, that wouldn’t work, yup, use that. Only thing planned is base. It’s more fun when a projects tells you what to do. You sense it. It’s fun watching you.

Sparklies everywhere, including your lungs - wear a dust mask, folks.

I really love your sculptures just from an artistic standpoint. Like Noguchi but with a lot more humanity and expression.

🗿🗿🗿 Easter Island heads are called moai FYI

Robert, it's actually a blessing (for us, anyway) that you made a mistake. First of all, it shows that no matter how much experience you have, you'll always make mistakes, Second, it shows how to fix a blunder. Thanks so much for sharing!!
BTW- Why wouldn't you use a hot wire cutter for a project like this?

Looks like an Easter Island Moai, but WAY cooler!!!