The first photo on this page shows the carving a little further along and the foam starting to chip away as we get to the cut line. The cut line prevents the chipping where you don't want it and you can see now where to stop the carving. I use a cheap, soft brush to clean the foam as I proceed. You can get a brush like this at any bargain store (99 cents, Big-Lots).
The second photo shows the base with the carving complete. This whole process took me about 10 minutes and even if this is going to be your first project, you will be able to do it in good time, without a large mess.
The third photo shows the base with a test vehicle to see if the angle is the way I imagined it. The Forces if Valor Stug is good for something like this because of it's size and it can be pressed into the foam and even rolled to make tread marks.
If you like the shape of the piece, you can sand the tool marks with the pliable pad or even your fingers. Dust the piece off and get it ready to seal so it can accept paint.
The fourth photo shows the piece with skewers stuck into the underside. This will keep it elevated so that it can be coated with a sealer all around.
For this project, I used Gesso to seal the foam. This is what painters use to seal and prime canvas and it's good for this application because it's water based, can be purchased in a small quantity, shrinks a little as it dries and can be sanded if necessary. Depending upon how smooth you want your surface to be, you can apply several coats with sanding in between or even mix it with spackle for more void filling. It's a perfect base for paint and will allow a mold to be poured over the carved foam.
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