Bevelling
Cutting foam edges at an angle rather than 90 degrees produces pieces that fit together with clean seams rather than visible gaps. A 45-degree bevel on both mating edges of a join produces a perfect fit. Bevelling requires a sharp blade and a consistent angle — a bevel jig (a simple angled guide) helps produce consistent results. The visual difference between bevelled and unbevelled foam joins is significant in the finished piece.
Heat Embossing
Pressing a pattern or texture into heated foam before it cools produces permanent surface texture that can't be achieved with paint alone. Sources for embossing tools: leather embossing stamps, metal objects with interesting textures, wire mesh, crumpled foil. The foam must be heated to the point of soft pliability (hot but not collapsing) for embossing to produce clean results.
Multi-Layer Construction
Layering different thicknesses and densities of foam creates the complex profiles needed for detailed armour pieces. Base layer establishes the overall form; detail layers add raised decoration; thin foam strips add bevelled edges and dimensional borders. Plan the layer structure before cutting: the sequence of bonding and the thickness relationships determine the final visual depth.