Cosplay tip - Plasti Dip

Whether you're an experienced cosplayer or just starting out, you've surely come across Plasti Dip spray during your learning and improvement journey. It creates a synthetic rubber coating that increases durability, flexibility, and mimics the look of leather.

My first experience with Plasti Dip came from the need to properly finish the surface of EVA foam. Yes, one of the most accessible and cheapest forms of priming is using standard white glue – and it works fine if your cosplay or costume ambitions aren't too high or if you're on a budget. But working with it is tedious, and the coated surface tends to crack. Or rather, with regular bending, the creases remain visible forever.

I had two products at my disposal: Hex and Plasti Dip. Since I am responsible for the annual genocide of innocent brushes that I manage to destroy after dipping them in various chemicals, Plasti Dip spray seemed like a more viable option. I knew I had to approach it with respect. I even read many warnings about how complicated working with Plasti Dip is.

Well, not at all. It's incredibly easy. You just need to take your time.

Applying Plasti Dip

Spray Plasti Dip onto a dry, clean surface from a distance of about 15 cm. Try to spray evenly. I found it best to work in layers from left to right. First one strip, then another right behind it, and so on. It depends on the complexity and structure of the object, but just 3 layers were enough for me. Even though it seemed at first glance (after the first layer) that all the tutorial videos were lying or that I was just clumsy, all the strange bubbles on the surface disappeared within a few minutes, and I was absolutely satisfied.

Plus, Plasti Dip smells… tolerable? It doesn't have that typical irritating spray odor we know from acrylic paints.

Painting Plasti Dip

I was even more surprised when it came to painting. I've painted on everything imaginable – plastics, faux leather, EVA foam, all sorts of fabrics. But ordinary, cheap acrylic paints (the ones in tubes) behaved like a bunch of well-behaved schoolkids. Brush strokes, visible at first, disappeared within a few seconds, and the first layer of paint on the Plasti Dip surface dried in about 30 seconds. That was a real surprise for me. Painting is a dream. And if you have experience with airbrushing, whatever you apply to a "Plasti-dipped" surface will look luxurious. I have no doubt about that.

And finally, regarding those promotional claims about flexibility, elasticity, and strength – believe it or not, they aren't lying at all. 🙂

I am truly as satisfied with Plasti Dip as I haven't been with any other EVA foam primer in a long time. Remember, creating costumes and cosplay doesn't necessarily have to be just about talent. A lot of the final product comes from having quality gear. Plasti Dip spray belongs in the workshop of every cosplay legend, so don't be afraid to reach for it yourself.

author Eva Lassler