Balsa-Foam ® Available at AMACO, Ideal for Child-Friendly Art Lesson Plans

This month AMACO, a leader in the arts and crafts industry, adds Balsa-Foam ® to its extensive catalog.

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) May 2, 2009 -- This month AMACO, a leader in the arts and crafts industry, adds Balsa-Foam ® to its extensive catalog. When cut with carving tools, this child-friendly product experiences little resistance; thus, the chance of a tool slipping is significantly reduced and safety is as optimal as the results are detailed. Younger students can also enjoy Balsa-Foam ®, as it is easy to sculpt with filing boards and wooden picks. This truly is foam like no other.

AMACO offers two densities of Balsa-Foam ®- 5 lb. (easier to carve; best for children) and 10 lb. (holds intricate detail and offers older students and artists alike the opportunity to create the positive master for a negative image, thus block printing is easy and inexpensive). In addition to various sizes available in both densities, five class packs are offered in the 5 lb. density. Teachers can visit AMACO.com for Balsa-Foam ® to incorporate this easy-to-use modeling material into classroom projects.

While some experts have used high-powered chainsaws to create art with Balsa-Foam ®, students and certain artists are more comfortable using some of the myriad texturing tools (http://www.amaco.com/shop/category-65-tools-accessories.html) available at AMACO. AMACO's extensive catalog of sponges, knives and hardwood tools represents just a handful of the texturing tools available through the website. With Balsa-Foam ® students can use both traditional and non-traditional shaping methods, offering unlimited creative possibilities.

For the first-time or novice Balsa-Foam ® user, the experts at AMACO have generated some helpful tips for getting started. First, most glues work well with Balsa-Foam ®; however, maintaining the adhesive inside the desired shape is necessary to avoid glue seams. Water-based and solvent-based paints work well with Balsa-Foam ® and are a great way to personalize any given project. Only non-toxic paints are recommended for use with children. Balsa-Foam ® is non-toxic, yet goggles are suggested for sanding projects to avoid potential eye irritation.

Art lesson plans (http://www.amaco.com/amaco-lesson-plans) are not the only way to incorporate Balsa-Foam ® into art projects. Balsa-Foam ® remains an attractive option for design engineers due to its swift and easy-to-use construction. The artist Paul Stevens even went so far as to create a spacecraft scale model based on the original creation by director James Cameron for his 1986 sci-fi blockbuster "Aliens."

Many AMACO customers are interested in clay molds (http://www.amaco.com/shop/groups-8-brushes-tools-supplies.html) and other mold designs to create their next masterpiece. So when they visit AMACO for Balsa-Foam and Balsa-Foam II, they can also find the tools that are needed. Many of those tools are used for clay as well as with clay molds.

For further information about Balsa-Foam ® or inquiries regarding any of the supplies and equipment available through American Art Clay Company visit www.AMACO.com, or call (800) 374-1600.

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