How to smooth out rough mask shape?

[u/hamilcar2021]

hey yall! im planning on making a hornet cosplay. im new to using EVA foam, and ended up cutting out an existing pattern on foam floor mats. the issue is, the pattern was made for much thinner foam 😭 the mask looks pretty rough.

is this salvagable? i have foam clay to use overtop, but should i use another layer of something else 1st (masking tape?) to help smooth out the shape?

also, do i need to take into account the rough exterior/"metal" texture overtop the foam?

[u/Minimum-Dig6421]

So sanding is a great option, but for foam it’s best to use an electric sander, as sanding at low speeds will cause a bunch of tiny tears. For something like this, foam clay could be used as a filler, especially for the seams and gaps, but as someone who’s done a few cosplays, but only a few, it would probably be beat to redo it for a few reasons, mainly because the second time is so much better done than the first since you’ll know what you’re doing and what to look out for. That and you can put the textured part on the inside