Virtually any material can be used for making models. Usually a designer will select the type of materials he/she intends to use for the actual product for manufacturing the model. This will depend on the finish/style that he/she wants or the needs of the client/customer. However, light weight materials are the must suitable for initial models.

Art straws are ideal for making model structures and for testing shapes for strength. They come in a range of colours, shapes and sizes and can be glued or taped together. A good example of a model made from art straws is a model bridge.

Coloured card is supplied in a range of colours, shades and thicknesses. Card that has different colours on each surface can even be bought . Card is suitable for models especially the early stage of making a series of models.

A good example of card as a modelling material is in the manufacture of a prototype board game.

Corrugated card is quite thick and relatively strong. It is used for the manufacture of initial / rough models as it can be cut and shaped easily and is relatively cheap. It can be salvaged from cardboard boxes and sellotaped together to form models.

Foam boards are lightweight and easy to cut and shape. they are ideal for model making although they can be relatively expensive.

Card clad foam board is form with thick card applied to either surface.

Depron is a polystyrene foam, much lighter than balsa wood and can be cut with a sharp blade, sawn with a fine toothed modelling saw or fretsaw with a very fine blade. It can be sanded and smoothed using the usual files and abrasive papers (eg. wet and dry paper).
Glue guns can be used to join depron or zepron although solvent free glues can also be used effectively. Glues such as UHU POR or POLY ZAP are amongst the most suitable.

Water based paints can be used to apply colour and even solvent free markers are suitable.

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