Abstract: Polymerized foam material in flat billet form is enclosed in a heat-retaining envelope and heated to forming temperature then promptly loaded into an innovative unheated forming press and accurately formed before cooling below forming temperature. The heat-retaining envelope has an expansive skin on one side and a contractive skin on the other side to facilitate bending without wrinkling or other distortion. The forming press utilizes a rigid male form punch and a spring-tensioned elastic belt, supported on a pair of variably-spaced rollers, initially presenting a flat compliant surface upon which the heated workpiece is placed. Pressure from the form punch progressively deflects the workpiece and the belt, which becomes a compliant mold member conforming itself and the workpiece progressively around the form punch to yield an article of required carved shape, free of wrinkles or tool creep distortions.