Creating muslin backdrops

[Fishman Dan]

Hi everyone ... my journey continues, I'm now looking at creating some backdrops. Partially to save costs, but I also have vast spaces outdoors to make them.

The background is I live in a rural area which means other than online sales or Marketplace, I am quite limited. Online sales are fine, but the backdrops I've seen so far are $200-300+, plus postage. I figure I can create some for less.

The stand I just purchased (literally throw-away price) is quite large, but I'm not convinced that it's heavy duty enough for a large canvas drop-sheet. So I am preferring muslin at this stage.

All the muslin tutorials I have seen so far are to create a tie-dye look. I'm not sure if that's what I want, I would prefer a mottled/dual colour outcome. Basically looking at combinations of grey/blue, brown/bronze/yellow?, and pink/purple.

This is a fantastic how-to, but it's for Canvas. The presenter even gives her opinion on pre-washed or not (and shows the results of both). Well worth a look. As she has done, I might consider a stronger beam.

Thanks in advnace.

 

[Gato Amarillo]

Skimmed through the video at double speed. Unless I missed something her technique is not much different than what I did back when I used to do my own backdrops.

First, if your stand is all that's holding you back from doing canvas, break down, spend a few bucks, and get a better stand. If you don't you'll regret it later. In those days I worked with 3/4-inch steel conduit on ceiling hooks, not with stands.

I washed my canvas but never ironed it. I liked the added texture.

Consider dying the canvas to a background color before you paint. Helps even things out.

I have used canvas from art supply stores, but have also used painter's drop cloths from places like Home Depot. If you do this be sure to get cloths that are one piece, not sewn up from smaller pieces. Unless you want the effect of the seams, which I sometimes did.

A photographer I worked with many years ago did fabulous 'old masters' backdrops using artist's oils and natural sea sponges. She would roll a dark brown paint on the background, then do the texture with sponges and oils. To do it well you need to be able to hang the backdrop against a hard wall, use plastic behind it to protect the wall. And you need a good eye for color.

You may not get what you want on the first try. Paint, let it dry, hang it and shoot some tests, then go back and improve the paint job as needed.

That's all I got for now.

Gato

 

[Fishman Dan]

Skimmed through the video at double speed. Unless I missed something her technique is not much different than what I did back when I used to do my own backdrops.

First, if your stand is all that's holding you back from doing canvas, break down, spend a few bucks, and get a better stand. If you don't you'll regret it later. In those days I worked with 3/4-inch steel conduit on ceiling hooks, not with stands.

I washed my canvas but never ironed it. I liked the added texture.

Consider dying the canvas to a background color before you paint. Helps even things out.

I have used canvas from art supply stores, but have also used painter's drop cloths from places like Home Depot. If you do this be sure to get cloths that are one piece, not sewn up from smaller pieces. Unless you want the effect of the seams, which I sometimes did.

A photographer I worked with many years ago did fabulous 'old masters' backdrops using artist's oils and natural sea sponges. She would roll a dark brown paint on the background, then do the texture with sponges and oils. To do it well you need to be able to hang the backdrop against a hard wall, use plastic behind it to protect the wall. And you need a good eye for color.

You may not get what you want on the first try. Paint, let it dry, hang it and shoot some tests, then go back and improve the paint job as needed.

That's all I got for now.

Gato

Thanks for your input.

Many of the videos seem to follow a similar path. I've watched quite a few now while I had some time to kill this afternoon.

The frame I have cost me $50 off Marketplace ... and it was meant to be $100 but she lost the backdrops she had (some of the kits have awful backdrops, so I'm pretty happy).

I guess I'm in that phase of 'Making it work'. I'd still like to try, but I think I'll use calico instead now - still 100% cotton, thicker than muslin, thinner than canvas.

• 2.8m wide calico = $14/metre (thinking of getting 4 metres, so $56)
• Dye = $14 per bottle
• Paint would be similarly priced

So looking at anywhere just shy of $100.

The cost analysis doesn't really stack up. I can buy a 3m x 6m muslin backdrop for $125 from a local supplier in 4 different patterns.

Kaleidoscope Brown Series Tie-Dye Cotton Backdrop 3m x 6m - Down to Earth

Feel the earth move under your feet, feel the sky tumbling down. The Spectrum Down to Earth Muslin will have you dreaming of the sun, the sand and the sea with its rich earthy brown tones dappled with greens and pinky reds. The unique Down to Earth muslin is mottle dyed and then carefully hand...

www.hypop.com.au

Bottom line is I think I'll try and make a couple, and purchase a couple. I already know a client would prefer the grey/mottled look, which is the easiest neutral to match to most client needs.

I think it's one of those things ... it would be good to be crafty and it looks easy, but 'results may differ'!

 

[A-Marc]

you can also dilute the paint with water(if water based), than layer up the paint in multiple

stages. you can let it dry during the stages or work wet in wet. it will save you paint and weight.

--

Marc R. A.

Explore Marc R. A.’s 746 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

http://www.marcalter.com

http://www.fivedaggers.com

 

[Ellis Vener]

Hi everyone ... my journey continues, I'm now looking at creating some backdrops. Partially to save costs, but I also have vast spaces outdoors to make them.

The background is I live in a rural area which means other than online sales or Marketplace, I am quite limited. Online sales are fine, but the backdrops I've seen so far are $200-300+, plus postage. I figure I can create some for less.

The stand I just purchased (literally throw-away price) is quite large, but I'm not convinced that it's heavy duty enough for a large canvas drop-sheet. So I am preferring muslin at this stage.

All the muslin tutorials I have seen so far are to create a tie-dye look. I'm not sure if that's what I want, I would prefer a mottled/dual colour outcome. Basically looking at combinations of grey/blue, brown/bronze/yellow?, and pink/purple.

This is a fantastic how-to, but it's for Canvas. The presenter even gives her opinion on pre-washed or not (and shows the results of both). Well worth a look. As she has done, I might consider a stronger beam.

Thanks in advnace.

Stands:
Are you shooting inside, outside, or both? As Gato suggests, get a better stand. Better yet, get two better stands and some sandbags. Since you do not mind buying used, get on Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, and eBay.

If you're only going to be working in your studio, when I was teaching studio lighting in the second class, I had my students make their own backdrop stands using five-gallon buckets, 2x4s, and a bag of quick-setting concrete.

backdrop advice:
As for painting your backdrop, there are some approaches I suggest you try.
1) just dye it as a solid color if that's what you want.
2) use a sponge soaked in dye.
3) Are there any painters in your area? I'm including house painters as well as fine art painters. Tell them what you want to do and ask for advice. Who knows, you might make some new friends and maybe even pick up some work.

--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio
“It's not about the f-stop." -Jay Maisel
Don't be "a photographer.” Be photographing. (Paraphrasing William Faulkner's advice to writers.)

 

[Fishman Dan]

Stands:
Are you shooting inside, outside, or both? As Gato suggests, get a better stand. Better yet, get two better stands and some sandbags. Since you do not mind buying used, get on Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, and eBay.

A mix. Ideally inside. The stand I purchased was a bargain ... I guess the good thing is with a 3-section horizontal bar, I can use as many parts as I need it to be wide.

Ironically I did a job for a neighbour a while back who had sandbags he no longer required, so I'm happily bagged up.

If you're only going to be working in your studio, when I was teaching studio lighting in the second class, I had my students make their own backdrop stands using five-gallon buckets, 2x4s, and a bag of quick-setting concrete.

The benefit with making anything is that I literally have a farm and as much space as I need to lay out, paint and dry any item.

backdrop advice:
As for painting your backdrop, there are some approaches I suggest you try.
1) just dye it as a solid color if that's what you want.

Lots of solid colour options, but I prefer to have something not quite as 'plain'. Hoping that a dye process isn't a 'consistent' colour and you get some mottling/feature patterns (by accident).

2) use a sponge soaked in dye.

Maybe a larger sponge to apply a dye after the initial soak? I'm open to ideas ... and being a practical person, often learn by *doing*.

3) Are there any painters in your area? I'm including house painters as well as fine art painters. Tell them what you want to do and ask for advice. Who knows, you might make some new friends and maybe even pick up some work.

Good thoughts ... there are all sorts of people and trades attached to some of the sporting clubs we participate in.

At the moment I'm pondering a $130 muslin vs a $450 muslin backdrop. I can only assume the cheaper one is lighter and more likely to wrinkle. Some great techniques on here about how to remove wrinkles without ironing.