"Homemade Backdrops"

[cckarting]

I have a background support and i was wondering if anyone had any ideas of what might work as cheap backdrops? Thanks.

[AC_Photo]

I bought a canvas drop cloth at Home Depot and dyed it black. Turns out it's not 100% cotton, so it has white speckles, and more of a charcoal gray color, but it works well. It doesn't look like much up close, but it works well none the less. The dye ain't cheap though, you need a lot of it.

[cckarting]

I bet you would need alot of dye..lol. How big of a piece of canvas can u buy? Thanks.

[coreypolis]

what size and material are you looking for?

cheep backdrops, walmart sheets.
seamless paper if you can get it local is cheep, 9' wide roll is like $40.
Muslin can be bought used for pretty cheep

[FlashZebra]

If you want a cloth backdrop without seams (9 or 10 foot wide), then the only inexpensive option is just to purchase an inexpensive backdrop.

Fabric that is 9 or 10 feet wide, without seams, is just not commonly available. And if you could find it, it would likely be from some specialty outlet and might cost more than a commercial inexpensive cloth backdrop.

Fabric Barn, or Fabric Warehouse, or Fabric Buy-Lo, or Fabric Ya-Ya, just does not carry fabric wide enough for an unseamed 9 or 10 foot backdrop.

The available inexpensive commercial backdrops are about the least expensive cost of admission.

Enjoy! Lon

[LBaldwin]

Hey,

I bought raw muslin from a theatrical supply house and painted my own. I bought 3 diff colors of grey, and had a real blast doing the background.

First buy the largest background material that you can get your hands on. What londuck said is spot on.

First lay and tape down enough plastic to cover your entire project and a border of at least 3 ft. Then tape down your muslin to that.

I used the base layer of very dark and thinned grey paint. Then for the next color if you will, I used a soft spong to paint and splatter the color over several diff areas without creating an apparent pattern. Then after that was dry. I thinned the lightest color so that it would pass through a spary bottle and sprayed squirts and spots all over the background. BTW this was fun. The background lasted for 14 years and look great with wrinkles, holes, tape etc. Finally some mice did it in.

I hope this helps, but really the backdrops have gotten so cheap that you should be able to get what you want for around $100.00.

Les

[stckciv]

I bought a canvas drop at Home Depot as well and dyed it black. I believe it was like a 10x16 or something like that. Cost was $20

[stanc30]

Dido on Home Depot version.

E-bay: photography backdrops ---seller: Amvona ...just purchased a 10X16 lightweight muslin so BLACK it's scary.

Wal-mart in the $2.00/yard pile, a terrific no wrinkle fabric in white and another black 60" across for individual portraits.

And, our local Hancock's Fabrics having $1.99/yard sales.

One of our local photography stores had a 12' paper roll for a supper price because it had a "crease" in the shipping box...can't even notice it in the paper, it's out on the far edge of the roll.

Happy hunting...and Merry Christmas too!

[shoegirlie]

Joann 40% off coupon for 120" wide muslin--it's a good weight, too.... Comes in white, black and a tan color. It's usually about 6.99-9.99/yard. The coupon obviously makes a big difference...

[cgratti]

Buy muslin, white. and 1 container of dye..... follow this guys directions http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/chaep-diy-muslin-photography-background and they come out pretty good.. I have 2 I made already...

[cckarting]

Thanks for all the help.

[FlashZebra]

I bought a canvas drop at Home Depot as well and dyed it black. I believe it was like a 10x16 or something like that. Cost was $20
But my guess is that it had seams.

Enjoy! Lon

[tim1960]

I bought some Muslin at WalMart. Don't remember the price but not very expensive. From there, you can dye it the color you want.

[akhoopes]

you can go to a fabric store, they sell 108 inch wide muslin material about 4-6 dollars a yard, so easch 108x12 foot backdrop is around 25 dollars, i get mine in nc hope this helps

[FlashZebra]

you can go to a fabric store, they sell 108 inch wide muslim material about 4-6 dollars a yard, so easch 108x12 foot backdrop is around 25 dollars, i get mine in nc hope this helps
I have never been able to find muslin material this wide. And, I have looked in many fabric stores.

Can you cite the particular store(s).

I would also suggest a backdrop be at least 20 feet long, and 24 feet is more practical.

Enjoy! Lon

[Phil Light]

I have never been able to find muslin material this wide. And, I have looked in many fabric stores.

Can you cite the particular store(s).

I would also suggest a backdrop be at least 20 feet long, and 24 feet is more practical.

Enjoy! Lon

Do you have a JoAnn Fabrics store anywhere nearby? Try this: http://www.joann.com/index.jhtml

They carry 108" and 120" wide. The regular price is from $4.99 & up. I usually get them 6 yards long. On average they're less than $20 each. If you sign up for email notifications, they send 40 & 50% off coupons all the time. Its Lightweight & easy to dye. I've made several of these "DIY" backdrops.

[Phil Light]

Here are a couple of examples.

[mbellot]

Very nice, but how did you get the mottled finish in the lighter one?

The second looks tie-dyed, but I just can't figure out the first.

[TMR Design]

Nice Jeff! I also like the first one a lot. I've only been able to find material that was 72" wide at best and most is either 54" or 60" which is great for head shots and tighter portraits.
I did have someone local sew three 54" panels together with a seam that's pretty well hidden as long as you bunch up the background and then the seams go away. It's not always the look I want so I'm looking for other alternatives.

[Phil Light]

I was told that the only material that comes wider than standard (whatever that is) is muslin.

As much as I hate to admit it, the second, darker one was a botched attempt at dying the sheet completely black. I just got in too much of a hurry, and used a tub that was too small. But after I saw how it turned out I felt like it was still something I could use, or if I change my mind, and buy a little more dye, I can still go back and dye it black.

The lighter gray one turned out the way I wanted it. I followed the instructions from this link: http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/chaep-diy-muslin-photography-background (also listed above by cgratti). Actually it's the lighter one that was "tie-dyed", but instead of gathering up handfuls and tying them up tight as you normally would to get the traditional circular "bulls-eye" tie-dyed effect, you just kind of gather the entire sheet and loosely tie the whole thing in a bundle. BTW - I picked a medium gray color dye for the first one.

Regarding where to buy the material, the only place I know of where I live is JoAnn Fabrics. I know they sell this material in their stores and online in 108" & 120" widths (mine are 108"), and its not hard to find 40% & 50% coupons, but I don't know what their shipping costs are.

[Nocturnus]

I made a few of these from 108" wide and 12ft long ('m only shooting pets and head shots). Red is a hard color for me to dye, came out more pink then anything, but it's still fine. I think i'll make a few 108" x 24ft ones soon..

[mbellot]

As much as I hate to admit it, the second, darker one was a botched attempt at dying the sheet completely black. I just got in too much of a hurry, and used a tub that was too small. But after I saw how it turned out I felt like it was still something I could use, or if I change my mind, and buy a little more dye, I can still go back and dye it black.

Well I quite like it, I'd say try again for black with another sheet of muslin - this one is quite cool.

The lighter gray one turned out the way I wanted it. I followed the instructions from this link: http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/chaep-diy-muslin-photography-background (also listed above by cgratti). Actually it's the lighter one that was "tie-dyed", but instead of gathering up handfuls and tying them up tight as you normally would to get the traditional circular "bulls-eye" tie-dyed effect, you just kind of gather the entire sheet and loosely tie the whole thing in a bundle. BTW - I picked a medium gray color dye for the first one.


Thanks much for the link, looks super easy. Too bad any photography spending is now on hold. The VISA bill showed up yesterday and Christmas has come early this year. :eek: The only "good" news was that a fair percentage of the very nasty balance was my 24-70L. Only nine more days...

[YosemiteJunkie]

I went to a "Beverly's" fabric shop locally and and got 5 yards of a black felt like material in their discontinued room for $5.00 and it's worked pretty good for me so far. Need to go back and get a couple different colors and see what I can come up with.

[Phil Light]

I made a few of these from 108" wide and 12ft long ('m only shooting pets and head shots). Red is a hard color for me to dye, came out more pink then anything, but it's still fine. I think i'll make a few 108" x 24ft ones soon..

It's funny you should say that. My daughter asked me to do a pink one to shoot pictures of her. I tried to do it the same way I did the lighter gray one but it came out almost solid pink. I'm not sure what I did wrong. One thing about this method, although you can't predict exactly how it will turn out, just about anything you get can be used.

...Too bad any photography spending is now on hold. The VISA bill showed up yesterday and Christmas has come early this year. :eek: The only "good" news was that a fair percentage of the very nasty balance was my 24-70L. Only nine more days...

I feel your pain. I just got a $507 car repair bill yesterday. There goes my new "L" hopes for Christmas. :(

[FlashZebra]

Do you have a JoAnn Fabrics store anywhere nearby? Try this: http://www.joann.com/index.jhtml

They carry 108" and 120" wide. The regular price is from $4.99 & up. I usually get them 6 yards long. On average they're less than $20 each. If you sign up for email notifications, they send 40 & 50% off coupons all the time. Its Lightweight & easy to dye. I've made several of these "DIY" backdrops.
Thank you very much for this information.

I will check out JoAnn Fabrics. They did have stores in my area years ago, but they seemed to have pulled out of this area some time ago.

I did check with them for 9 or 10 foot wide fabric when they were in this area (years ago), but at that time they did not carry it.

Again, thank you for the kind post. I will keep my eyes open for a JoAnn Frabic store when I travel and sign up for the email info.

Here is the "muslin" listing at the JoAnn Fabric website.

http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?CATID=54498

So it looks like you would need a large percentage off to get the fabric for $4.00 to $6.00 per yard. The website indicates about $7.00 to $10.00 per yard for the 108 and 120 inch widiths.

Enjoy! Lon

[AC_Photo]

The Joanne Fabric store by me has muslin in 10 foot widths... I think the back drop is 10x15, but it's been awhile. I read that you need to use twice the normal amount of dye, but it really wasn't that bad. :) The backdrop does have a seam, but it's nearly invisible when it's the proper distance, and is easily 'shopped out when it isn't.

[Nocturnus]

Yeah, i'm about to redo mine. Got the color remover and will let it sit in that, then i'll do a soaking of yellow for a good while, then undo it and re-tie it back and dunk it in red... Should be interesting.

It's funny you should say that. My daughter asked me to do a pink one to shoot pictures of her. I tried to do it the same way I did the lighter gray one but it came out almost solid pink. I'm not sure what I did wrong. One thing about this method, although you can't predict exactly how it will turn out, just about anything you get can be used.



I feel your pain. I just got a $507 car repair bill yesterday. There goes my new "L" hopes for Christmas. :(

[cgratti]

I made a few of these from 108" wide and 12ft long ('m only shooting pets and head shots). Red is a hard color for me to dye, came out more pink then anything, but it's still fine. I think i'll make a few 108" x 24ft ones soon..


Red is impossible, if you only leave it in the dye for an hour it comes out pink. Crumple it up, put it in the dye for an hour, then take it out uncremple it then put it back in for another hour to hour and a half.

It still might not be real red, so put it back in for half hour at a time until you see the color you like.

[LBaldwin]

The best red backgrounds are not red at all but black. That way you can use a gel to control the color contrast, shade and intensity of the red. The link below shows you what I mean.
Red backgrounds rarely give you the exact shade you want and varying the shutter speed only ads to the issue.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=245311

Les

[mbellot]

Red is impossible, if you only leave it in the dye for an hour it comes out pink. Crumple it up, put it in the dye for an hour, then take it out uncremple it then put it back in for another hour to hour and a half.

It still might not be real red, so put it back in for half hour at a time until you see the color you like.

From the earlier link on DIY backdrops it sounds like you might actually want to go a bit too far since the color "fades" when the muslin dries.

I guess I was wrong too... The wife said if I want to drive by the fabric store it was OK. :eek:

[Phil Light]

...So it looks like you would need a large percentage off to get the fabric for $4.00 to $6.00 per yard. The website indicates about $7.00 to $10.00 per yard for the 108 and 120 inch widiths.

Enjoy! Lon

That's unfortunate. I didn't do the math with their prices on the website. I assumed it would be the same as in the store. It looks like they've hiked the online prices up. The only width I've purchased so far was 108". The list price in the store for this is $4.99/yd. Obviously a 50% off coupon brings it down to $2.50.

[Phil Light]

Yeah, i'm about to redo mine. Got the color remover and will let it sit in that, then i'll do a soaking of yellow for a good while, then undo it and re-tie it back and dunk it in red... Should be interesting.

I like this idea. Please post a picture when you finish this. I haven't tried multiple colors.

[Terry66]

I made my own one time. By the time I bought the material and dye, I spend like $40, not to mention the work, mess and cleanup. When I was done, I had a painted piece of material that wasn't all that great.

10X16 muslins prepainted with metal grommets and a hem pocket for a background stand are like $60 at Amvona.

Here is an example of the "morocco" color...

http://www.watsonfx.com/studio/josh4web.jpg