Photo backdrops

Nwcid

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I have a couple of professional backdrops already but I am thinking about making some of my own.

A friend gave me a new 9' x 12' painters drop cloth they had laying around. I have seen DIY sites that show you how to die a cloth to make your own backdrop. I am not interested in a die job, what I am looking at is doing a "paint splatter" style backdrop.

My plan is to get a dozen or so colors and let the kids paint, splatter, make a mess out of it this spring.

Do I need to do any prep to the cloth to make the paint stick better?
Is there a "best" kind of paint that won't flake off very easily when putting it up or down?
Is there anything else I need to consider?
 
I did this earlier this year, and while it worked, I'm not sure I'd do it again. Here's a rundown on observations and steps.
  1. First I washed the drop cloth to get whatever they coated it with, off. That caused some significant uneven shrinkage. The edges are folded over and stitched, plus mine wasn't one piece in the 12' direction, there was a seam in the middle. These heavy seams didn't shrink the same as the rest of the cloth, which created some issues.
  2. I stretched it as best I could on the drive with plastic under it. I didn't use a primer, as I didn't really think it would matter. I used a cheap latex paint and roller. It sucked up a lot of paint!!! I think I ended up with 3 or 4 coats and about 3 gallon of paint. The weave wasn't that tight, so it takes a lot of paint to seal it up.
  3. Once I was satisfied with the coats, I used spray paint to add a mottled effect.
  4. Once it dried I rolled it on a 1 1/2" PVC pipe.
The background works.......to a point. Having a seam in the middle means you really only have a 9x6. If you can make it work then it performs as expected. The biggest drawback is it's HEAVY!!!!!!!!! Latex paint weighs about 11lbs per gallon so between paint, drop cloth and PVC, it's pushing 40lbs or more. If I were to do it over I think I'd use artist canvas instead, as the weave is much tighter, so it shouldn't take as much paint to cover. After about 4 months, I haven't noticed any cracking or releasing of the paint. I think rolling it keeps the stresses down.

Cost wise I think I ended up with about $85 in paint, drop cloth, and PVC. Personally I like a more recent DYI backdrop idea I came up with. I used thin masonite panels 4x8, attached to 1x2 frames, then painted them. I built 3 panels, and fastened them together at the rear using 1/4" carriage bolts. I was able to hang them from the overhead joists, but you could also use angled braces on the back. I used a board and batten look on the back, but the battens are easily removed leaving me with flat panels. Without the battens, a little Spackle at seams and paint seems to hide the seams pretty well. Total cost for this approach was about $60.
 
I did this earlier this year, and while it worked, I'm not sure I'd do it again.

Wow, that seems like a lot of work and semi impractical to use due to weight.

I have not opened this one up, so I am not sure if there is a seam or not. For the purpose of this backdrop, a seam is ok, as I want it to look like a drop cloth. I am just looking to add a random broken pattern of paint. Basically the same concept as the image but not in neon. Basically I want random strokes, splotches, drips, drops, ect on a drop cloth.

71QgU7sDvoL._SL1212_.jpg
 
have not opened this one up, so I am not sure if there is a seam or not

Drop cloths (at least the ones I've seen, used) are not like the weave of artist canvas. They seem to compensate for it by putting some kind of coating/wax/starch????? on it to seal the weave. Washing it takes it out but then there's not much left. If I were to do another, I'd use a better grade of canvas.
 
I am just looking to add a random broken pattern of paint. Basically the same concept as the image but not in neon. Basically I want random strokes, splotches, drips, drops, ect on a drop cloth.

I was working in the garage/studio this morning trying to get things picked up and reorganized, and I started looking at my drop cloth backdrop. Thinking about your comment above, and started brainstorming. Rather then make it look like a backdrop, make it look like a real drop cloth. Don't wash it, hang it outside for a few days, splatter it with paint, heck drag it around the yard for a bit to get it dirty and grass stained, wad it up, drive over it, anything to age it. Show it for what it actually is?????? Just a thought.
 
I am just looking to add a random broken pattern of paint. Basically the same concept as the image but not in neon. Basically I want random strokes, splotches, drips, drops, ect on a drop cloth.

I was working in the garage/studio this morning trying to get things picked up and reorganized, and I started looking at my drop cloth backdrop. Thinking about your comment above, and started brainstorming. Rather then make it look like a backdrop, make it look like a real drop cloth. Don't wash it, hang it outside for a few days, splatter it with paint, heck drag it around the yard for a bit to get it dirty and grass stained, wad it up, drive over it, anything to age it. Show it for what it actually is?????? Just a thought.

That is basically what I am after. I just want colors on it.

Right now I have 2 that are in the condition you describe as they are well used. They just lack the color, they are all lighter/earth tones. I am looking for bright/colorful. Also I know with the paint that is on the cloths now it tends to flake off when opening/closing them. I was curious if there was a process or a paint style to limit this.
 
You could use fabric dyes, in place of paint.
 
Makes it pretty hard to store then. I do not have the space to leave it up full time.

I store all my backdrops rolled on 1 1/2" PVC tubing, for longer term protection, I slip them in larger PVC drain pipe, with caps on each end.
 

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