DIY painted backdrops

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Kris
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Ok, anyone done one themselves? All of the examples I’ve found are American biased and so my main question is: what paint did you use?

I was going to buy one last year, but figured I could probably paint one myself as they’re pretty expensive.
 
What material are you thinking of painting? I've done a few using whatever paint was in the shed but that was onto plywood
 
I made one years ago. A dust sheet and some spray cans. I was after a sort of psychedelic effect.
What did I learn from it?
A. It used a lot more paint than I thought.
B. Never use paint spray cans in a basement, even a ventilated one, I had a headache for days.
C. It looked crap.
After that I just bought them.
I'm sure it's possible to make a great one if your artistic with a can or brush (clearly I'm not) but it cost more than I thought and took ages to make, and still looked sad.
 
I made one years ago. A dust sheet and some spray cans. I was after a sort of psychedelic effect.
What did I learn from it?
A. It used a lot more paint than I thought.
B. Never use paint spray cans in a basement, even a ventilated one, I had a headache for days.
C. It looked crap.
After that I just bought them.
I'm sure it's possible to make a great one if your artistic with a can or brush (clearly I'm not) but it cost more than I thought and took ages to make, and still looked sad.

Sounds fun. I’m glad I’ve asked. I think you’re right with the amount of paint needed, probably will take more than you’d think. I’m thinking that exterior paint might be the most durable but they’re normally limited in colours?
 
but they’re normally limited in colours
Just mix your own colours, buy a few colours plus black and white and mix. A lot of places including most big DIY places do paint mixing if you want a specific colour but I would have thought you want a small amounts of a variety of colours for a background.
 
Best to use proper cotton duck canvas.. if you want to have a go make sure you have a plastic sheet or boards on the underside before painting and preferably outside..I still have a few I did years ago rolled up in the studio storage area..the method I used is not dissimilar to the one described in the post below..

The post/blog is a few years old now but still as relevant today with many other links to other people that have also gone down the diy route.. so I won't reinvent the wheel..will have a look and see if I still have the catalogue for the cotton duck canvas and paints I used.. the company where based down south somewhere if I recall...link to post underneath..

Here you go link to the suppliers I used: https://www.russellandchapple.co.uk/

http://vukelichphoto.com/blog/2015/11/30/how-to-make-an-oliphant-style-canvas-backdrop
 
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Best to use proper cotton duck canvas.. if you want to have a go make sure you have a plastic sheet or boards on the underside before painting and preferably outside..I still have a few I did years ago rolled up in the studio storage area..the method I used is not dissimilar to the one described in the post below..

The post/blog is a few years old now but still as relevant today with many other links to other people that have also gone down the diy route.. so I won't reinvent the wheel..will have a look and see if I still have the catalogue for the cotton duck canvas and paints I used.. the company where based down south somewhere if I recall...link to post underneath..

Here you go link to the suppliers I used: https://www.russellandchapple.co.uk/

http://vukelichphoto.com/blog/2015/11/30/how-to-make-an-oliphant-style-canvas-backdrop

That’s great info - thank you!
 
Sounds fun. I’m glad I’ve asked. I think you’re right with the amount of paint needed, probably will take more than you’d think. I’m thinking that exterior paint might be the most durable but they’re normally limited in colours?
Probably, I just happened to have a load of cheap car paints laying around. By heck they smell ;)
 
Instead of painting them, how about colour dye? I think that'll be easier, if you are going for a simple plain colour.

I’ve plenty of paper backdrops for plain, want a proper mottled version with texture. It certainly doesn’t look straightforward. Maybe it is easier to buy one.
 
Remember all you are doing is applying paint effects to your background...think rag rolling etc..special rollers are available for all types of effects now.. you have just got make sure the paint is still wet when applying these types of effects..

Here's a brief outline of how to apply these.. this is for walls etc but it's the same principles your just transfering it to a piece of canvas background material..
plenty of videos online practise makes perfect..

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/paint-effects.htm
 
Instead of painting them, how about colour dye? I think that'll be easier, if you are going for a simple plain colour.
I suspect getting an even colour home dyeing a large dustsheet might be tricky, my very limited experience of dyeing cloth hasn't been that great.
I think the OP want the blotchy/mottled version? Cant think of an easy way of doing that, even painting I think you'd need a spray of some sort.
Actually having had a nose on google 3x3 metre ones are only around £25 new, even the 3x5 was under a £100. A 4x3 dustsheet alone runs about £15, and my decorator tells me these large ones often have a seam across them.
 
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