The space you see behind a person in a professional photo is called the background. If you've just gotten into photography and just started buying everything you need, you may not have enough money to buy ready-made backgrounds for your shots. Creating a backdrop at home, however, is not that difficult, and it saves you money. Follow these guidelines to make one.
Steps
Step 1. To create a photo background, you first need to get some muslin
This fabric is made from cotton and is inexpensive, and can be found in any fabric shop.
- Muslin has different widths; choose the largest canvas you can find. As for the length, it should measure 4-5 m.
- The color of the muslin is white, or a similar shade. You can dye it as you like.
Step 2. Wash the fabric before you start making the photo backdrop
The fabric may shrink after the first wash, but it should not shrink by rewashing it later.
Step 3. Dye the fabric before allowing it to dry
You can choose the color you prefer and create a wide range of backgrounds. If so, buy several canvases.
- To dye the fabric, work on the outside, so you will avoid dirtying the floor of the house.
- Follow the instructions on the paint package. Add the required amount to a large bucket of hot water.
- Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands from the dye, and place the fabric in the bucket you filled with hot water and the product.
- Shake the fabric in the bucket to make sure the dye covers it entirely.
- Holding the fabric in the dye for an extended period will generate a darker color.
- Gather the fabric on itself and soak it for just a few minutes to achieve a knot-dye effect.
- Remove the muslin from the bucket once you get the shade you want. Rinse it off with warm water. Repeat until the running water is clean, then fix the color with cold water.
Step 4. Put the muslin to dry
Step 5. Spread the muslin on the floor and smooth it out
Step 6. Use a ruler and pencil to draw a straight line along the edges of the muslin
Step 7. Cut the fabric along the edges drawn with the pencil using a pair of scissors
For a good background, the edges need to be neat.
Step 8. Iron some double-sided adhesive tape around the outer perimeter of the fabric
When creating a photographic background, applying tape to the edges prevents fraying.
- Fold the end of the fabric over the ribbon, keeping a straight line.
- Arrange the muslin on an ironing board, and secure the edges with a hot iron.
Step 9. Make a hole for the canvas support frame stick
Fold the fabric 10-12 cm on itself. Spread double-sided tape on the edge of the fold and fix it with the iron.
Step 10. Hang the finished wallpaper on a wall using thumbtacks, or stick the support frame stick into the hole in the canvas
Advice
- Hang the dyed fabric on a clothesline, do not put it in the dryer, it will shrink less.
- You can buy PVC pipes to create the supporting structure and a curtain (in the pattern or color you like). To find out how a wallpaper is made with PVC pipes, do a search on the internet.
- You can iron the dyed canvas to give it a smooth and neat look, or you can leave it wrinkled. This depends on your purpose.
