Make Your Own Photo Studio Backdrop

[Bobbi Meyer]

I've been looking at some of the backdrops for sale on Ebay, and the ones that I really liked ran around 90.00, so being the squeeky tight A$$ that I am, I decided to make my own.
I purchased a canvas drop cloth from Lowes. Under $10.00. Bought some Rit Dye, 2.50 per box and like $2.75 for the bottles. I cut the drop cloth in half so, the cost of material per backdrop was $5.00.
I've posted some pictures of the work if anyone is interested.
WEAR RUBBER GLOVES or you'll end up looking like a Smurf.
Wash the canvas first.
In the first picture I have the canvas all wadded up and tied with yarn, dropped in the dye.

[Bobbi Meyer]

I then took it out of the dye, untied it and rinsed it in plain old water.

[Bobbi Meyer]

this is what it looked like after I untied it.

[Bobbi Meyer]

it was still a little too light, so I dropped it back into the dye for just a few minutes and came out with this.

[Bobbi Meyer]

I rinsed it good, then put it into another dye, this time a darker shade of blue

[Bobbi Meyer]

this is the result, keep in mind that it was still wet and pretty wrinkled when the picture was taken and it WILL  lighten when dried. At this point I could have ran it though the washing machine to remove any residual dye, but our washer and dryer are brand new and SWMBO would have scalped me had I used them.

[Bobbi Meyer]

since I was having so much fun, I did another one. I like * background so much I decided to try to simulate it....hope ya don't mind * !!
I did tie this one a little different than the first one....
First I used yellow dye.

[Bobbi Meyer]

then I put it in some orange dye

[Bobbi Meyer]

finally the cocoa brown dye....going this dark made me kinda nervous 

[Bobbi Meyer]

this is the yellow/brown one done and still wet.

[Bobbi Meyer]

here's both of them finished..but still wet. Granted, they aren't the "professional" backdrops, but what the hey.
The seams I can easy remove with Photoshop, as I've done here  so I'm not worried about those.
I had fun making them and they will look better than the background I have now...and I made them both for probably less than $20.00!!! That makes it even sweeter! 

[Lisa M]

Ya ole tightwad you...good job!  Did you post this in the calling all tightwads thing too? 

I'm thinking about doing my own with paint instead of dye.  My walls are all browns & beiges...some red for pop, but mostly muted earth colors.  I've got lots of paint left.  If I dilute it down, it should soak right in.  (Isn't that what drop cloth is designed for?  Catching paint!)  My aunt told me I can recycle tooth paste tubes...cut the end off & then glue it shut after I put something in it.  I love her...and if I ever need to do it, I'll remember, but until then...my aunt is really weird!  LOL

[Mike Doyle]

Great job on the backdrops there Bobbi. I really like the yellow one you made!
Maybe you should try selling some in the for sale forum?

Mike

[outwoods taxidermy]

i need some curtains makings,   ha just kidding they look good...

[RoyalOaksTaxidermy]

WOW Now THAT is way cool..

 Is there a recomended amount of time to leave it in the dye?
Im thinking of making them like tootsie rolls, long but with tight string all down the length. I want a big one and am worried that the dye wouldnt reach the inside of such a big ball of material. Least not without having to be left in for days LOL..

You did a great job!