Looking for backdrops

I would like to have backgrops primarly urban themed ones. like Shooting ranges, abadoned places and so on.

Ebay barelly has any of them. Can you guys recommend some?

Here's all sorts (made specifically for Detolf shelving):

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=Detolf+backdrops&_sacat=0

Venator, look at El Bundy's first thread, where he mentions the source of his backdrops and how he has them printed. A useful source can be background and screensaver photos, some of which are available for free. Also, believe it or not, photos on Wikipedia. If you are going to print you own at a print shop, on vinyl or special paper (make sure you use matte, as you don't want them to reflect too much light), choose images of sufficiently high resolution so they don't look too pixellated (a little pixellation is theoretically ok, as your background would normally not be in focus compared to the figures you pose in front of it). I used to print all my backgrounds, but haven't gotten around to that or any major projects in a long time.

If you can find some of the scrapbook paper by Tim Holtz you can get some really useful weathered looking textures. They’re 12 x 12inchesvso they’d work pretty nicely as part of a diorama. I’ve used some for a sci fi setup before.

Damaged Synthetic by Christine Sutcliffe, on Flickr

The Drifter and the 'Droid by Christine Sutcliffe, on Flickr

What do you do to setup a backdrop after you get it? I’ve been looking at backdrops myself the last few days, and most of what I’ve seen so far involves attaching them to a wall or some other surface.

I remember that one, great to see it again, Christine. I assume you created a composite background with the different 12 x 12 pieces.

Yeah, the two at the back are the Tim Holyz ones and the bit on the right is just a side from a cardboard box I spray painted silver then roughly weathered with oranges and brown acrylics for rust.

I don’t have space for any of my figures to be on display, so all my backdrops are temporary and only stay up long enough for a photoshoot. For that one I literally just propped them up against water bottles and books and stuff. XD

The Drifter and the ‘Droid by Christine Sutcliffe, on Flickr

(The left hand wall was homemade from thick card and random bits and pieces.

Lynkhart wrote:Yeah, the two at the back are the Tim Holyz ones and the bit on the right is just a side from a cardboard box I spray painted silver then roughly weathered with oranges and brown acrylics for rust.

I don’t have space for any of my figures to be on display, so all my backdrops are temporary and only stay up long enough for a photoshoot. For that one I literally just propped them up against water bottles and books and stuff. XD

(The left hand wall was homemade from thick card and random bits and pieces.

Right, me too, everything is either modular or just a backdrop attached (pins or tape or magnets) to flat cardboard. I see -- the backdrop for the seated figure could get away with being only 12 inches. Water bottles (presumably full ones) are an excellent idea for supports! I would have never thought of it myself. On the rare occasions when I still pull out a background -- or even just a patterned or colored foam board, I usually rest it against my computer screen.

My current method for more sturdy backdrops is big sheets of Foamboard with Velcro hinges. If you make any kind of corner they’ll hold themselves up fairly unsupported.

Lynkhart wrote:My current method for more sturdy backdrops is big sheets of Foamboard with Velcro hinges. If you make any kind of corner they’ll hold themselves up fairly unsupported.

That is a great way to do it, and comes in very handy. I love your realistic scene! I did this with foamboards and velcro hinges a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

Stormtrooper Gary and Gunner Grant putting together their award-winning entry for the annual "Remember the Death Star" competition. Sorry if the photos are poor quality, have to find the originals and make new versions.

Oh they look great! The shiny floor just makes it!

Xavion2004 wrote:What do you do to setup a backdrop after you get it?  I’ve been looking at backdrops myself the last few days, and most of what I’ve seen so far involves attaching them to a wall or some other surface.

Depends on what kind of backdrop. If it's a flimsy vinyl or fabric one, then you could get one of those photography backdrop holders with the clips attached, or just put up a wire between two sturdy objects and clip it to that. If it's a sturdier foam or cardboard type of backdrop then it can just lean against something, like what Lynkhart was showing in some of her pics.

Lynkhart wrote:Yeah, the two at the back are the Tim Holyz ones and the bit on the right is just a side from a cardboard box I spray painted silver then roughly weathered with oranges and brown acrylics for rust.

I don’t have space for any of my figures to be on display, so all my backdrops are temporary and only stay up long enough for a photoshoot. For that one I literally just propped them up against water bottles and books and stuff. XD

The Drifter and the ‘Droid by Christine Sutcliffe, on Flickr

(The left hand wall was homemade from thick card and random bits and pieces.

Stunning behind the scenes shot!

I use two kinds of backdrops to be applied in a bookshelf. The backdrops are fixed with velcro so they can easily be removed.

1.
I download free or paid wallpapers or other hd pictures from the internet and edit them in Photoshop until they fit in the bookshelf. One for the 3 walls and one for the floor. Then the pictures are printed in an inexpensive online poster shop in the exact dimensions I need.

examples:

1

2

3

4

5


In this case walls and floors can be combined. The floor in pic 1 and 4 is the same. The price for a backdrop set is about 12 euros.

2.
I order vinyl backdrops from aliexpress Fuwood Photography Backgrounds Store. 60 cm width and 90 cm height. The floor is integrated in the backdrop. When I order more than 4 backdrops the vinyl backdrops are wrapped on a roll instead of being folded. The quality of the photos is great and the great advantage of vinyl backdrops is that there is no reflection when you photograph them. The disadvantage of this method is that only the back wall is covered and not the side walls. The price is about 5 euros for each backdrop.

[url= https://de.aliexpress.com/store/2792228?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dWmteZw]https://de.aliexpress.com/store/2792228?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dWmteZw[/url]

examples:

6

7

8

Lynkhart wrote:Oh they look great! The shiny floor just makes it!

Thank you. Yes, it seems to be key for Death Star scenes.

I love making backdrops, but sometimes something quick is needed to see if I want to continue.
It might be silly but it's cheap. I'm having fun starting to use this.




Suspending the figure on fishing line in front of the monitor.
Or setting it in front of it. I know it's been done tons of times before.

Oh also, this site has very high quality textures of all kinds available for use.

https://www.textures.com/

Lynkhart wrote:Oh also, this site has very high quality textures of all kinds available for use.

https://www.textures.com/

Yes! I remember now. Made an account with them a long time ago, got some textures and composed larger backdrop images with them, some of which I had printed. Then I forget what site it was. LOL

I use many methods of set building to purpose build rooms from Plywood, foamboard walls and a handy black sheet.

skywalkersaga wrote:

Xavion2004 wrote:What do you do to setup a backdrop after you get it?  I’ve been looking at backdrops myself the last few days, and most of what I’ve seen so far involves attaching them to a wall or some other surface.

Depends on what kind of backdrop. If it's a flimsy vinyl or fabric one, then you could get one of those photography backdrop holders with the clips attached, or just put up a wire between two sturdy objects and clip it to that. If it's a sturdier foam or cardboard type of backdrop then it can just lean against something, like what Lynkhart was showing in some of her pics.

I’ve found some backdrop holders which look to be the right size to go with the Furwood that El Bundy recommended. That’s probably the best fit for me as I’m not looking to get into photography or building sets. I just want to be able to post pics of figures that I’ve bought or have been working on without embarrassing myself.

This is what happens when you drop out of a hobby for 15 years. Back in the early 00’s all you needed always a digital camera and a tripod. The bar has been raised exponentially since then.

ElBundy wrote:Then the pictures are printed in an inexpensive online poster shop in the exact dimensions I need.

These look great! Which shop do you use to print them? All of the ones I've seen have specific sizes and were somewhat expensive at larger sizes.

Xavion2004 wrote:  I just want to be able to post pics of figures that I’ve bought or have been working on without embarrassing myself.

LOL, this is my goal as well. And this is also one of the many reasons no one has seen any pics from me for the last....er... year. I've been waiting until could afford some decent backdrops, and until recently wasn't aware of these cheaper ones on aliexpress. I find photographing figures to be quite difficult as it is (all the bending down and getting up again, makes me kinda dizzy), so I figured if I'm going to go through the trouble I might as well try to make them look halfway decent.

ZombieKev wrote:

ElBundy wrote:Then the pictures are printed in an inexpensive online poster shop in the exact dimensions I need.

These look great!   Which shop do you use to print them?  All of the ones I've seen have specific sizes and were somewhat expensive at larger sizes.

I live in Germany, so I use a  German vendor: https://www.posterlia.de

Here you can choose the dimensions of the posters as you need them. As far as I can see they only deliver to Germany and the close-by countries.

There are thousands of premade ones to choose from online. They are printed on cloth or vinyl so are a lot more durable than printing your own on paper and they are a lot cheaper than getting a local printer to print them. They are available in different sizes - 40cm x 60cm is a good size for 1:6

https://shuozhike.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/912230335.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/1682134.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/911379035.html

shazzdan wrote:There are thousands of premade ones to choose from online. They are printed on cloth or vinyl so are a lot more durable than printing your own on paper and they are a lot cheaper than getting a local printer to print them. They are available in different sizes - 40cm x 60cm is a good size for 1:6

https://shuozhike.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/912230335.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/1682134.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/all-wholesale-products/911379035.html

Man! I wish I hadn't seen all those possibilities; I could go absolutely broke getting all the ones I "think" could be useful.