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Backdrop for less than $20

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  • Member since
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  • From: East Haddam, CT
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Posted by CTValleyRR on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 8:58 PM

galaxy

The "train room" was painted a "sky blue" sometime before the layout was put in, so it "fits". It doesn't have clouds though as I don't really want to paint clouds in only one corner as we plan on selling this place sometime {hopefully soon}.

But I like the idea. I would use latex paint I think. AS mentioned I have seen tempura paint peeling.

I don't see background as a major feature for the layout anyway...the layout itself is the "object of attention".

While I agreed with you at one point -- and still do that the layout should be the primary show -- I've come to believe that the lack of a backdrop of any sort spoils the suspension of disbelief.  Looks lousy in photos, too.

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford

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Posted by joe323 on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 12:46 PM

Not sure what it is called cloud paper I think and you can get it at Michaels or AC Moore.  I use it as a back drop  Beware that the clould repeats every few feet. 

Joe Staten Island West 

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Posted by GP-9_Man11786 on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 10:12 AM

sfcouple

GP Man,

This looks like a great idea.  I tried looking for this on-line and couldn't find it on their website...does this bulletin board paper go by another name?

Wayne 

I actually happened on it by accident one night when I went to get some strip wood. I do remember it being with the other school supply type stuff.

Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.

www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com 

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Posted by sfcouple on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 9:29 AM

GP Man,

This looks like a great idea.  I tried looking for this on-line and couldn't find it on their website...does this bulletin board paper go by another name?

Wayne 

Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.

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Posted by steamfreightboy on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 7:25 AM

GP-9_Man11786

At my local Micheal's, I found a 4' x 8' roll of bulletin board paper for $7. The paper is sky blue with clouds printed on it. I brought it home, cut myself an 18" x 72" strip and used tempera paints to paint some mountains on it. With the paint, the cost was somewhere around $11.

Here's the finished product:

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/098/9/5/backdrop_2_by_limitedclear-d3djbac.jpg

What section of Michael's was the backdrop in?

sfb

"It's your layout, only you have to like it." Lin's Junction
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Posted by stebbycentral on Monday, June 6, 2011 8:43 AM

dknelson

On a related topic, my dentist has flourescent light fixtures that have a blue sky with cloud picture on the panels, as you see at this website

http://www.fluorescentgallery.com/page/skies

Note at the bottom that they have 1x4 foot panels.

I was toying with the idea of using these not in the ceiling but as a backdrop, backlit with flourescents or perhaps LEDs (for longer life).  the cost would be high but the effect could be spectacular.

Dave Nelson

So the title of the thread has now been changed.  Instead of "Backdrop for less than $20", it is now "Backdrop for less than $2,000".   Smile, Wink & Grin

I have figured out what is wrong with my brain!  On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!

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Posted by dknelson on Monday, June 6, 2011 8:19 AM

GP-9_Man11786

At my local Micheal's, I found a 4' x 8' roll of bulletin board paper for $7. The paper is sky blue with clouds printed on it. I brought it home, cut myself an 18" x 72" strip and used tempera paints to paint some mountains on it. With the paint, the cost was somewhere around $11.

Oh oh -- I have to explore this but my wife always gets first dibs on the Michael's coupon in the Sunday paper.  It could be awkward if we start to fight over it.

On a related topic, my dentist has flourescent light fixtures that have a blue sky with cloud picture on the panels, as you see at this website

http://www.fluorescentgallery.com/page/skies

Note at the bottom that they have 1x4 foot panels.

I was toying with the idea of using these not in the ceiling but as a backdrop, backlit with flourescents or perhaps LEDs (for longer life).  the cost would be high but the effect could be spectacular.

Dave Nelson

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Posted by GP-9_Man11786 on Monday, June 6, 2011 6:48 AM

richhotrain

GP-9 Man,

My Norton Security software is giving me warnings of a Trojan Horse when my cursor hovers over your photo.  Might want to check that out.

Rich

McAfee just did the same thing to me. It's because my photos are hosted www.deviantart.com, which is a reputable site but some of the things people upload can be Trojans. All of my stuff is clean though.

Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.

www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com 

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, June 6, 2011 5:48 AM

GP-9 Man,

My Norton Security software is giving me warnings of a Trojan Horse when my cursor hovers over your photo.  Might want to check that out.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by galaxy on Sunday, June 5, 2011 1:41 PM

The "train room" was painted a "sky blue" sometime before the layout was put in, so it "fits". It doesn't have clouds though as I don't really want to paint clouds in only one corner as we plan on selling this place sometime {hopefully soon}.

But I like the idea. I would use latex paint I think. AS mentioned I have seen tempura paint peeling.

I don't see background as a major feature for the layout anyway...the layout itself is the "object of attention".

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by CTValleyRR on Sunday, June 5, 2011 1:23 PM

I was going to suggest painting it yourself, but that's basically what you did -- you just started with a pre-printed background.

It looks very good.  Fits nicely with your layout theme.  My only issue is that in my experience (my kids art projects), tempura tends to flake off after a while.  I hope yours doesn't.

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford

JLK
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Posted by JLK on Sunday, June 5, 2011 12:40 PM

 ">BowBow

Justin

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Sunday, June 5, 2011 8:34 AM

Nice.

Thanks for the info.

 

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Posted by duckdogger on Sunday, June 5, 2011 8:31 AM

I like both ideas.  I have a lot of sky to add and am not an artist so this approach may be my answer.  Thanks.

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Posted by stebbycentral on Sunday, June 5, 2011 8:01 AM

I employed a similar technique on my shelf layout.  In my case I used cloud-printed wallpaper I found at my local bigbox store.   It's a little more complicated because you have to cut the strips of paper into chucks in order to line up the clouds properly.  I also didn't trust my artistic skills, so I just let the paper run down behind the back of the layout.

I have figured out what is wrong with my brain!  On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!

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  • From: Spartanburg, SC
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Backdrop for less than $20
Posted by GP-9_Man11786 on Sunday, June 5, 2011 6:46 AM

At my local Micheal's, I found a 4' x 8' roll of bulletin board paper for $7. The paper is sky blue with clouds printed on it. I brought it home, cut myself an 18" x 72" strip and used tempera paints to paint some mountains on it. With the paint, the cost was somewhere around $11.

Here's the finished product:

Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.

www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com 

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