Building a backdrop, Phase II Comments/advice

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Welcome to Phase II of my backdrop construction.

As you'll see in the 1st pic, covered the seams in the poster paper with 1 1/2" wide masking tape.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb1.jpg

I continued this all the way down the wall.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb2.jpg

As you'll see in this pic, I print my own scenic sheets on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, using an ordinary ink jet printer.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb3.jpg

Then I carefully align the sheets and join them on back side with strips of masking tape.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb4.jpg

The next step is to fold the other sheet(s) back where it's held by the tape and put a very thin layer of white glue on the white area.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb5.jpg

Carefully bring the other sheet back over and gently press the edges together. The seam should be almost invisible.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb6.jpg

Next, I carefully trimmed along the tree line and discarded the sky background.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb7.jpg

Now for the paint for the backdrop. I use a flat latex paint called 'Nimble Blue' for this. It will dry to a very nice looking sky blue.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb8.jpg

The first coat is already on the first sheet of poster board. I'll do the entire length, then put a second coat on. This will fill in any areas the first coat missed and will insure uniformity.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb9.jpg

The entire length is now done in two coats. I left one little area unpainted so you can see the difference between what color the poster board was and what color it is now. Quite a difference, isn't it?
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/jeffrey-wimberly/bdb10.jpg

[dwhitetop2]

Jeff ill comment here too like I did on the other forum. Thats an amazing idea. I learn alot from you on these forums. Keep up the good work.    Dave

[jacon12]

Jeff, that backdrop is coming right along.  I have a question about the printed scenery you're doing.  Do you have much problem with getting the individual sections the same color and lightness/darkness on your printer?

Thanks,

JaRRell

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff, that backdrop is coming right along.  I have a question about the printed scenery you're doing.  Do you have much problem with getting the individual sections the same color and lightness/darkness on your printer?

Thanks,

JaRRell

No problem at all. I did the whole picture in MSPaint, so it was all printed as one continuous print job. That one picture takes 10 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

[Texas Zepher]

I didn't see a step where you remove the masking tape after the white glue dries on the seam. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

That's because it wasn't removed. The masking tape is on the back of the scene, so no one is going to see it once it's mounted.

[Texas Zepher]

That's because it wasn't removed. The masking tape is on the back of the scene, so no one is going to see it once it's mounted.

It isn't a matter of seeing the tape but two other things.  First since the tape is already at an overlap joint it basically tripples the thickness possibly making a hump at each joint.  Second, generally masking tape glue is not designed to be perminant so the glue will eventually turn to powder and have zero hold.  This  means where the tape is between the backdrop and the scenic material it will not be holding the scenic material tightly.  How soon this happens and how bad it will effect the visible surface depends on the quality of the masking tape, the quality of the scenic paper, the quality of the white glue used to hold the scenic pieces together, the climate, and the climate control in the layout room.

[Anonymous]

Jeff:

I like your idea, but you may end up with a problem in about 1 - 2 years...Several years ago, I built a simple shelf layout (simple meaning one loop of track around the walls of the room about 12 inches from the ceiling) in my son's room. I used Walthers background scenes and trimmed them to fit. Not wanting to use wallpaper paste (a bad decision in hindsight) I used double sided masking tape on the seams and at the top and bottom edge of each section. Somewhere between 1- 2 years the adhesive from the tape bled through the scenic paper and now you can see where each piece of tape is. Just some info. for your consideration.

Mark Schmidt

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I've never had that problem with masking tape. I've built many backdrops using it as I did this one and never saw any bleed-through and they were up for 4 to 5 years at a time. One thing is, I never use thin scenic paper. I always use standard copy paper. The last backdrop, the one I just tore down, had duct tape on it, and it didn't have any problems either. It was up for ten years. On the issue of triple thickness, the only part of the scenic background that's secured to the backdrop is the top 1 to 2 inches, so the rest of the scene just hangs there, so there will be no bulge to indicate that there's something there.

This old dog knows some neat tricks.