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

.Deleted due to copyright changes. 01/17/07

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

 

[selector]

Very nice, Jeffrey, and a big improvement on the sky blue.  Good job.

[fec153]

Very nicely done, Jeff. Wish I had your talent.

When you're in the diner have a drink on my tab.

Flip

 

[dwhitetop2]

Thats amazing Jeff, Im going to have totry that method. Cant afford those expensive ones at the hobby shops. Looking good.    Dave

[soumodeler]

Where did you buy the Nimble Blue color at? What brand of paint? Looks good!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Where did you buy the Nimble Blue color at? What brand of paint? Looks good!

It's ColorPlace paint, available at Wal-Mart. I get it mixed as a medium base flat latex wall paint. The color number is 91424.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Anybody else?

[Milwhiawatha]

Jeffrey,

   very awsome way of doing the backdrop. If I didnt have walls Icould paint I would do it this way I applaud you. One questions tho do you find the pictures of the cities online and where at or do you just go take photos then print them on your printer?

[Texas Zepher]

Hmmm, I posted this a while ago but it seems to have vanished....

I don't see a step where the masking tape is removed after the white glue on the scenic sheets has dried.

[underworld]

Nice work!!!

 

underworld

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Hmmm, I posted this a while ago but it seems to have vanished....

I don't see a step where the masking tape is removed after the white glue on the scenic sheets has dried.

It doesn't get removed. It's on the backside of the scene, therefore it won't be seen by anybody once it's mounted. I used duct tape on the old one. No one besides me ever knew it was there.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeffrey,

   very awsome way of doing the backdrop. If I didnt have walls Icould paint I would do it this way I applaud you. One questions tho do you find the pictures of the cities online and where at or do you just go take photos then print them on your printer?

.Deleted due to copyright changes. 01/17/07

[Dave Vollmer]

I looked at the Backdrop Warehouse website briefly and didn't see any copyright information on their samples, so you're probably good there...  You may want to check, though.

Otherwise, looks good!  I'm amazed that the poster board keeps its shape even after you paint it with latex paint.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 I'm amazed that the poster board keeps its shape even after you paint it with latex paint.

This is a tried and true method I've been using for many years. As long as the poster board is secured at top and bottom, it will maintain it's shape with the exception of a little bowing while the paint is wet. This soon disappears.

[Milwhiawatha]

Jeffrey,

   very awsome way of doing the backdrop. If I didnt have walls Icould paint I would do it this way I applaud you. One questions tho do you find the pictures of the cities online and where at or do you just go take photos then print them on your printer?

I found them here.

http://www.backdropwarehouse.com/PRODUCTSshort.htm

Thanks for the site. I remember looking at it when I first got into trains but realized its a lot of money. Now do you did say you use normal paper not the Cardstock kind correct?

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I use regular plain everyday copy paper available from Wal-Mart.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I looked at the Backdrop Warehouse website briefly and didn't see any copyright information on their samples, so you're probably good there...  You may want to check, though.

Otherwise, looks good!  I'm amazed that the poster board keeps its shape even after you paint it with latex paint.

.

[Dave Vollmer]

I looked at the Backdrop Warehouse website briefly and didn't see any copyright information on their samples, so you're probably good there...  You may want to check, though.

Otherwise, looks good!  I'm amazed that the poster board keeps its shape even after you paint it with latex paint.

Dave: This is their copyright information. What I'm doing is safe. The files are not copyrighted, so I can do what I want with them.

There is an easy way to view each scene much larger than the expanded view, almost actual size. 

• Bring up the expanded view of the selected scene.   (sample button)
• You cannot save the view with the stock number, you must use the expanded view.
• At the top left of your browser there is the word File, click here
• On the drop down menu there is Save As, click here
• You are prompted for a place on your hard drive to save the file. Find or create a folder to put the image file into.
• Use the default file name (like MT-WSKL-93M.jpg) and be sure the . jpg is at the end. AOL users may loose part of the name. This is ok as long as the name is different for each file saved and . jpg is on the end.
• These files are not copyrighted so save away.
• Click on Save
• Minimize your browser
• Find the file just saved and double click on it.
• If it doesn't open you may have to find imaging or paint programs that come with most PCs under Accessories and open it through there. If no application will open it, imaging software to open jpeg files are readily available and almost free. Jpeg files (.jpg) are the most common high resolution photo images for the internet. Once a jpeg file is opened, all jpeg files will open the same way.
• Once the file is open, use the magnifying glass with + to enlarge, with - to make smaller.
• Expand as large as you need, or reverse.
• Put scenes together end to end.
• Check objects for scale size

Multiple images for continued scenes and Transitions

• Open an expanded scene in the 1st browser window.
• Leave the browser open and current expanded scene on your screen.
• Open another browser. Go to Start or your desktop and open a second browser window the same way as the first.
• Log on to Backdrop Warehouse and go to a scene the same way as you did for the first scene.
• Each browser window will operate independently of the other.
• Using the double sided horizontal arrow at the left edge border of the 2nd browser (now on top of the 1st), reduce the window to half the right side of your screen.
• Find the right edge border of the 1st browser window and pull it left to fill the left half of your screen. You can use the _ at the top right of your screen to minimize the 2nd window to expose the 1st window.
• When the 1st window is on the left half and the 2nd window is on the right half, use the scroll bars to adjust each image so that the right side of 1 is next to the left of 2.

Heyyyyyy....  That's good to know!  I may try that myself!!!

[Anonymous]

Opps, they must have seen your thread and not liked it. It appears that the copyright has changed. Look at the date. I looked at the expanded view and agree that the file size is not large enough to give me a suitable print. Walthers cartoons would look better than a jpg at 150kb. I assume that one of their prints is in the multi mb. It depends on what you are willing to accept but you risk trouble making a backdrop from their images. I don't know what the copyright was before the date indicated.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Ah ha, I see, they went and changed it.