What do the above images have in common? Hint: It’s one of my favorite things to use for a party or photoshoot because it’s cheap and accessible and you can get it LARGE, just the way I like it. You know me and big stuff.
Curious? Check it out below!
Alrighty, you already for my secret?
DROPCLOTHS!
Is that it? Yup! Simple, unattractive drop cloths. Painter’s dropcloths to be exact. They’re cheap, you can get them at the hardware store, and they come in so many sizes you’ll want to collect them all. Yes, I have adopted myself as their spokesperson. I’ve used them for backdrops, tablecloths, picnic blankets.
Here we used one for our Balloons, Books, Babies baby shower by painting loose stripes with some black house paint directly onto the canvas, no priming.
And for the Hanna Andersson shoot I painted a floral pattern onto a dropcloth that we had previously painted black for another shoot as a tablecloth. I wanted it really painterly and not a solid black so it didn’t take as much paint. These are so so great for photo back drops for a party or shoot because of the size.
This one was from our wedding. I didn’t use a painter’s drop cloth on this one, but I wish I had. We had bought primed canvas for it, which is wonderful, especially if you have less time because the paint sits on top of the canvas, rather that soaking in. However, it was much more expensive.
Lastly, we used a plain drop cloth for the background of the Halloween costume shoot from last year. I love the rawness and depth it provided. I might have taken it one step closer and covered in in plaster for a statue effect.
Have you ever used a dropcloth for a project? Would you do it again?
This is incredibly genius! I am planning a birthday party in August and will most definitely have to use a drop cloth. I’m so excited I saw this beforehand!
so glad to hear it. Thank you!
What are those colorful balloons attached too?