DIY backgrounds and stand

Way back in 2012, I posted about my idea to make my own color canvas backgrounds and a cheap home made stand.

Well, I finally got around to it!

I went to my local big box store (Lowes, Home Depot, etc) and got some PVC pipe and connecters. I decided on 3/4" PVC. Smaller would be too weak to hold a canvas, bigger would be fine, but any more than 1" would probably be overkill.

Notice I also purchased some med duty clips, some dye, and salt.

You will need to design your own stand based on what adapters and connectors are available in your stores. I made some feet, risers, and crossbeams here:

I found that I had to cement some of the pieces, esp the feet, to keep the stand secure, but I left other connections unglued so I could tear it down for transport and storage.

Here is the stand all connected:

Dying the canvases I purchased last year was fun. The salt helps the dye penetrate the fabric. Since the canvas was rather large, I used a bathtub. Be sure to clean afterwards with a bleaching cleanser.

 

Put it all together and you have a portable back ground system!

I liked the blue jean denim color, basic black, natural canvas color, and dark green.

Next, I'll show the system in use. At full height, it is useful for portrait work, half height and a table will work well for product photography.

Total cost, including what I spent last year on the canvases was right around $50.00. And that's for the dual use stand and four color canvas backgrounds. Not bad for about 3 hrs worth of work.