I'm a firm fan of scenic photography of figures and try to do it every time I paint something new. However, my backdrops are usually hastily assembled from gaming terrain, and new to be set up and broken down again every time. I wanted to make myself a fairly basic backdrop that I could keep near my painting station to access quickly and easily.
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| The completed backdrop |
I grabbed an MDF offcut from the garage for the base and a rear wall of foamcard which I hotglued into place. I covered the base with thin cork cut from a placemat and glued on some random patches of sand. Finally I added some detail elements including a door, some balsa wood, plasticard and some resin scenic parts (some of which I kept loose to give me more flexibility). I dinged up the foamcard with a piece of lava to give it more texture.
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| Trying out the final assembly. |
With the backdrop assembled, I sprayed the whole thing grey, overspraying the ground in random areas with a desert yellow colour. I then drybrushed the whole thing (a bone colour for the ground and a tan colour for the wall, before painting some rusted areas on the crinkly tin roof and girders. The final touch was to add some grass tuffs.
Here are a couple of shots taken with the new backdrop:
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| Front on. |
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| Side on in conjunction with some other scenery. |
I can totaly relate to how useful this is, your scenic shots are alwyas perfect to set the mood of a moment.
ReplyDeleteScenery is crucial to the mood of a pic. I'm in awe of some of the work that you see on places like Lead Adventure Forum, recognising that you need an extensive collection of terrain and backdrops. Hopefully I can try and imitate that a little bit.
DeleteVery nice! It is a good idea to have something like this that is easily accessible.
ReplyDeleteEasy access and right next to my desk - that's the key really. I can and will still do a range of scenic shots, but it's nice to have something ready to go.
DeleteCracking Work!
ReplyDeleteI've been tempted to do something similar since I saw Demi Morgana's blog and the Gardens of Hecate blog which use some really nice scenic backdrops and yours is looking ace too!
I think I'll have to have a rummage and have a go at doing one now!
Thanks! I agree - both of those blogs are inspirational with their backdrop work. This one is pretty simple really - just enough to had some colour and interest without being overwhelming.
DeleteDamn amazing! I need to steal that! (The idea, I mean!)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I'd love to see what you create.
DeleteVery handy! I dont know that I necessarily need something like this with my table able to be up. But I would like to get a backdrop painted up like the old battle reports in White Dwarf. Very nice tho Jon!
ReplyDeleteIn an ideal world I'd have a semi-permanent set-up like yours (green-eyed monster alert!). In the meantime, this will do :)
DeleteHey this is great! I have been thinking that I need a larger backdrop myself, of course then I would have to paint miniatures to justify that.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for how deep your is, just think of it as an inducement to make a few more vehicles to use up that space...
I'm already thinking it would be cool to have a couple more. Perhaps one covered in posters and graffiti!
DeleteI'm going to give it a go with some vehicles and see how it works :)
Your not a fan of my coastal setup? :(
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of blue skies and sandy beaches. It's a lovely setting for a cyber troll to go for a paddle ;)
DeleteCheers mate :D
DeleteSeriously though, your very good at building set pieces. Just an idea Jon, you mentioned that you made the foreground too big, maybe you could make two more backdrop sections? One for the left and one for the right side, they could be temporary and only put in place as required. That way you could use up that empty space. Just an idea ;)
As is it looks great anyway mate :)
I'm already considering exactly that! Perhaps that's a holiday job!
DeleteThe challenge for me is going to be to come up with something like this that also functions as a piece of table-top terrain as well. I have to say that the use of scenic shots of this kind is one of the main reasons I keep coming back to this blog whenever there's a new post. Seeing the minis posed in such a way really helps me to appreciate them far more than just shots of them against a plain background would.
ReplyDeleteI've got quite a bit of functional table top stuff, but it's usually the wrong shape for photography- you end up with a big building encroaching onto your desk space, when really you just want to use a wall as a backdrop. Creating something that fulfilled both functions would be an interesting challenge.
DeleteMaking a backdrop is one of those things thats fairly simple, but has a huge effect on photos. Mines a simple foamboard piece painted blue with clouds added......but it makes a massive effect on pictures. Half my trouble is fitting everything into the frame!
ReplyDeleteI could do with a landscape/skyscape myself. It's a good idea to avoid those annoying 'back of house' parts to setting up a scenic shot.
Delete"I dinged up the foamcard with a piece of lava to give it more texture." – Jesus Jon, you're so metaaaal. Smashing stuff with real pieces of out beloved Volcano God. PRAISE BE TO VULCAN.
ReplyDeleteI think that's the first time I've been called metal. It was on my son's shelves!
DeleteLooks good and that's what matters in the end.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! That's all that counts, right?!
DeleteThat's great. I usually use big sheets of card stock or backgrounds printed on letter size card stock.
ReplyDeleteI have some card buildings and they're ideal for a quick background. I do like the added depth that a modelled background gives though.
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