Monday, July 11, 2011

Backgrounds and Artwork!

In my last post- Experiments And Test Shots!-Updated, I
used a few different backgrounds for my shots. It gave each
set of pictures a different feel and was different from the white
background I sometimes use when I am comparing dolls.

I got some comments about the backgrounds and it was
taking up far too much space to answer the comments,
so I decided to blog about it. Thank you Tracy India,
Karina, dbg of Black Doll Enthusiast and Frannie for
inspiring this post.

Here is what I used and my sources:
Beach scene is a poster I got from Big Lot for $2.99 last
summer. They may still have some. I haven’t been there
in a while. I got that one and









He autographed this one for the family.


Beach is used a lot for St. Malcolm scenes.



the mountain scene one in Tour of the Pacific Rim Dress
Rehearsal. It was some of the best money I’ve spent.


Café is a picture/poster I purchased from Wal-Mart a week
ago for $1.00. I just love it! I have stores worked around
this French Café’.

Now Ms. Leo is cheap and believes in using what is free
or what you already have. The azalea scene and the garden
beach scenes are calendars!


Careful placement of doll and furniture keeps you from
seeing the date and month!


This is a calendar....

this too!

I have even cut the small pictures of what each month is and
used them as calendars or art. In Khadijah’s first Valentine’s
Day and My Sewing Project I used thumbnail month pictures in
the scene. I also use post cards as artwork if I like the pictures.



Artwork is from the back of calendars thumbnails
and postcards.


Finally the brick background is scrapbook paper that I
purchased from Joann’s fabric for .25 a 12 x12 sheet. I
purchased 8 (should got more) and have used them for
everything from Renee and Etienne’s home (all 8),
background for Barbie Basics #17 to the backstage
for Woo and Dallas. It is a must have!



So cute... all he needs is a wall!



Not used in the test shot post but used often is a roll
(like gift wrap) of paper with a blue background and clouds
use for all my sunny day shots! I got that at Michael’s for
about 4.99 and have only used about 3o inches of a 4 foot roll.

Sun comes out after the snow!

Kids play on a sunny day!

So there you have it! Go out and look for interesting
backgrounds for your pictures. Almost anything could be a
background or artwork!

13 comments:

Black Doll Enthusiast said...

Thanks for the tips. So what do you place the posters against? Are they permanently attached to a firm surface?

The use of calendar images is an excellent idea, too.

dbg

D7ana said...

Thanks for sharing your background ideas! Now I have NO excuse for blank or boring 1:1 backgrounds.

Frannie said...

Thanks Ms.Leo for sharing your background ideas. I had seen some contact paper that I liked at the dollar store, will have to go back and buy it. Love your ideas!

Ms. Leo said...

D7ana, none what so ever! You are welcome. I also purchased a pad of colored paper from the dollar store too!

Thanks dbg of BDE. I lean it up against a wall or I have a white tri fold from the dollar store I lean them on. Sometimes I tape it. These photos were done on the ironing board with backgrounds against the wall. They had help from the wonders of cropping!:) I move to whatever room has the best daylight at that time of day. Yeah, I need lights. I am still using my black history calendar right now so next year you might see something interesting. Dollies in history!:) I keep my backgrounds stored behind the dresser. Low tech!

kristl tyler said...

Great tips. Love them all. Never would have thought to use posters but they look so great. --kristl

Frannie said...

I was able to get to Big Lots today and found 2 great posters for backgrounds. Thanks for the info!

Georgia Girl said...

Nice pics Ms Leo. I use calendars also for background scenes for windows. The skies are always clear and pretty (lol!).

Anonymous said...

Hey Ms. Leo - didnt you do a room that had a kind of "African" decor? It was totally done in Thrift store stuff? I have scoured your blog and I cannot find it. I want to include it in a post about Thrift Stores as a resource. -- kristl

Vanessa said...

Great tips. I picked up a couple of backgrounds over a month ago. They do come in handy. I have an oversized picture book that I bought years ago with the intent of ripping out the pages and using the pics for backgrounds. Haven't had the opportunity yet. Hopefully soon.

Ms. Leo said...

Thanks Frannie! You are on you way to some great shots. I hope to see them posted soon.
Thanks George Girl! I use calendars and pictures from magazines on windows and backgrounds. I especially love Architectural Digest. I can never bring myself to tear the pictures out of that magazine.
Thanks Kristl Smith Tyler! I can't take credit for the idea. I always loved Diva Details blog (it had a different name) and missed when she closed it. Some of my favorite pictures of hers were posters. She recently posted pictures on the Diva Dolls page of her dolls in hats with this background. On her Flickr account she shows how she set up the photo. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/49656534@N07/4624281630/in/set-72157624040161080) She uses this one a lot.
Thanks Vanessa! Picture books work well to. And as they say in the Nike ad...Just do it! Or do as I say and not as I do.:)

playbarbies, think you are talking about the ancestor's room.
http://i-luv-dolls.blogspot.com/search/label/Ancestor%27s%20Room

Ms. Leo said...

Hey gang! Here is Emjay photos using poster background. http://members.boardhost.com/DollDivas/msg/archive/1309883123.html The theme is hats but she uses the "Conservatory" background

TM said...

I love the calendars as backgrounds idea! That's very cool!

Ms. Leo said...

Thanks TM! How many great looking calendars have we all put in the trash after the year was over! Let's save a tree!