Okay so I succumb to ordering some stuff off the “dodgy” Temu website a couple of weeks ago. Prices are ridiculously low and quality is a gamble. One item I was curious about was a printed studio backdrop.
A few years ago I missed out on a lovely authentic Victorian studio backdrop at auction. Ever since I’ve been looking for another, so I decided it would be worth the £4.20 to take a look at these Temu backdrops. What’s the worse that could happen? It would be a bit of fun.
The 2m x3m vinyl colour printed backdrop arrived folded into the size of an A4 package. I was surprised that the print quality isn’t too bad, but the creased folds might be visible. But maybe not, especially as it’ll be seen at a distance and slightly out of focus most of the time.
I have considered ironing out the creases if they are visible in the plates.
It was also 2x3m landscape rather than portrait, so I chopped off a side section which was mostly red and brown inks of a fire place. That would just reproduce too dark anyway in wet plate. So this is what’s left.
And here it is in a tintype.
Which now leads me to the question.
Does anyone have decent quality digital images of an original backdrop that could be vinyl printed, similar to this Temu version?
Thanks in advance.
EDIT:
Thanks to Mark Beatty for this link
https://collection.nelsonmuseum.co.nz/objects?query=tyree+background+studio+portraits
And a blog post by Borut Peterlin with Flickr downloads of backgrounds from Pelikan Studios, Slovenia.
https://tinyurl.com/3n2vd9u4
And the Science Museum Group has these three for download.
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co16007
And these aren’t hi res but downloadable via The Past on Glass at Sutton Archives’ Flickr account. https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=129320146%40N08&view_all=1&text=backdrop
I’ll add more as I find them.
Tony
Interesting that you should come up with the idea of a backdrop for your studio. I’ve been considering painting one for a little while now but my draughtsmanship is pretty poor so I made a couple of sketches of a geometric backdrop , a sort of vortex which extends to the floor area and might give the impression of the subject being both in front and behind the backdrop. Sounds implausible. Anyway we’ll see what can be done.
I spotted this link although the background isn’t isolated.
https://www.cartedevisite.co.uk/download/5555/?tmstv=1727345146