How to: Mix 'n' Match backgrounds part 2

Hey guys, I hope this pandemic is good in the summer (or if you're reading me from the southern hemisphere, in the winter).

As you know, if you've read my recent posts, I've been in a very low-key mood this summer and have been working on several projects, especially backdrops and doll props. You saw some of these things in the first part of the Mix'n'match backstory. When I came up with the idea of ​​Mix'n'Match, I tried to figure out how to create different backgrounds without taking up too much space. I don't know about you, but I don't have space on stage to take 20 different dioramas and photos, and it seems to me that many people have the same problem. So what could I do to change the appearance of the background with some elements? The answer is strange.

If you are reading the first part and this is not your cup of tea, this article might be for you because this wallpaper will look more realistic. Now, in total denial, I was born with this idea last year when I was doing college work and renovating my house. But a few months ago I found this post from Bonequea and it turns out that he does something very similar. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's cryptomnesia , and I'm pretty sure it's not my original idea. Even if you don't speak Spanish, I recommend that you read his works. He uses different materials than I do, so you might be interested to see a different technique.

For this craft, I will use the same equipment as in the previous post: gray cardboard, glue, a utility knife and some creative paint. In the previous post there was some confusion with the name of this cartoon. I did a little research and this graphic is commonly used on book covers and scrapbooks, so you might as well search for it as "board binding". For you in Spain, this sign is called "cartón contracolado", but the lady in the store called it "cartón encolado". Hope this solved the cardboard issue for everyone. Now let's move on to trading.

I'm starting to build a brand new wall. If you already have it, you can skip this step. I set mine to 65x50 cm (25.6x19.7 inches), which is quite large, but since I want to give the illusion of a room, I prefer it to be a bit larger. If these dimensions are too large for you, you can always reduce them.

I improved my cutting technique a bit. I realized that the best way to work is to get up and not try too hard. Since my cutting mattress is very small, I make the first cut without a mattress along the entire line, and then repeat it. So I keep moving the mattress all over the table until my knife is completely cut. It's hard to put into words, but I feel about the same pressure as I do when shaking someone's hand. I found this video to help you learn the best haircut techniques (sorry it's in Spanish).

Then I painted both sides with plaster and let it dry for 24 hours. I got stuck on this part and forgot to take a picture, but thankfully it's not necessary.

It's time for my favorite part: color matching. For the first party, I did something very unusual for myself and chose a neutral color. I want this wall to look more realistic than my regular wallpaper, so I thought beige might be a good choice. I used a cool mocha shade from Americana Acrylics called Sackcloth .

On the other hand, I wanted to do something brighter, but it could still be real. I switched from American acrylic to Sea Breeze . It looks a bit darker than I expected, but I think it can still look quite realistic. If not, then I still love this color.

Now it's time to start working with the panel. I wasn't sure about her name and I recently saw something similar on one of Barbie's dioramas , so I asked her. He confirmed that it was indeed a handkerchief. However, I did a little research and found that a panel is a type of panel, usually the same height as a chair. I'm not sure if my panel will fit as a panel, but I'm sure it is a panel.

I want my panel to be around the doll's waist, so I decided to use the doll as a guide to increase my height by 18 cm (7.09 inches). For this part, you need to make sure your cuts are as even as possible because they will be more visible.

Now we need to cut 3 long strips across the width of our panel to create a broom/plank wall for the wall and a top and bottom cutout for the panel. I made one strip 1.5 cm (0.59 in) wide and two strips 1 cm (0.39 in) wide. You can skip this step and make them with popsicle sticks, but I don't want them to have seams. There should be 4 such parts:

Before gluing the parts, I painted everything with chalk. Not sure if this is necessary, but I was worried that the lady from the craft store would wet the glue and the pieces wouldn't stick properly because she said I could use the glue as a primer. I painted both sides of the board to avoid warping. Ignore the last part, that's for another job.

Don't forget to paint the edges too.

Now it's time to glue all the pieces together. If your parts have defects, be sure to leave them in less visible places. I first glued the larger piece under the panel with vinyl adhesive. Personally, I like to apply glue with a brush, and then press everything into place. I let it dry for a few minutes and then moved on to the next part. When I put it in place, I squeeze my fingers a little, starting at one corner and gradually adding weight.

We're almost done! Now it's time to paint the panels. I chose white because it goes with any color. In the future, I can always do more with other colors.

Here is the finished part. At first glance it seems very simple. Perhaps I should have placed some parts vertically or used a darker color. But since it was my first time, I didn't want to complicate things. I can always add more embellishments or repaint in the future.

It's time to see what it looks like in front of the camera. Let's start with the beige wall. Glue the panels to the wall with a small poster cabinet so you can easily remove it after you take the photo. This is Blake.

Now remove the panel and glue the base plate/edge. I also brought in some furniture to make it more realistic. Curiosity, the legs of the shelf on the left are not even glued, I just lowered them to contrast with the white floor.

Let's go back or walk up to the wall and see how our favorite "Sea Breeze" looks on camera. To this photo, I added a gray shelf I made in Upclycling to turn a tea box into a mailbox for dollhouse furniture . I don't have a lot of props or jewelry, so I brought a pair of colorful shoes. I won't lie, but I like the way it looks.

Looks brighter without the panel. In the first photos I took, Chloe looked very orange on this wall, but I corrected that by giving my ring a warmer hue. Apparently my phone decided the scene was too cold and tried to compensate by making everything warmer.

I was curious to see how this panel would look against the black wall, so I quickly took a picture with Victoria. I like the contrast, but I think the black wall needs a matte paint, it looks too bright.

In general, I am very pleased with this art. I feel like I made the right choice of colors and they look really good against the backdrop of the dolls. My favorite color is blue, but beige looks great too. If I were to repeat this, I would make the panels a little shorter and the bottom a little higher. In the future, I would like to do more design, experiment with shapes and colors.

I see this wallpaper as a way to add variety and detail to my photos, while the dolls are still the main attraction. Most of my work isn't perfect and has some imperfections, but they won't be very visible on camera because I won't be taking detailed photos. However, I still want to improve my technique and hone my art.

It took me forever to complete this project, not because it was difficult, but because I was chasing it with other things. I started with the walls before I started with the boxes you saw in my last post.

See the first part:

How to do it: mix backgrounds

Check out the photo background tag for more background ideas.