How to Make a DIY Hand Painted Photography Backdrop

Do you have a hand painted photography backdrop in your flower studio or space? I didn’t have one until last year, and I would take photos outside or inside wherever I thought it worked fine. Unfortunately, I lacked a good large wall, brick wall, or antique door that would serve as a nice background right next to a large window, allowing for soft natural light from one side.

I searched online for a large hand painted photography backdrop to purchase, but they were all very pricey. Finally, I got off my backside and decided to make one for myself.

Today, I want to share with you how I created my DIY hand painted photography backdrop and which paints I used. If you’ve ever considered making one for yourself, I hope that this article could be helpful!

Materials for hand painted photography backdrop

1. BEHR Interior Chalk Decorative Paint – Color: White, Size: 1 qt
2. FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint – Color: Oatmeal, Size: 2 fl oz
3. FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint – Color: Vintage Victorian, Size: 2 fl oz ( This can be any pink color)
4. FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint – Color: Java, Size: 2 fl oz ( This can be any brown color)
5. Acrylic Primed Cotton Roll – Size: 72″ width x 6 Yards length
6. Paper towels

Here is the link for the materials from Amazon.

I used four different colors of chalk paints, which you can easily find on Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, or any other supply stores! For the canvas, I purchased a 72″ width x 6-yard-long thick cotton roll from Amazon and cut it in half lengthwise, allowing me to create two backdrops, each with a 3-yard length and two different colors! While the roll I used is thick and of nice quality, it’s a bit pricey. You can achieve similar results with a thinner and more affordable roll or fabric.

Additionally, I needed paper towels, gloves, a brush, and a plastic sheet for painting, along with the materials mentioned above.

How I made my hand painted photography backdrop

I chose a simple sponge painting technique using paper towels, though a painting sponge or towels would work just as well. Starting with a mixture of Oatmeal (sage green-like) paint and white for a creamy base, I applied the entire canvas with this creamy color using the sponge painting technique.

Next, I added Vintage Victorian (pink) and Java (brown) paints in small amounts to the creamy base to achieve a dusty blush pink hue. Applying this mixture, along with Oatmeal paint itself, unevenly over the cream-colored canvas with a paper towel, the process was both simple and quick! I hope you enjoy creating your own DIY backdrop for your photography 🙂