A sponge-painted background adds interest and depth to studio photography.
Sponge painting is a relatively quick and inexpensive method of creating beautiful backgrounds for studio photography. Backgrounds are best painted on a portable surface that can be reused. This will allow you to keep several different color schemes handy. Heavy-duty foam core is the most practical surface, as it is lightweight and can be cut to many different sizes. It can be purchased in different thicknesses, but for painting, 1-inch-thick foam core will work best and will be least likely to warp.
Instructions
1. Choose a 1-inch-thick piece of foam core on which to paint you background. Make sure the piece is big enough to serve as a photography background.
2. Choose your colors. You will need one base color and one or two accent colors in a flat finish. Latex household paint is best-suited to this treatment. Accent colors can be lighter shades of the base color or contrasting shades.
3. Apply the base color. A sponge roller for smooth surfaces works very well on foam core, since it has a smooth paper finish. Allow the base coat to dry completely. It is best to let the foam core dry flat so that it doesn't warp.
4. Mix the first accent color with faux glaze in a bucket or paint tray using a ratio of approximately one part paint to four parts glaze. If you wish the sponge marks to be more transparent, use more glaze. Using a damp, natural sea sponge, dip into the bucket of color and glaze and blot on newspaper or rags. The sponge should not be saturated. Starting at an outside edge, apply color in a random pattern. Use a light touch so your marks do not smudge. Re-dip the sponge as it becomes dry. Allow the foam core to dry fully before applying a second color.
5. If you wish to add a second contrast color, mix the paint with glaze and begin to apply in the same way as the first color. Use the second color to fill in bare spots and to highlight certain areas. By adding a second highlight color, you will achieve more depth.
Tags: foam core, base color, second color, studio photography