Fabric background - photographic

I'm trying to source some fabric to serve as background for a photography project. The chief criteria is that it has to be a very matt fabric - most of the shots will be in close-up, and quite brightly lit. It also shouldn't have too much 'texture' ( if any ), as weave patterns could prove problematic when the photos are printed. It needs to be a solid colour ( red...not bright, something darker than signal/pillar box red and lighter than burgundy ). Ideally it should be resistant to creasing/marking - it's going to get pushed and pulled around and I don't want to have to go buy an iron! I'll need a couple of yards.

I've had a bit of a schlep around a number of shops and taken a few test shots, and it seems to me that synthetic fabrics do best in terms of having little or no weave - but fail miserably in close-up with regard to reflections of flash lighting. It's not excessive, but you end up with colour being washed out in magnification. I looked at velvets, but they tend to pick up brush marks - and all the felts I've seen have been a bit shiny. I found a fake suede fabric that looked promising, but that too picked up brush marks just like the velvet. The closest match I've been able to find so far is a fine weave woolen fabric, which I suspect ( at a guess ) could be wool flannel - something rather like this:

I'd like to be able to walk into a shop and have a good oldbrowse....but although there are quite a few fabric shops here andthere ( south UK ) they don't seem to carry the more expensive stuff (like the wool fabric ) - so I'm having to trawl through assortedwebsites. Trouble is, I'm none too sure what it is I'm looking for in terms of a fabric name/type...which is a bit of bummer when I'm trying to order swatches and samples.

Any ideas/recommendations?

Regards,

Actually, 100% wool felt may be just what you need, something like:

's NOT "craft felt". The felting process does not leave a surface weave pattern. Lot's of colors available there. Or you might find the color you need in a woven wool and "felt" it.

How about a wool blanket in the right color. Possibly you could dye a blanket. Dharma Trading has great dyes:

It looks to me like I might be able to brush a wool> flannel, which would help to blur the definition of the> weave.

You might try brushing a sample piece with a wire brush. However, that will create a "nap" so be sure when you touch it up you always brush the same direction.

NAYY,

Beverly

I found it works well if there's some distance between the object of focus and the background. The objects I'm shooting will be laying on the fabric.

I guess I won't find a natural fabric that doesn't have a weave pattern...but as long as it's not too harsh it should be ok. It looks to me like I might be able to brush a wool flannel, which would help to blur the definition of the weave.

I thought about that...but it's likely to get scratched and marked and will need repainting, and I couldn't then guarantee colour consistency.

Cheers, I think I'm gonna need it!

That looks like it might be just the thing, I'll get some samples in.

I've found a source of Superfine and Melton wool fabrics which look like they might be worth a try.

Cheers,

Just a follow-up. I've gone for the Melton. The wool felt wasn't bad, but the colour wasn't as rich and deep - and as the Melton has a 'non weave' finish, costs about the same and is a far superior bit of cloth it was an easy choice.

Many thanks for the tips.

Regards,

I'm glad you found something that works for your project. Sometimes sourcing the perfect fabric is the most difficult part of a job. ;-)

Beverly

Tell me about it! I feel I need a lie down!!

Regards,

wrote: .

Better: A nice glass of merlot and Godiva chocolates. ;->

Beverly