Luau parties are a great excuse to get creative with your decorating.
Homemade backdrops are a fun, inexpensive way to add a personal flourish to your luau decorations. The Hawaiian word luau means feast, and most modern day luau parties retain the original meaning by providing a number of traditional Hawaiian foods and beverages for party guests. In addition to Hawaiian costumes and decorations, a painted backdrop can be used to reinforce a tropical theme while providing an excellent photo opportunity for guests. According to the Limelight Productions website, muslin makes the best fabric for painting scenic drops, although practically any large cloth or canvas drop can be converted into a homemade luau backdrop.
Instructions
1. Brush and clean your chosen fabric using detergent to remove any excess dirt or debris. Place the muslin, cloth, canvas or backdrop fabric in a well-lit area and pin the corners down using four different weights or heavy objects.
2. Draw the basic design for your backdrop on the fabric using a pencil. Use a ruler if needed to help measure the proportions of each specific part of your backdrop. Select a tropical or island-themed setting - such as a beach or underwater scene - and include details such as crabs, fish and seashells for added effect.
3. Pour paint from the paint can into the painting tray and begin applying paint to the fabric using a paint roller. Start with basic dominant colors - such as dark blue for the ocean, and gold for the beach sand - and continue applying paint until the backdrop is fully coated. Let the fabric out until dry.
4. Add a second coat of paint using different appropriate colors to help add dimension to your backdrop. Use a sponge or small brush to spackle white clouds into the sky, or to add darker blues to the waves and ocean. Create finer details by using a small brush to add lighting effects, such as shading and brightness depending on the source of light in your painting. Let the backdrop dry completely before installing it on a dowel rod or other mounting position
Tags: fabric using, your backdrop, applying paint, backdrop fabric, cloth canvas