Painting a studio

[Sprogkeeper]

Have been researching the colour I should paint my studio. It isn't huge... Approx 4mtrs x 7.5mtrs and 3mtrs high. I am hoping to have a white cyclorama but am not sure what colour to paint the ceiling/ other walls. Some people say black all over including the ceiling but I don't reckon that will be very customer friendly. Others say get 18% grey mixed at the paint shop. I want it effective but not a black hole although I am happy to paint one wall black... Any thoughts? Will I have probs on low key shots with a white ceiling? ( can't cover it as it will have a hi glide on it)

 

[Garry Edwards]

The smaller the space, the more important it is to be black, because unwanted light reflected from white surfaces will have a greater effect.

Possibly the best compromise is to have the ceiling black and the walls white, but with black drapes that you can cover the walls with when required.

 

[Sprogkeeper]

Thanks for that. I'm now looking into cheap black fabrics for drapes. Maybe I could do just the seating end with a white ceiling? I had a dark room year ago and all black is VERY dark so would like to avoid that feeling if I can. I assume I will have to drape the white cyclorama if doing low key

 

[Garry Edwards]

Basically, if light can't bounce off of the ceiling then it doesn't matter what colour it is, so if the seating end going to be unlit then it doesn't matter much.

If by 'low key' you mean black background, then yes you will have to drape it black - it needs a very large space, or backlighting/rimlighting only, for a white background to look black.

Low key and high key have nothing to do with the colour of the background BTW

 

[Sprogkeeper]

Hi....I know im a bit of a muppet at times and it does take a while to get things straight in my head. If I think right....The colour of the backdrop is not gonna effect the low/high key thing....I get that.....it behind the subject and im not bouncing light off it so no strange coloured people. So, if I want to use a black background with low lighting and good modelling, the white cyclorama wont help my cause as it will cover the entire back wall so I am better off covering it with black drapes with the limited space I have....I'm sure I will get to grips with it eventually but would like to paint it right to start with, so as to make my life as easy as possible.