Vinyl background advice

ShawWellPete

ShawWellPete

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I have bought a white vinyl background having only used paper and fabric ones in the past.

I am having afew problems with it, I find it is prone to heavy creases from the top diagonals which are a pain to deal with in post.

I also found the paper background was a lot more pleasing when left unlit, giving a nice light matt grey background whereas the more reflective vinyl looks like underexposed white.

Has anybody got any advice on the transition from paper to vinyl? I'm not sure if my question is clear, please feel free to tell me if I'm not.

I'm at work at the moment but if I'll try and get some unedited examples of my failings thsi evening.
 
I've recently bought some vinyl and have no problem with creases. It's on an aluminium tube and the stresses are even across the whole width. I try to keep the tube level when in use so that the vinyl rolls up and down smoothly and square. There are no signs of creases, stretches, kinks or anything of that nature. It is flat and even.

At a guess, me being new to this, it sounds to me like you are not supporting the vinyl evenly/adequately. Is it on a tube? Is it perfectly level?
 
What they said about the tube. Plus are you taping it to the floor?
 
Is it the right way up...

Vinyl is different on both sides so it could be the wrong way up.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, I think part of the problem is that I am using a cheapo background stand that was fine for the paper ones but struggles a bit with the much heavier vinyll. I have had to buy some stronger clamps to prevent it from unraveling itself and I am probably causing it to be a bit slanted.

Jonathan, I can't tape it to the floor as it is on carpet.

I think I need to do two things

1. Get a better stand (suggestions welcome)

2. Spend more time getting it even and clamp it so it hangs evenly both sides (again suggestions welcome)

Am I imagining the different exposure too? It does seem that the paper was easier to get to a pleasing grey. :thinking:
 
ShawWellPete said:
1. Get a better stand (suggestions welcome)
Click to expand...
This is the stand I have....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170558731441

Rated for a 12Kg load, it supports my 2x6m vinyl perfectly well. With an extending/telescopic crossbar it will suit all widths of background from as little as 1.2m right up to 3.3m. Unlike the crossbar designs with fixed length tubes this means the background support width can be adjusted precisely to take up the minimum space possible and minimise any prospect of bowing.
 
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tdodd said:
This is the stand I have....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170558731441

Rated for a 12Kg load, it supports my 2x6m vinyl perfectly well. With an extending/telescopic crossbar it will suit all widths of background from as little as 1.2m right up to 3.3m. Unlike the crossbar designs with fixed length tubes this means the background support width can be adjusted precisely to take up the minimum space possible and minimise any prospect of bowing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Tim
 
Vinyl on carpet is a real pain. Are you putting anything down on the carpet to prevent feet sinking into it and even more importantly to stop the vinyl walking across the carpet which results in you having to constantly pull it back flat for the next five seconds. If you have to work over carpet then put some cheap click together laminate boarding down first. As said, vinyl has a matt(ish) side and a gloss(ish) side. I find I have better results with the matter side outwards.
Also, I have my vinyl on a 4" dia heavy duty carpet roll cardboard tube.... you could probably sit in the middle of it and it not deform, but it does need a heavy duty support.
 
scottthehat said:
he means which side do you face down vinyl has one smoth side and on with a pattern on it.
Click to expand...

not sure yet - I'll check tonight but I think the shiny side is outside

V8burble said:
Vinyl on carpet is a real pain. Are you putting anything down on the carpet to prevent feet sinking into it and even more importantly to stop the vinyl walking across the carpet which results in you having to constantly pull it back flat for the next five seconds. If you have to work over carpet then put some cheap click together laminate boarding down first. As said, vinyl has a matt(ish) side and a gloss(ish) side. I find I have better results with the matter side outwards.
Also, I have my vinyl on a 4" dia heavy duty carpet roll cardboard tube.... you could probably sit in the middle of it and it not deform, but it does need a heavy duty support.
Click to expand...

Thanks - that is very useful, my one comes in its own aluminium tube which is fairly sturdy. It is here.

You are right though, the carpet maybe is the problem. Looking at the suppliers site they have the tube unrolled so the inside (matt side) faces forward, I guess that is another mistake I am making.
 
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ShawWellPete said:
Thanks - that is very useful, my one comes in its own aluminium tube which is fairly sturdy. It is here.
Click to expand...

That's the exact same vinyl that I have. I have both black and white in 2x6m lengths. So far I've not unrolled them along the ground, only dropped them to the ground. I certainly would not contemplate using them over carpet without some sort of firm boarding beneath the vinyl - hardboard, for example. The vinyl is not a heavy weight product and I think it would look a little odd, as well as potentially harmful to the vinyl, to have people stand on it and sink into the carpet below.
 
Hmm!! I'm just about to buy some white vinyl and use on carpet so find this thread interesting and also.... do you face the matte side of the vinyl towards the camera.
Thanks
Dave
 
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