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how to de-wronkle muslin
I went out and got a 9'x15' piece of muslin for a backdrop and dyed it a light gray (20% or so). problem is, 135 square feet is a lot of ironing, and it'll probably get re-wronkled on its way to the stand... any tips? Aug 29 09 09:04 am Link pull the subject away from the background and throw is out of focus. Aug 29 09 09:08 am Link steamer  Aug 29 09 09:08 am Link Supposedly the best way is to use a steamer. I tried it once but it was a cheap steamer. The reps I talked to at trade show swear steamers work. Aug 29 09 09:10 am Link Aug 29 09 09:12 am Link I've tried steaming my muslins, I gave up... I pull them as tight as I can and clip or tape them to pull the wrinkles out as much as possible... Aug 29 09 09:15 am Link Jay Leavitt wrote: Muslin gets old quick for this reason. Aug 29 09 09:17 am Link I put mine in the washing machine then hang it. I used my light stands and clip the lose ends to the stands. From there I just use a box fan to dry it from the underside.. It only takes about 10 minutes.. It seems like a lot of work but its really not! Aug 29 09 09:20 am Link Geeze, it's not rocket science. steaming, while time-consuming, does a fine job on muslin. If you don't want to do it each time, keep the muslin rolled up on old seamless tubes or pvc pipe. Just don't roll wrinkles into the backdrop as you roll it up. Aug 29 09 09:44 am Link Get an empty sprayer bottle for a buck or two at the grocery store and fill it with water. I clamp mine to the sides of my stand, stretching it as tight as I can and then mist it with the water. The wrinkles relax and most of them go away. This assumes you have a little time to let it dry, otherwise the wet spots will change the color of the fabric. Keep your subject as far away from it as possible to minimize any remaining wronkles. When I'm done, I just wad it up and throw it back in the bag. Aug 29 09 09:49 am Link You need an industrial steamer like the one Dan posted. They're about $300 new but you can sometimes pick them up used for about $100. Aug 29 09 09:50 am Link I tried a steamer but found it to be a lot of work for such large material. Now I just use a fabric dewrinkler spray, I think it's by Downey. There are several on the market. I just spray it on and pull the fabric tight and it works pretty well. Also tasteful use of DOF helps smooth the smaller wrinkles out. I'll have to try just water as some have suggested. I'm not a fan of seamless paper (yet) because I think storage and wear and tear would be a problem, but I know plenty of people who love the paper. Seems like a waste to keep discarding the ripped/torn/smudged paper though. Aug 29 09 09:57 am Link Have an assistant move the muslin/lightly shake it while you shoot. Nice blur effect. Aug 29 09 10:44 am Link try fabric softener Aug 29 09 10:45 am Link Is why I have Roller systems. Aug 29 09 10:50 am Link I steam mine but once, in a pinch because I took it to an remote location, I bought a set 4 women's workout hand weights and clipped them to the bottom. It kept it stretched and wronkle-free. They now stay in my equipment bags for just this reason. Aug 29 09 10:54 am Link  Ball bungees  Tarp clips. I use tarp clips at the top corners, the bases of the background stands, and in the middle of each vertical. Pulls the whole thing nice and taut, eliminates the wrinkles. Pulling your subject farther from the background and using a wider aperture takes the background completely out of focus, too. Aug 29 09 11:11 am Link Dan Howell wrote: +1. Best $40 I ever spent. Aug 29 09 11:13 am Link 1. Toss it in the dryer for ten minutes. 2) Hang it up and clamp the hell out of it. In other words stretch out the wronkles and clamp them to the stand poles. 3) Any remaining wronkles? Healing brush  Aug 29 09 11:17 am Link Dan Howell wrote: I second that. Aug 29 09 08:53 pm Link SteveL Images wrote: Muslin and I have spent many, many hours together! Aug 29 09 08:55 pm Link Did a test shoot today, and a mix of 10 min in heated dryer, pulling tight, and healing brush work fantastic. Thanks everyone! Aug 29 09 10:09 pm Link Paramour Productions wrote: Ditto! Aug 29 09 11:03 pm Link I got mine damp, stuffed it into a bag that was almost too small, let it dry, then hung it up and embraced the beauty of all the wrinkles. Aug 30 09 12:45 am Link I spray them with a water mister and then throw it in the dryer before a shoot. I throw it over all my gear in the back of the car so it's nice and spread out. It does the double duty of covering my gear and making it look like a paint drop cloth so I've never had gear stolen from my car Aug 31 09 05:26 am Link try one of those hand held steamers Aug 31 09 05:28 am Link Mikes Images - Mike #4 wrote: thats how an artist does it, you rock Aug 31 09 05:28 am Link . What is a "wronkle"? It does *not* appear in any dictionary and appears to be used only by the illiterate and ignorant.  . Aug 31 09 05:29 am Link For me, I have an old 8-10 foot folding table in my basement, and I just pull it out and use a regular old iron ..... never tried the steamer, but I do know an iron works just fine....... but i do mention the large table, because well.... if you try to iron on an ironing board you end up making more wrinkles while a good part of the backdrop sits on the floor........ Once its ironed it seem to stay fairly wrinkle free for quite a while........ I've also though about using spray starch with the iron..... but never got around to trying it You might want to ask your local dry cleaner what they suggest for the material you are using. Aug 31 09 06:17 am Link RSM-images wrote: Well, everyone else in the thread knew what it meant. Perhaps we're not the "ignorant" ones. Aug 31 09 06:28 am Link RSM-images wrote: Or by the members of MM that remember a certian thread. Aug 31 09 07:02 am Link Dan Howell wrote: +1 Aug 31 09 07:11 am Link Dan Howell wrote: Walmart for about $50 (consumer version). Aug 31 09 08:45 am Link Hang it in the bathroom, take a hot shower with the door closed. That's what I do when I need to wear a shirt that doesn't look like it's been balled up in the hamper for a few months ;P Aug 31 09 09:01 am Link mendesm wrote: Yeah, but remember, shirts are small, muslin backdrops can be 10' x 20'. Could you hang that in your bathroom? Aug 31 09 11:40 am Link alteredstate wrote: a couple clothe wires/strings going across the room will handle that. When you take them off, they still a tad humid so at that point, I guess you can roll it up, instead of folding it to avoid having creases. Aug 31 09 12:32 pm Link  Moderator Warning!RSM-images wrote: From the Photography Forum FAQ Aug 31 09 07:42 pm Link Rex Hoss Photography wrote: +1 Aug 31 09 07:58 pm Link (1) large(ish) steamer (2) have the assistant steam it while its hanging and have a cup of coffee Aug 31 09 08:09 pm Link |
