New Use for Refrigerator Cartons

Here’s a little studio tip. If you like to draw or photograph costumed models for reference, make a simple backdrop out of an old refrigerator carton.


Paint one side of it with flat white latex, and the other side with black. You can glue flaps to the top to make it taller. It will stand up anywhere and give you a simple light or dark background.

The backdrop behind the pose on the left is a lot better than the busy studio clutter on the right.

You can take it out on the driveway for shooting models in real sunlight. When you have finished the photo session, it folds up to nothing. I use this backdrop for life drawing, too.

Here's a detail of the painting "Market Square" from Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, so you can see how that last scrap photo was used for the figure riding the Apatosaurus.