Our Instagram background: How to make a photo background

Making an Instagram background is easy, because really it can be anything. We’re a couple of uptight wee brats, so we like our Instagram to be pretty thematic.

Recently I (Rosie, the ruler of our Instagram) decided that I wanted something a little less poppy and a little more cool. I wanted to make a switch from our pre-existing pale blue Instagram background and decided to go for grey - because grey makes everything look pretty as a background colour. It’s the same when I’m shooting food in my 9-5 job, just love a plain background that will make the subject be the star of the show.

Making my own DIY board was pretty easy, and if I can do it anyone can. Here’s how to make a photo background.

You will need:

  • Plaster repair putty (not sure of the technical term, but you get the idea)

  • Some metal palette scrapers (again, not the official name)

  • A large piece of playwood

  • Some pretty paints (we used Farrow&Ball because that’s just SO us)

Step 1: Putty up

Lie your board down flat and spread putty all over it, scraping it off in places and building it up in others to create texture. If texture is what you’re after, of course. I wanted a pretty rough and ready feel so went a bit mad with the scraping.

Step 2: Be patient

Allow the putty to dry fully before starting on the next step. I left mine overnight to be sure, but once you start a wee craft project it can be hard to reign yourself in, we feel that.

Step 3: Paint her up

We  (the royal kind) used a few different grey and white shades from our mates over at Farrow&Ball to get a dappled effect, brushing each one on in turn in random patches and blending them over at the edges of each section.

Step 4: Point and shoot

And that really is all there is to it. Kind of a shame to lay it out there, just like that, and expose how simple the process was. You might have continued to think we were geniuses had we not bared all. To get the most use out of our board I also painted the other side in mostly white with a little light grey, so that we can shoot a couple of different looks while it still all tying together.

So there you have it, as easy as 1,2,3. And 4. Below is a gallery of images that will take you through the step-by-step of how to make an Instagram background.

Rosie Conroy