A New Projection Screen

Recently we have been looking for some kind of material to use as a screen to project ‘double sided’ images. We experimented in the studio with various types of sheeting and mesh net but finding a cloth that is both transparent enough to give a bright image on both sides of the screen but not so transparent that there is glare or a ‘hot spot’ from the beam in the middle of the side opposite the projector (the ‘back’ of the screen) proved not an easy task. A couple of weeks ago in a handicrafts shop we bought a few meters of a textile called ‘Netkana’. It has a mat white surface, is waterproof, doesn’t sag or stretch and has just the right amount of transparency to give a bright image on both sides of the fabric. Best of all – it was not very expensive! We hung up this material in the middle of the studio and these pairs of images are from our first test session.

Next week we plan to do some ‘double sided’ outdoor Tagtool projections, so the next step was to use this material to make up a proper portable screen. I made an edging of black Gaffa tape and put in metal eyelets (from the same handicrafts shop) all round.To make the supporting frame Dima used lengths of narrow gauge plastic drainpipe with right angle connectors (from the local D.I.Y. store). Then the material can be held in place by looping strong plastic string through the eyelets. We haven’t tried to use it outside yet………
We have made two of these screens and yesterday I made this box (from some old cardboard covered with Gaffa tape) so that they will be easy to transport and store.