I've used my floor or dining table as a backdrop for my drawings.

The flooring in my house is a mix of oak and douglas fir depending on the room and I love it. The dining table is a second hand table with a bunch of stains from years of use.

oak

douglar fir
old dining table

I mostly draw at night, mostly.

I purchased a pair of soft box lights for my studio. It's helped greatly.

Lighting a drawing without creating strong shadows has always been a challenge, unless it was daylight. Ceiling fan lights and camera phone lights are no bueno.

I have two very uninteresting backgrounds in my studio. Generic wood flooring, a white desk, and raw plywood surfaces. There is a rug, but come on, it isn't the great green carpet I

I did the only thing I can think of, I sanded and stained plywood.

Rubbing Oil on Wood

I didn't take many pictures of sanding or staining, but I did take some before and after type pictures.

job site inspector approved

waiting
done

The Result

I am happy with how this looks. I haven't stained anything since eighth grade shop, so I think I am doing alright here.

The last step is to seal it soonish.

plywood with oak stain

Look!

a few drawings available in my shop

Future Backdrops?

Wood is great but it would be nice to have some alternatives.

A recent alternative was this green shag carpet at a cabin I stayed at.

green carpet?! yes please.

For now, wood is fine.