Tarp for a newbie?

I'd be interested in what others say on this as well as I'm thinking of experimenting with a tarp too.
Are you looking for a flat or shaped tarp?
A flat tarp can be made with a sheet of tyvek or polycro from home depot. You could even just buy a cheap blue Walmart tarp and pitch in in the backyard to see. There's been some good threads in MYOG recently about the ridgelines and tie-outs.. Shaped is gonna be a little more difficult but not impossible. You might be able to tape one together from the above materials just to see if you like it.

I don't think the shape really matters to me… or at least i don't know until I try!

I bought a 6X8 flat tarp here two years ago. It kept me dry last night (just left a post on another thread). Also found a Mantis bug net on sale… it is a bit figity to hang but it works. Practice settting up and you'll be fine.

Making your own would definitely be the least expensive option. A flat tarp wouldn't be too difficult to make. Do you plan on using a bivy with it? If not, I think an 8×10 would be a good size. If you're looking for smaller, John at Borah Gear sells a 5×9 for around $50 here: http://ulgear.blogspot.com/p/5×9-silnylon-tarp.html.

See this thread for ideas on the cheapest decent tarp I know of.

Here's how I'd break it down:

Flat Tarp: Just a big, flat rectangle of fabric. Pretty easy to make, pretty cheap to buy. Can be pitched in all sorts of origami-like configurations. Some people like learning a bunch of different pitches, and like the concept that a simple tarp can be used in so many different ways. In principle, so do I. In practice, not so much.

Catenary-cut Tarp: Has a catenary curve sewn into the long ridge line, which makes getting a taut pitch much easier. Pretty much limited to a-frame configuration. Without doors or beaks, can the lightest option. Designing the cat-cut is a little tricky, but otherwise about as easy to make as a flat tarp. Plenty of ready-made versions, too.

Shaped Tarp: Think tent fly or single-wall tent, but without an integrated floor (use a ground sheet or bivy). Typically can be pitched low to the ground for 360* protection, meaning no splash-resistent bivy required. Usually only one basic way to pitch, but should be just as easy to pitch as a well-designed tent. Often three or more panels of fabric, multiple cat-cut seams, and zippered door(s), although can be pretty simple as well (see pic below). Typically harder to make, more expensive to purchase. Plenty of designs out there: SMD Wild Oasis, MLD 'Mids and Trailstar, to name only a few. Here's one I made (two pieces of 1.1 silnylon fabric, no door, 9.7 oz weight including guylines):