Polaroid transfers/lifts

[Robert Kennedy]

Last night I did my first ever Polaroid transfer. It got it pretty much right the first time. O.k. there were a few TINY white specks, but it is good enough to hang on the wall.

Anyway, this has opened up a whole new realm for me. My next task will be to try an emulsion lift.

Now this seems a bit trickier. It looks VERY complicated and looks like you have to finesse the whole thing. Is this the case? Or am I being overly cautious?

Also, how ummmm...... "sticky" is the emulsion? I'd like to spread it out on a paper lampshade, but wonder if it would hold. Would I need to tack it down somehow?

 

[Sean]

I tried to do an emulsion lift once and it was a disaster. BUT, I am sure it was because I did not have the right tools. What I found was that as soon as the emulsion comes off it curls up and looks like a big glob of glue. Trying to re-open it and spread it onto paper wouldn't work. I could get some of it spread out but the edges would be globbed together. If I were going to try it again I would make some kind of device which could hold each corner, then allow me to pick it up in 1 piece and remove it. Good luck!

 

[Robert Kennedy]

I tried it last night.

Here is what I learned -

The first image I tried was what was left from my first transfer. The positive looked pretty neat with just the red dye having transfered a bit so it looked like a drawing in red pen.

This is how I learned that you need a fully developed image to have enough emulsion to do a transfer.

I then dropped in a test image. This is when I learned that you need to have a very gentle hand and water that isn't too hot. The emulsion lifted too quickly and tore.

Oh well.... I'll try again tonight....

 

[Ole]

It's dead easy. really

You need:

A bowl of water - hot, but not scalding. You need to be able to put a hand in there, and fumble around for a bit.

A small saucepan

with water.

You do:

Put the pan on th heat. When the water warms up, put the polaroid in. Before it boils, lif the pan off. Allow polariod to soak a bit if the pan is small, otherwise hurry up!

Lift the polaroid (still with emulsion) out of the pan, put it in the bowl with warm water. If the emulsion has come off, lift it out then discard the paper from the pint

Now you can gently ease the emulsion off if it didn't come off in the pan.

Put your new backing in the bowl, and spread the emulsion over it...

It took me a long time the first time I tried his, but the result was successful (the one in the technical gallery was my first attempt)!

 

[Thilo Schmid]

Take a look at the comprehensive information concerning Polaroid Techniques at: http://www.frii.com/~uliasz/photoart/light...capes/about.htm

 

[Eric Rose]

Thilo, this is one technique I would love to try. I have one buddy that is very heavily into it. He goes one step further and scans them into PS and then does some further manipulations before he out puts it onto canvas. Very stunning results.

 

[chrisl]

I agree. I've seen some really cool stuff done with transfers. Images on shelves, wine bottles and coasters just to name a few. I haven't tried it yet, but definitely would like to try some time.