# Polaroid Transfers



## Nikon Fan (Oct 26, 2005)

Have to do one of these for a printmaking class, and I knew Terri would be able to provide some insight, but I'm asking advice from everyone...I've read the basic technique of how to do it, although it seems that maybe there are different ways it can be done...

So what's the best way to create a polaroid transfer?


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## terri (Oct 26, 2005)

eromallagadnama said:
			
		

> Have to do one of these for a printmaking class, and I knew Terri would be able to provide some insight, but I'm asking advice from everyone...I've read the basic technique of how to do it, although it seems that maybe there are different ways it can be done...
> 
> So what's the best way to create a polaroid transfer?


 Poor girlie.  Tossed into the realm of the alt-world, with us scary folk.  

So, have they been clear as to what you have to do? Is it a "Polaroid image trnasfer" or a "Polaroid EMULSION transfer"? (We agreed here long ago to call them emulsion _lifts_, to help keep from confusing the two). 

I don't dare go into anything lengthy until you know exactly what your assignment is. 

In the meantime, you can always click here for a rough overview of the image transfer: http://www.polaroid.com/global/printer_friendly.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441759987&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488338439&bmUID=1130377790345&bmLocale=en_US

I don't always agree with everything Polaroid says. Ask for specifics when you know what you're after. You know I'll talk your head off till you beg me to stop! :mrgreen:


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## Karalee (Oct 26, 2005)

I like doing wet transfers... mainly cause theyre easier  and I like the surreal watercolor type effect. Are you all using a land camera, or a daylab type machine?


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## Nikon Fan (Oct 27, 2005)

He wasn't specific on either, but I'd assume it would be Image transfer rather than emulsion. The teach hasn't ever done them before nor knows how either...so it should be interesting...he just said we needed a polaroid camera, film, and paper, is that it? 

Thanks for the link Terri  If you have a brief breakdown of the process for a beginner that would be great...you know I'm a digital darkroom junkie so this could be comical


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## terri (Oct 27, 2005)

How are supposed to get your Polaroid print? Will you have access to a Daylab? 

Make sure you have hot pressed watercolor paper. Arches is my preference. Any art supply store will have it, check the paper bins. 

You'll need a rubber brayer.
Couple of 8x10 developing trays.
Distilled water.
Polaroid film, probably 669
Print squeegee
Glass or ceramic sheet
Heating pad

The main thing you're doing is prematurely separating the Polaroid print, so the inks don't have a chance to migrate and can be "transferred" to another receptor surface (in this case, HP watercolor paper) with the image intact.

Rip down your large piece of WC paper by folding in half, tearing, and those 2 pieces in half again, tearing, etc. 

Once you've made your Polaroid print, from the camera or a Daylab using a 35mm color slide, pull your print out rapidly and wait 10-12 seconds. If you wait too long, the dyes will migrate too much and you'll have a faint transfer. If you separate much sooner, you can end up with a very yellow transfer. So, be mentally ready.

Turn on your heating pad and lay your piece of glass over it. You want the glass to be warm, but not HOT to the touch. Have your piece of paper soaked in 90' distilled water (I do this at home on the stovetop. You can laugh about this vision later.). You can use the 8x10 trays if you can keep the water temp constant, or use a shallow pan on the stove with a candy thermometer. Think it through and lay everything out before you begin. 

Before you expose the print, remove the paper after 30 seconds or so and GENTLY squeegee off excess water, then lie flat on your warm glass.

Expose your print, count to 10, separate the negative and toss the positive. Carefully press your negative onto the damp paper. Get your brayer and with light pressure roll the negative into place, taking care not to smudge the negative. Start in the middle and roll out in all directions. Let it sit on the warm glass a full 1-2 minutes, but not too much longer. You'll be doing a few until you get the timing figured out as to what's best for you.

I like to peel the negative underwater, so once I've rolled several times, back to the 90' water tray I go. I slip the entire negative (still glued to the paper) completely under the water and slowly peel off the negative and toss it. Slowly remove the paper and your image should be there.


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## terri (Oct 27, 2005)

And don't be intimidated by all those words up there. 

Gather up everything, lay it out carefully, have everything lined up neatly and ready to go. Walk through it mentally before you start, if that helps. 

Hopefully, you'll have access to a Daylab, for it's the easiest way to make Polaroid prints. You can shoot a roll of slide film in advance, and have more interesting images to play with. 

Have fun with it, it's a blast. And so much more rewarding than hitting "watercolor effect" in photoshop. :mrgreen: Sorry, it had to be said.


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## Nikon Fan (Oct 27, 2005)

I'm not familiar with Daylab, I looked at the link you posted but I don't think our school has one...

The equipment I have is a Polaroid 660 camera, Polaroid 600 film (all walmart has, and I won't be able to get anything different until next week sometime) and darkroom access (so the trays, glass, squeegee and all that jazz wouldn't be a problem)...is it necessary to have the Daylab or can this be done with just the camera, film, and some watercolor paper? It sounds like it from the process you listed but I wanted to make sure...And will the 600 film work at all? 

Thanks so much Terri...I won't even disagree with you on the Photoshop comment either


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## Karalee (Oct 27, 2005)

Hmm, you may have yourself a pickle here, as you cant manipulate polaroid 600. What you want is a land camera that accepts 669 chica.


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## terri (Oct 27, 2005)

eromallagadnama said:
			
		

> I'm not familiar with Daylab, I looked at the link you posted but I don't think our school has one...
> 
> The equipment I have is a Polaroid 660 camera, Polaroid 600 film (all walmart has, and I won't be able to get anything different until next week sometime) and darkroom access (so the trays, glass, squeegee and all that jazz wouldn't be a problem)...is it necessary to have the Daylab or can this be done with just the camera, film, and some watercolor paper? It sounds like it from the process you listed but I wanted to make sure...And will the 600 film work at all?
> 
> Thanks so much Terri...I won't even disagree with you on the Photoshop comment either


 600 film.....? Head back to the Polaroid site to attest this for certain, but I think you'll be disappointed in your results. The film types ending with a "9" are the ones best used for these techniques. 669, 59, 79, 809..... Check before you spend any money!!

I'll help however I can.


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## Nikon Fan (Oct 27, 2005)

Thanks guys  Looks like I'll have to wait and get some proper equipment...I think another girl in class is going to try out the 600 film, but I don't want to waste the money if I don't have too...thanks for the help both of you  I'll be back with more questions when I get the right stuff


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## terri (Oct 27, 2005)

Awww, that's too bad!  But at least you'll get a chance to see first hand why the 600 won't work. 

You can, as Karalee suggested, find a camera that will take the 669. Head back to the Polaroid site if you want, and look for their "which film does my camera take?" page. (Well, words to that effect.)  You should be able to pick one up. 

I am curious as to why your instructor would ask you to do something like this without providing a Daylab or access to the appropriate camera, though. You can't just up and do this technique; it calls for pretty specific equipment.


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## Nikon Fan (Oct 28, 2005)

He doesn't know anything about photography and just thought all you had to do was take a polaroid, peel it apart, and stick it on some paper...he thought I was crazy when I told him it wouldn't work  :meh: I'll check out the page and see if I can't find something on ebay...I'd really like to give this process a try, sounds and looks like fun with the appropriate setup  I swear I won't try and fake it in Photoshop just for you Terri


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## terri (Oct 28, 2005)

eromallagadnama said:
			
		

> He doesn't know anything about photography and just thought all you had to do was take a polaroid, peel it apart, and stick it on some paper...he thought I was crazy when I told him it wouldn't work :meh: I'll check out the page and see if I can't find something on ebay...I'd really like to give this process a try, sounds and looks like fun with the appropriate setup  I swear I won't try and fake it in Photoshop just for you Terri


 I'd like to think I could pick off a fake, but one never knows. 

Good luck, Amanda! I hope you get a chance to try it.


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## hobbes28 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hook up with some antique stores in your area to see if they have any cameras that take the 669.  Last time I looked, they came a dime a dozen.


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## Nikon Fan (Oct 28, 2005)

Thanks Hobbes, didn't think of checking there! I'll do that for sure


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## bmovie205 (Nov 1, 2005)

Well, here goes the first post. The land cameras that use the pull apart film run in price from$15-$30 (plus shipping on EBay $5-15). Ouch! What I did was call my older relatives and asked if they had any of my grandfather's cameras, I got three the next week. Only one worked. Now your also going to need a battery for the camera #A19PX (it's the replacement for the old 531). These you can get on ebay I've only found one person(ebay ID-- mdbattery) who sells these. To find cameras and match film with those cameras try the Land List  http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landhome.htm. Well, I hope that helped. As you can see I spent way too much time researching before ever getting to do a Polaroid transfer.
Also, I'm in KC and am more than willing to loan someone my camera for a day.


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## tito_gh (Nov 3, 2005)

anyone know what kind of film a Polaroid Land Camera Automatic 100 takes 

thanks 

i am thinking of trying this 
want to make sure i got the right stuff 


thanks


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## terri (Nov 3, 2005)

Try going to the Polaroid site, or use the rwhirled link above - very informative site. :thumbup: 

Just make sure you end up with a Polaroid print from 669 film, and you'll be in business.


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## DocFrankenstein (Nov 5, 2005)

How do you call ripping the developing polaroid photo and pressing it against the paper?

Seems so much easier than what you're gonna do.


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## terri (Nov 5, 2005)

If you have a genuine question regarding this technique, DocFrankenstein, please express it clearly and we will be pleased to help.


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## DocFrankenstein (Nov 5, 2005)

It's as genuine as it gets.

I've seen a procedure with a polaroid print in a MOVIE once. A girl had a paper diary. She took a polaroid picture of her boyfriend. While the picture was developing, the separated the top plastic layer and pressed it against the diary. 

The image of her boyfriend was transferred to the paper of diary.

1) Is this a real technique?
2) How long will such a picture last?
3) How is this technique called?

Thanks


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## terri (Nov 6, 2005)

DocFrankenstein said:
			
		

> It's as genuine as it gets.
> 
> I've seen a procedure with a polaroid print in a MOVIE once. A girl had a paper diary. She took a polaroid picture of her boyfriend. While the picture was developing, the separated the top plastic layer and pressed it against the diary.
> 
> ...


 To answer your last question first, it was a Polaroid image transfer, and while the image would probably last a few years being done under these casual circumstances, it's unlikely it would have much permanent archival stability. 

Why? The paper used in bookbinding is seldom going to be the high quality, acid-free artist's grade paper commonly used for this technique. In addition, this was a "dry" image transfer and it's unlikely the migration of the dyes from the negative to the dry paper receptor was completely successful - regardless of the version Hollywood showed you.  

It's kinda cool to think about the technique popping up in a movie like this but, like high speed car chases and perfectly exploding buildings, the real technique calls for some basic steps to follow if you really want to succeed.  

I outlined this procedure more in depth above. See the links mentioned in this thread to the Polaroid site for a list of films, cameras and info on the transfer kit they sell (although everything can assembled at art supply amd photography stores, some find it easier to buy the kit). 

Like backgammon, you can learn the technique and have successful transfers inside of an afternoon - it's how crazy you want to become by further explorations that makes it exciting. Some of us P-team geeks have images in our galleries here at TPF, if you want to study the look some more.

Hope this helps.


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## DocFrankenstein (Nov 6, 2005)

Sorry... I'm not that enthusiastic with polaroids just yet. WAAAAY too complicated for me.


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## terri (Nov 7, 2005)

DocFrankenstein said:
			
		

> Sorry... I'm not that enthusiastic with polaroids just yet. WAAAAY too complicated for me.


 I'm not surprised.  It's certainly not for everyone, but glad you checked it out!


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## gapinthevoid (Nov 7, 2005)

I just did some Polaroid Transfers this morning in my color photo class. We used a DayLab and then used wet watercolor paper to put the image on. Soak the paper in hot water and then blot it dry. After you pull the film out of the DayLab count 10 seconds, rip the pieces apart rip off the negative part and place on the paper. Use a roller type of device for TWO minutes on the back of the negative. Make sure you roll down the edges and be careful not to let the roller pick up the negative. After the two minutes, roll back the negative and you've got your transfer. 

They're so sweet. I'll scan and post them later on. I want a DayLab so bad now. *sigh*


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## Karalee (Nov 7, 2005)

aaaaaaaaaand welcome to the p-team :twisted:


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## terri (Nov 7, 2005)

gapinthevoid said:
			
		

> I just did some Polaroid Transfers this morning in my color photo class. We used a DayLab and then used wet watercolor paper to put the image on. Soak the paper in hot water and then blot it dry. After you pull the film out of the DayLab count 10 seconds, rip the pieces apart rip off the negative part and place on the paper. Use a roller type of device for TWO minutes on the back of the negative. Make sure you roll down the edges and be careful not to let the roller pick up the negative. After the two minutes, roll back the negative and you've got your transfer.
> 
> They're so sweet. I'll scan and post them later on. I want a DayLab so bad now. *sigh*


 Sounds great!  We'll be looking forward to seeing them.

Start a new thread, I beg you, so your images can stand by themselves.


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