How to Transfer Images to Stone or Metal Using Polaroid Transfer
Technique
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A three-dimensional
surface can take on a new look with the right superimposed image. This
technique will allow you to transfer a Polaroid image with virtually no
equipment. |
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Prepare
the Surface |
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Steps: |
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1. |
Choose your stone or
piece of metal. Keep in mind that an image will show up better on a light
surface. |
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2. |
Prepare the surface:
Wash or wipe it down; scrub it if necessary to remove loose particles.
Degrease it with rubbing alcohol if necessary. |
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3. |
Coat a metal surface
with two coats of spray polyurethane and allow it to dry fully to seal the
surface and prevent it from rusting. |
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4. |
Coat a stone surface
or sealed metal surface with two coats of acrylic matte medium and allow it
to dry fully. |
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Prepare
the Image |
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Steps: |
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1. |
Take a Polaroid photo
using a camera, or use a Polaroid slide printer with Pack Film Camera Back
to take a Polaroid photo of a slide you've shot. Make sure you're using
Polaroid film that can be transferred, such as 669, 691, 559, 59 or 809.
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2. |
Let the Polaroid photo
cure for 24 hours. (If you're using an old photo, you're ready to go -
provided it's on transferable film. If you don't know what kind of film was
used, go ahead and try, as long as you don't mind losing the picture.)
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3. |
Cover the back of the
Polaroid print with contact paper (stick it down). |
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4. |
Trim the edges of the
Polaroid, cutting slightly into the image on all sides. |
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Transfer the Image |
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Steps: |
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1. |
Heat a tray of tap
water to 160 degrees F, or pour hot water into a tray. |
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2. |
Soak the image for 4
minutes. |
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3. |
Take it out of the hot
water and place it in a tray of cold water. |
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4. |
Push the emulsion
gently from the edges of the print toward the center. |
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5. |
Lift the emulsion
carefully, and slowly peel it away from the paper substrate, leaving the
emulsion floating in the water. |
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6. |
Discard the paper.
You'll have an image membrane floating in the water, sticky side down.
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7. |
Slip a piece of waxed
paper under the floating image. Guide it onto the waxed paper (the first
step in flipping the image membrane over). |
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8. |
Use the waxed paper to
lift the emulsion out of the water, flip it over, and put it back in the
water. (The sticky side will be up, which gets the image ready for
transfer.) |
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9. |
Repeat the lifting
(not the flipping) to unwrinkle the image if necessary. |
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10. |
Use the waxed paper to
lift the image from the water. Hold the edges of the image carefully (to
make sure it doesn't slip off the waxed paper), and gently flip the image
over and onto your transfer surface, sticky side down. |
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11. |
Smooth it out with
your hands (on a flat surface, you can use a roller) working from the middle
of the image out to the edges. |
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12. |
Coat with acrylic
matte medium as it is drying to help seal it onto the surface. |
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Tips: |
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If the image slides
off, try putting it back in the water and straightening it out - it may be
salvageable. If not, you'll have to start again. |
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