Polaroid Transfers

I recently remembered that I had done some Polaroid transfers in college, and I wanted to revisit the process. So I dug through my box of old negatives and discarded projects until I unearthed my original transfers. I was surprised how well they had weathered the years.

The Polaroid transfer process, if you’re unfamiliar with it, uses a slide (Ektachrome transparency film) and projects the image onto pull-apart Polaroid film. As the Polaroid develops, you pull it apart prematurely and transfer the image onto paper or fabric by placing the emulsion onto your chosen surface and rubbing it, so that the colors “transfer” to the surface. Basically, you interrupt the normal development of a Polaroid. If this description seems confusing, check out this site, which explains the process much better than I do: www.silverprint.co.uk/pola2.html

The images below were transferred using a slide projector, Polaroid 669 pull-apart film, and original slides that I shot using a 35 mm camera. I transferred the images onto drawing paper. Part of the transfer process includes pulling up the negative before the emulsion hardens, which means the results are uncontrollable and unpredictable. You can see in the detail shots how the emulsion tore in places. This effect, I think, adds to the beauty of the process.

The original transfers are roughly 3 inches x 4 inches. I took low quality digital images of these to post here, and I did adjust for brightness/contrast in Photoshop before posting them, because they were pretty washed out in the digital files. The effects that look almost like watercolor painting, though, are original to the transfers. I did not use any filters in Photoshop.

I just bought a new role of slide film and some 669 film, so I hope to find some interesting subjects in the next few weeks and try some new transfers. I plan to use more archival paper in the future, since I think these will deteriorate before too long.

Detailed view of image above. Click to enlarge.
















Here I printed the same image side by side on the same sheet of paper, with the right one reversed.










Detail of left transfer. Click to enlarge.

















Detail of right transfer. Click to enlarge.


















This is the most "pure" transfer, with little emulsion tearing and almost perfect color transfer.





















Detail. Click to enlarge.


























Lots of emulsion loss on this one, but I'm pleased to say that it was once exhibited in the gallery at my college as part of a student exhibition.


















Detail. Click to enlarge.