banoota_bathkoota Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Hi there, I used a vivitar slide printer to print some of my existing slides on Polaroid 669 film in order to transfer them on paper (dry transfers) I followed the instructions showed on this website: http://www.silverprint.co.uk/pola2.html ..but everytime I transfered the "negative" (the dark sheet, right?) the image never shows.. either too dark, or pigmented, or too dull. what can I do to have a successful attempt at dry image transfers? Please help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_clancy6 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 if the image is too dark, it needs more exposure. Transfers have a matt or "dull" look, IMHO. The more colorful and contrasty the slides the better the transfer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall ellis Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Read "Polaroid Transfers: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating Image and Emulsion Transfers" by Kathleen Carr. She goes into great detail on the process and how to troubleshoot problems. Also, Ann is right on the money with the flat look info. Polaroids lose their glossy appearance on most papers. Try using a plate or smooth finish paper for the receiving paper to get some of it back, but you will always loose some of the gloss no matter what you use. - Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall ellis Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 In the mean time, try not doing this dry. Put the negative on the paper firmly and then submerge the pair in water when it comes time to peel them apart. Go very slowly and make sure that all material is under water the whole time. This will lessen the amount of peel-off of the emulsion and make the whole process go smoother. Dry transfering is more difficult and in my experience always has more emulsion loss than wet transfers. - Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banoota_bathkoota Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 thanks guys.. Randy, it's not the gloss that i'm worried about.. its the fact that i have "no" image, nothing.. nada.. zip. I tried using the same exposure & left it to develope the normal way, and the exposure looked good, the images looked fine too.. but when transfered to paper, they look dark, very dark.. and the images look like a negative print.. (i.e. black hair shows as white, ...white socks show as black) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljm Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Why don't you cross reference the Silverprint instructions with those on the Polaroid website. Go to the main Polaroid site click on the creative tab and listed on the left is image transfers. My workflow starts with soaking the watercolour paper first, squeegee to remove the excess water and leave for 30mins so the paper is just damp. Then follow the instructions on the Polaroid site. Transfers can be very frustrating to start with but persevere and you will get the rewards. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljm Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Here's another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banoota_bathkoota Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 Beautiful photos Paul, absolutely gorgeous. Do i have to use watercolor paper all the time? is there *any* chance i can use yellow-washed papers from ancient books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljm Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 The most recommended substrate to begin with is watercolour paper. Once you have perfected the technique you can use anything that takes you fancy. I know someone who prints on wood! I've tried printing on brown parcel paper which also gives on interesting effect. Be prepared to use a couple of packs of 669 getting the technique right. There is also a downloadable PDF document all about Polaroid transfers at http://www.pacificsites.com/~hdupre/ Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljm Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 By the way, loved your website! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banoota_bathkoota Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 Paul, thanks so much for the help! After writing my post, I read the document you referred to on polaroid's website, & tried the transfer on wet paper instead of dry..it turned out just right, i love polaroid transfers! Thanks again! glad you liked my website =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljm Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Well done. Another Polaroid transfer convert! BTW, when they're dry try adding colour using water soluble pencils and rubbing the area slightly with a cotton bud. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee park Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 Banoota - another recommendation, that may be mentioned in the sources you've been linked to - is to use a 1:4 vinegar bath. It markedly brightens reds, as well as improves other colours some....Another thing to try is to gently rub off the leftover sticky emulsion under water - I like to experiment with removing only parts of that for a more 3-D effect. You can also lighten specific areas of the print with a vinegar dilution and a Q-tip (make sure to wash well afterwards). There are a lot of fun techniques to try with this medium (including scanning, printing on watercolour paper and then using a <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/2571487">wet watercolour brush</a> on the print) - best of luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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