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.
Instructions
Prepare the Surface
1. Choose your stone or piece of metal. Keep in mind that an image will show up better on a light surface.
2. Prepare the surface: Wash or wipe it down; scrub it if necessary to remove loose particles. Degrease it with rubbing alcohol if necessary.
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.
4. Coat a stone surface or sealed metal surface with two coats of acrylic matte medium and allow it to dry fully.
Prepare the Image
5. Take a Polaroid photo using a camera, or use a slide printer 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, SX70, 559, 59 or 809.
6. 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.)
7. Cover the back of the Polaroid print with contact paper (stick it down).
8. Trim the edges of the Polaroid, cutting slightly into the image on all sides.
Transfer the Image
9. Heat a tray of tap water to 160 degrees F, or pour hot water into a tray.
10. Soak the image for 4 minutes.
11. Take it out of the hot water and place it in a tray of cold water.
12. Push the emulsion gently from the edges of the print toward the center.
13. Lift the emulsion carefully, and slowly peel it away from the paper substrate, leaving the emulsion floating in the water.
14. Discard the paper. You'll have an image membrane floating in the water, sticky side down.
15. 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).
16. 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.)
17.Repeat the lifting (not the flipping) to unwrinkle the image if necessary.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. Coat with acrylic matte medium as it is drying to help seal it onto the surface.
