My first Emulsion Lift. Not a transfer, silly.

ferny · Sep 26, 2004

*dances like a drunk uncle at a wedding to an imaginary James Brown song*

I finally got there. Woo!
Ok, not the best picture in the world. The plan was to take a picture or Pickles (or dog) in front of the dogs (we have two) house. It was the first time I've used the camera and I didn't frame the house very well. The battery which must be over tens years old seems to be fine. It was a struggle to get Pickles to stay still. When it looked liked she was happy I pressed the shutter. At exactly the same time she moved. You can see her as a dark blob at the bottom left. The two white blobs are her feet. :mrgreen:
I took the print out of the camera and got confused as to what to do with it. So I started pulling it apart and as bits came off in my hand I worked out what I was supposed to do. I did forget to give it enough time to develop. Instead of the 90 seconds it should have got, it got 30 (ish). It's got an orange hue to it.
I left it over night and started the transfer process this morning. It's really easy isn't it?

I did plan to use rice paper but it turns out that the packet I bought has vanished. So I got my sister to buy some last night. She came home with wafer paper. It goes sloppy and sticky when wet. I have thought of a way to use it though, so may give it a try. Instead I used some old paper. I used a hair drier as I'm impatient. A ruler was used to tear the edges around the photo. I've scanned it in so those creases and folds aren't really visible when it's in your hands.
So, erm, here it is. It's a shame about the subject, but I think it's not that bad for a first go.

hobbes28 · Sep 26, 2004

That's mighty fine work you've got there. I guess this is another thing I'm gonna be trying sometime in the very near future. Keep 'em coming.

Ambrosia · Sep 26, 2004

That's a good job. no tears or lift off!

terri · Sep 26, 2004

Congrats!

So....you pulled off the emulsion, right? This is an emulsion lift, not an image transfer. What you did was prematurely separate the pos/neg like you were going to DO an image transfer, but you actually ended up with the emulsion in your hand, which you let dry overnight. Your yellowish cast is simply the result of not letting the dyes migrate completely during the image development. But you obviously handled the emulsion very well, there are no rips or tears. Nice job!

Next time you try one, just let the image develop completely. You don't need to pull it apart at all; just drop the entire print into a pan of about 160 degree water and it will come off by itself after 3-4 minutes. You can grab the free-floating emulsion with photo tongs and transfer it onto your paper. Use a paper that can be dampened in advance and it will cling better. It's much easier that way.

The image itself looks fine!

You can never count on critters performing for you, can you? :wink:

You'll only get better with that new camera as you work with it!

ferny · Sep 26, 2004

Thanks for the replies.

I had a horrible time with the image floating in the water. The bowl which I was using was far too small and I couldn't get my hands in there to properly hold it. So it ended up in as a floating ball a few times.

:mrgreen: There is a small nick to the right of the house. You can see it as a white mark.
Sorry for the mis-title. An image transfer is when you use the negative sheet isn't it? Or am I completely wrong? I did lay the neg on a piece of paper and got a green image to. It's in the bin now though.

And I did wet this paper first. It is fine when wet. It goes heavy, but doesn't tear at all. The image didn't want to leave the acetate which I was using to carry it from the water though. So I had lay it all on the paper which was on a work top and gently slide it until the image was just poking out. Then I could life the acetate.

So you're saying, next time don't tear it apart, just leave it until I get home? Won't it over develop and go blue? It would be less messy. :lol:

As you can see, I'm a bit cautious (the film is bloody expensive!) and have no experience with Polaroids.

I'm planning on going down to the river tomorrow morning. There were some gypsies down there though so I may not. They've been known to steal dogs and bikes from people. So taking a camera wouldn't be wise.

editing my post to add that I've found a link for transfers click.

terri · Sep 27, 2004

Well, there you are. The process described here is enough to get you going on transfers. Just doing several of them is enough to get you to a comfort zone where you can start experimenting.

For emulsion lifts, I like to slip the receptor paper (usually watercolor paper) into the tray of cool water and drop the emulsion right on top. I do my manipulating in and out of the water, depending on how much I need the movement of the water to help me along with folds, or if I don't like what I'm doing I can immerse it completely to smooth it all out and start over. :wink:

You got a good result without doing that, so do whatever works for you!

Watch out for those gypsies! :LOL:

Karalee · Sep 27, 2004

Damn fenny, thats more perfect in shape and size than any emulsion lift I have done to date. Congratulations :cheer:

So how did you like the process? Sometimes it can be heart attack material when it starts to ball up in the water huh :LOL:

oriecat · Sep 27, 2004

Yeah, mine were curling up like crazy... drove me nuts trying to get the edges to unroll...

ferny · Sep 28, 2004

Thanks.

I was fine with it floating and curling up. Well, obviously not the first time it did it. But once I realised it didn't stick to itself I was fine. I was more worried when the print in the hot water started throwing out white stuff. :shock:

Whilst I've here. Can the picture be removed from the paper if you soak it? I'm just curious.

Ambrosia · Sep 28, 2004

I was more worried when the print in the hot water started throwing out white stuff.

I know a way to get rid of that...or most of it. Get some contact paper and attach it to the back of the print (sticky side of contact paper to white side of print). Then cut to the size of the print.

Then go about your normal routine of emulsion lifting. The white mess should be gone or mostly gone compared to before.

As far as getting the print off of the paper after doing the lift, it's worth a try. I've never tried to do it before. I'd imagine if the water you soaked it in was hot it might come off.

terri · Sep 28, 2004

ferny said:
Thanks.

I was fine with it floating and curling up. Well, obviously not the first time it did it. But once I realised it didn't stick to itself I was fine. I was more worried when the print in the hot water started throwing out white stuff. :shock:

Whilst I've here. Can the picture be removed from the paper if you soak it? I'm just curious.

Yep. At least with the watercolor paper I've used. I had a lift that I thought I was happy with and let it dry down completely.....kept looking at it....days went by....still not happy..... so I thought, what the hell, and warmed up water in a plate, slipped the half of the image into it that was bugging me, and waited. Within a minute it was floating free of the paper and I re-manipulated it to my satisfaction.

I recommend watercolor paper (140 pound stock) because it can take all this soaking, re-soaking and rubbing and various other abuse. :wink:

And gracious....doesn't the Polaroid site recommend the use of contact paper in their "how-to" section for lifts?

I thought that was a "given" part of the process. That white backing will dissolve in the hot water and you'll end up with a mess of white goo in the water. It won't hurt anything, just makes it hard to see! When you're doing several lifts at a time, you want the water to stay as clear as possible.