JPG: Stories: How To: Toxic Finger Painting

How To

Toxic Finger Painting

By Ritchard Ton

11 Sep 2008

Toxic Finger Painting

Polaroid pack film (the peel apart kind) can easily be manipulated to create a unique and colorful image. This type of film contains a gel that acts as the developer for the picture and is spread out evenly when the photo is pulled from the camera. The finger painting technique is basically to move the gel around between the photo and the negative with your fingers while the photo is developing. This will cause a color shift and reduce/increase the amount of developer in a given spot on the photo.

Tools needed:

1. Polaroid pack film (I use expired Polaroid ID-UV film)

2. A Polaroid camera that accepts pack film. The camera I use is the Automatic 100. Pack film cameras can be found at garage sales, thrift stores, ebay and are pretty cheap.

3. Latex gloves. The process is not necessarily messy, but some of the photo chemistry can get pushed out of the side of the photo. This photo chemistry is toxic so avoid contact with your skin, eyes and any other body part you care about. Also be careful when handling the photos and chemistry around your clothes, it will stain.

4. Fingers and thumbs.

The Process:

1. Take the photo. I found the best results are when I shoot a solid color subject, one without much detail.

2. Pull the photo from the camera

3. With the gloves on, immediately start pinching and rubbing the photo between your finger and thumb to move the chemistry between the photo and the negative. The tighter you pinch or harder you rub the photo the more the colors of the final product will vary.

4. You can also place the photo on a hard surface to push the chemistry around.

5. If you press, pinch, or rub too hard, the photo (white side) might separate from the negative (black side) too soon, so be careful.

6. Continue rubbing and pushing until the recommended development time (usually about 60-90 seconds) has expired.

7. Separate the photo from the negative and throw away the negative.

Tips:

1. Pinching/pulling the photo between the tips of your thumb and index finger tightly will create strong lines of color

2. Pinching/pulling the photo between the flat parts of your fingers will produce a wider, more subtle color shift.

3. You can also use a blunt object, such as the pen cap, to create lines in the chemistry. During the process described above, place the photo on a hard surface with the black side (the negative) down and use the tip of the object to draw on the back of the photo.

VOTE: Should this story be published in JPG?