Polaroid Transfer Art

Review by Lori Cartmell, Toronto, Canada.

This book provides a wealth of information on the actual technique of manipulating SX-70 images. Sicilia describes how manipulating the emulsion affects the fluidity and colour of the image, how the light and dark areas of the image respond differently to the process, and how each film batch differs in fluidity and colour rendition. He gives detailed information on using different treatments depending on what the subject matter is, and gives examples of what techniques to use on such subjects as buildings, seascapes, trees, flowers, people, cars, faces, etc. Sicilia also provides suggestions on how to expand the highlights in the image to add emphasis and how to add patterns to the background. This is by far the best book on the "how-to" of manipulating an SX-70 print.

Instant Photo/Instant Art by Dominic Sicilia, Price/Stern/Sloan Publishers, 1977, out of print.

A few years ago, it was nearly impossible to find. I spent more than $100 on my copy. Nowdays, the book appears quite often on the used book market with a more reasonable price.