DIY Polaroid Art Project – How to Paint Faulty Film

Have you ever found yourself absolutely irritated by film that didn’t develop with your Polaroid camera? Because… yes, same. I absolutely LOVE polaroids, I have hundreds and hundreds of them around my office. But, when the film is faulty and doesn’t develop properly, I get so frustrated… it seriously drives me bananas. Film is pretty expensive, so it feels so wasteful just tossing it out. Luckily, I also LOVE to challenge myself artistically, and to make the best out of situations. So, enjoy this DIY Polaroid art project on how to turn faulty film into beautiful paintings!

Supplies recap for this DIY Polaroid Art Project

Supplies used:

• Acrylic Paint
• Small Round Paint Brush
• Small “Dry Paint Brush”
• Black & White Paint Marker
• Faulty Polaroid Film
• Modge Podge

Below are the steps to paint your faulty Polaroid film- enjoy!

1. Paint your base layer on your faulty polaroid

You will probably need two coats of paint to get an even base layer. Choose your color and paint the first layer. Then let it dry completely before going over it again.

2. Paint the base colors of your design in mind

Decide what you want in your painting! I choose flowers. After your base dries, go in and add some details. I added some pretty simple pink flowers to start with.

3. Add some color details to make things look more realistic

Once your overall design dries, go back in and add more color details to give your painting some dimension. I added some green leaves, darker colors and centers to my flowers.

4. Finalize your Polaroid design by add in super fine details

Add super fine details with a paint marker to allow yourself to be more precise and accurate. This is perfect for those tiny lines & hard to paint areas.

5. Seal your Polaroid art to make sure the paint doesn’t flake off

Once your complete painting is dry, seal your Polaroid with a smooth layer of Modge Podge to keep it safe!

6. Ta-da! You did it!

You’re all finished! You can display your art somewhere to be enjoyed, or you can use it as gifts for loved ones. (I love to do this! I’ll randomly mail these Polaroids to friends that I’m thinking about, and give them something unique and sentimental to hold onto.)

I hope this was a fun and creative challenge for you! I’m always encouraging people to find unique ways to embrace their creativity, and to challenge themselves to repurpose waste & turn wasteful things into beauty. For more fun ideas and artsy challenges, check out my Instagram!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely, your artsy friend that is rooting for you!