How to make a Polaroid painting

You can exercise your own creativity using a fantastic new product from Polaroid. Using Write-On film you can decorate and embellish your own pictures and create a real work of art.

You will need:

A Polaroid 600 camera and Write-On film

A selection of drawing and painting materials of your choice. The following work well:

Watercolour paints in blocks or tubes

Water soluble oil pastels

Watercolour pencils

Coloured pens / felt tips

Drawing pens

Water and paintbrushes

Objects for creating designs such as cocktail sticks or cotton wool

Take a photograph with a good strong subject in the foreground and a simple background. Wait for the picture to develop. You could take two copies of your picture and play around with your drawing and painting materials on one and then do your final design on the other. You could also keep one picture clean to compare with your final version

Start by painting the background using the lightest colours. You can build up layers of different colours. Try using tools to create patterns and textures such as an old toothbrush, a cocktail stick or a small sponge. You can mix the colours while they are still wet, or wait for one layer to try before you add the next.

You can add more layers and depth using oil pastels, particularly with small tools to blend and scratch the layers. Using pastels thickly will give you a slightly 3D painting-like texture to your picture. You could even embellish your picture with other materials such as tiny leaves, sequins or thread, stuck on the dry picture with a little glue.

Let your masterpiece dry, frame it and display with pride.