Plastic Camera Makeover DIY

hi there! i am excited to share with you a new project i made this week. it's scary doing DIYs for the first time (sometimes it can be a disaster in the experimenting stages!) but this one worked out even better than i'd imagined. here's my idea for giving your cute plastic 'toy' cameras a makeover....  

i've been collecting plastic cameras for a few years now. Holga, Polaroid, Lomo and Diana are just a few of the 'toy' cameras that have become so popular for their unpredictable and perfectly imperfect photos. recently i decided to start collection blue cameras because i want to do a home decor display with them when they aren't in use. 

i decided to try to paint a few of my plastic cameras that i already owned to match my new collection. here's the 'BEFORE' photo: 

the Holga was a gift (so sweet) and the lomo super sampler is a recent eBay purchase. i scored a great deal because the camera was used and in pretty bad cosmetic shape (although it still works perfectly!). 

choosing the right paint is the most important part of this DIY. i used indoor/outdoor craft paint. it is very inexpensive and can be purchased at most craft stores. here are some brands that i've tried.... 

choose the colors you fancy the most and grab a few small paint brushes if you don't already have some. 

it took me about three coats of paint (dying completely between each coat) to put a 'base color' on my cameras. i used a tiny brush to do the edging on the Holga (i always prefer to use a small brush over taping edges off, but that would work too). Next, I added the flower design (and my name... i couldn't resist!) to the Holga and a cute little heart to the Lomo. i gave them 24 hours to dry, just to be safe! :) 

 

Hope you enjoyed this! It's a really fun DIY and a great way to makeover items you already own! 
XOXO. elsie     

Comments

[Emily from New Jersey]

those are adorable!! i LOVEEEE the floral design on the holga. :]

[Patty S]

so cute and very very creative!

[iris ashley]

amazing. that camera looks so beautiful. perhaps you should make more and add them to your shop! (using cheap cameras of course)

[Ashley Kdottie]

cute idea!!!! love it!!

[Leigh-Ann]

this is outright awesome!

[Amanda]

this is so adorable! thanks for sharing. :)

[elsie flannigan]

Thanks so much everyone!!! I should have given this link earlier, but i forgot... here is the first place i heard about making over instant/plastic cameras from: http://www.ndroo.com/blog/?p=98 LOTS of cute ones there! :))

to answer a few questions...
1. where do you get your Polaroid camera film?
A: eBay. i think they also sell it at Urban Outfitters.

2. would you/do you ever do artist interviews and would you be willing to interview me and my little shop?
A: Sure! email me elsie(AT)redvelvetart(DOT)com

and i am not planning to sell these in my shop, but who knows... maybe someday! XOXO. e

[amy lapi]

oh heck yes. i took holgita out for a spin today and was just thinking how semi-boring she looked.

[Jo]

SOOOOO much fun!!!!

[lizi]

super cute! great idea! i <3 my "toy" cameras too!!

[Kara]

Sooo cute!! Awesome idea. You're gonna post photos of your display right?

[elsie flannigan]

Kara, Yes! When I finally get a photo-worthy collection I will :)

[chelsea]

I have both of these cameras... the color you painted your supersampler is really close to the color that mine is!

Have you ever had any trouble with the film lining up in your Supersampler? I keep ending up with one frame of one shot, one white frame, and two frames from the next shot all on one photo print, if that makes sense. Boo!

[Lee - createalways]

OMG! This is fantastic!! Only you would bling out your camera!! Love it!!

[Deana]

Ok, now that is just TOO cute! :-)

[jenni waterloo]

It's a great idea, but I don't know if I could ever do that to my Diana+ or my other toy cameras.... I could, however, thrift another for my growing collection and personalize it. :}

[Genevieve Gail]

Darling! I love it!

[KELLI TRONTELL]

stop it.
this is TOO CUUUTE!
love it.

[Nikki]

Wow, this is beautiful!

[Jen M]

Such a cute and simple idea, I love it. Your so creative!