The Magic of Killer Acid Comes to Polaroid

Back in late 2019 we started working on a new custom Polaroid camera collaboration, never knowing the weird trip we’d all be on when it finally came time to send it out into the world. But today we finally get to announce the release of the Killer Acid Polaroid 600 Instant Film Camera, made from refurbished vintage internals wrapped into freshly molded plastic exteriors featuring exclusive Killer Acid coloring and graphics. 

While it’s not above us to wax poetically about each new camera we’re lucky enough to be able to release, in this case it’s far more fitting to hear directly from the person behind the vision for the camera. We’re talking, of course, about Rob Corradetti, illustrator and creator of Killer Acid:

What is Killer Acid all about?
Rob: Killer Acid started as a funny social media handle back in 2010 for posting anonymous and kind of crappy drawings. I like to think I've gotten a bit better at drawing, but still try to not take things too seriously. Some people imagine that Killer Acid is a brand and some people think it's an artist name. It's actually both, and neither!

How long have you been illustrating? When would you say it got “serious”?
I've been drawing since I could crawl, and illustrating since around the year 2004. In 2015, five years after starting Killer Acid, I was finally able to quit all my day jobs. I had freelanced in an advertising office for a long time and one day I stopped working there. The funny thing is, I kept going into the office – I was very good friends with the art department and no one else seemed to notice or care that I continued using their printers and mailing supplies. This went on for almost two years before management wised up and I was forced to leave and get my own office. 

You seem to have a nonstop supply of illustration ideas. What gives you inspiration for your drawings?
I have a few ways of working on ideas. Sometimes I start with words. I like phrases that are known, but not always common. I'm also obsessed with song lyrics so I get a lot of ideas from music, though that's not always obvious. I might try drawing three or four versions of something before the sketch starts to feel right and creates a fun contrast with the words. When I'm really stuck I just start doodling and drawing a lot of lines. Out of that physical action sometimes I can rev up ideas out of thin air.

Any insight to how you came up with this design? Color scheme? Illustration subject matter?
I guess I always thought the Polaroid camera looked like a funny face when it was closed. Then it opens and it's a different face inside. It's just like a Transformer. It's very much alive. The camera has a personality. The little whirring sound when you open it up is magical. I was thinking of toys that come with sticker sheets that allow for customization. The colors I used – teal and salmon – are two of my favorites that I use quite a bit in my drawings. So the camera has a fun watermelon summertime vibe with a splash of good ol' fashioned Killer Acid paranoia.

What do you like most about this particular collaboration on a Polaroid camera?
When I think of Polaroid, I mostly think of people outside taking pictures of other people. I feel like this camera can be a fun tool to have with you on a day trip. Remembering the joy of conjuring a physical photograph out of thin air. Just don't blink! You only get one shot sometimes.

Do you have any favorite Polaroid photos you’ve taken?
There's one of me as a very young old man, one of my friend Matt on our backyard toilet from way back, and one of my wife Sierra taken last week. I honestly wish I had documented more friends. I feel like my collection of Polaroid photos is a precious archive, more so than even regular photos.

If you could put your art on any object in the world with no physical or logistical limitations, what would it be?
I'd put it on a space shuttle and fly it to Mars. After this will be the NASA collab.

Thanks Rob, not only for this interview but for creating a truly unique Polaroid experience with us. Each camera comes with two additional sticker sheets created specifically for the collaboration that feature additional illustrations, including multiple sets of facial features, giving everyone an opportunity to turn their camera into its own unique beast. 

Complimenting the camera launch is a special run of Polaroid T-shirts and stickers featuring a radically Killer-Acid-esque take on the classic Polaroid 600 camera. 

If you want to dive deeper into Rob’s work, he’s always putting up cool, new art through @KillerAcid on Instagram.

Then, feel free to check out the camera available in our online shop now.