Coldest paper?

Christiaan Phleger · Apr 1, 2009

Ok all this talk about cold tone developers is coming back to the paper. Which gives coldest tones, Blue Black?

Mark Fisher · Apr 1, 2009

If you don't mind graded paper, Slavich Unibrom is pretty cold. If Rc is OK, Ilford Cooltone RC is reasonably cold.

keithwms · Apr 1, 2009

Yup, I like the slavich very much. I wouldn't call it 'blue black' though, it is just... non-nostalgic black & white.

jeroldharter · Apr 2, 2009

Kentmere Fineprint VC FB developed in Zone VI developer and the toned in dilute selenium toner is in contention.

Matthew Gorringe · Apr 2, 2009

Please have a look through this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

As Jerold has alluded to it's the package that will get you where you want; not just the paper, not just the developer, not just the toner.

If you want blue blacks then gold toning is really the way to go. Start with what you have and try other papers if it's not blue enough.

Removed Account · Apr 2, 2009

Kentmere Bromide in Ilford's now-discontinued Harman Cooltone developer gave a pretty chilly bluish grey without any toning.

richard littlewood · Apr 2, 2009

For a straight print a warmtone paper used with a dev with added benzo and virtually no bromide will the coolest of all.

Christiaan Phleger · Apr 2, 2009

Well for the project I'll be using the Defender 54-D formula which I use for proofing on Multigrade RC, quite cool but not what I'd call cold. Never got my hands on the Cooltone developer.

2F/2F · Apr 2, 2009

Any paper will give you a blue or mixed blue-black tone if you use iron toner. The type of paper matters, but they all basically go blue. If you just leave it in for a little while, you can get partial toning, which looks extremely neat, IMO. It is quite easy to mix. I think it only involves potassium ferricyanide, oxalic acid, and ferric ammonium citrate (green). You can also make a turquoise version of the same basic toner, and can control the intensity of the color with an additional bath, though I have forgotten exactly what makes up that bath.

P.S. I just went and found this link: http://www.jackspcs.com/ibt.htm

I remember this Website from a while back. It has some useful info. I did not know that you can wash the toner out bit by bit to reduce the blueness. He lists tartaric acid, but I specifically remember using oxalic acid. I guess they both work.

Adrian Twiss · Apr 2, 2009

Ilfrod Multigrade WT developed in Dektol then gold toned. I get a good blue black with gold toned Fomatone but the I find the highlights a little too cream to look truly cold. I have Also found that Kentmere Fineprint VC in dektol responds to gold toning and looks nice and chilly. Before I stuck with Dektol I used to make up Maxim Muir's Blue Black developer which used to make Forte Polywarmtone look neutral.

Christiaan Phleger · Apr 2, 2009

WOuld that be Nelsons Gold Toner or another gold toner? I have MGWT on hand so that could do it.

Matthew Gorringe · Apr 2, 2009

A direct gold toner is what you need. Tetenal make a good one. The Photographers' Formulary sells a kit for one called 231 that would also do what you want.

I haven't used Nelson's Gold toner but I'm pretty sure it will give brown tones.

Adrian Twiss · Apr 2, 2009

Nelsons Gold Toner does indeed give brown tones. Tetenal gold toner is very good. When fresh it gives robust colour shifts on warm tone papers in under 10 minutes. It is also long lasting. Highly recommended.

Anscojohn · Apr 2, 2009

Adrian Twiss said:
Nelsons Gold Toner does indeed give brown tones. Tetenal gold toner is very good. When fresh it gives robust colour shifts on warm tone papers in under 10 minutes. It is also long lasting. Highly recommended.

******
Adrian,
Off topic, to be sure: but what is Wigan Pier; what is the road to it? And should I try to find George Orwell's essay "The Road to Wigan Pier?"

bwakel · Apr 2, 2009

Forte Polygrade in Tetenal Dokumol is my favourite for blue/black shadows. Unfortunately Polygrade's no longer available. As already stated Tetenal Gold Toner does a great job of imparting a cool tone on Fomatone paper and a really quite bright blue for lith prints made on Foma Chamois or Nature.

Adrian Twiss · May 7, 2009

Anscojohn said:
******
Adrian,
Off topic, to be sure: but what is Wigan Pier; what is the road to it? And should I try to find George Orwell's essay "The Road to Wigan Pier?"

John

Wigan Pier is entirely unsurprising. It consists of two rails that point straight up at end of a landing stage. It was used to load coal on to barges. You pushed your coal truck up the rails and it tipped the coal into the barge. Damned hard work. I have never read Orwell's essay but I'm pretty sure coal loading doesn't get a mention.

Coldest paper?

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