Color Paper as Paper Negative?

mkillmer · Mar 14, 2014

*sigh*
I accidentally developed using the expired developer the result was a very strong colour cast...
I balanced out the colour but, yikes, what was left wasn't nice!!!

Blue Hydrangea and sunflowers

Weird hand coloured look to the image - don't you think?

monkeymon · Sep 24, 2014

Is there any ra4 paper without the text in the back? Has anyone tried to contact print these ra4 paper negatives?

WayneStevenson · Sep 29, 2014

There's sellers in Europe on eBay who are selling cut sheets of Kodak Endura that have no back print.

Roger Cole · Sep 29, 2014

mkillmer said:
*sigh*
I accidentally developed using the expired developer the result was a very strong colour cast...
I balanced out the colour but, yikes, what was left wasn't nice!!!

Blue Hydrangea and sunflowers

Weird hand coloured look to the image - don't you think?

I dunno, I kind of like it. It depends on whether you are going for realistic color or weird unpredictable effects and I'd say if you are going for realistic color, use color film.

OTOH 8x10 color film is outrageously expensive while 8x10 paper is dirt cheap in comparison so that's a reason to try for realistic color from paper negatives.

monkeymon · Sep 29, 2014

WayneStevenson said:
There's sellers in Europe on eBay who are selling cut sheets of Kodak Endura that have no back print.

I found out, that the ColorTone paper has no back print. It's pretty affordable & comes in different sizes. So i'm going to use that. This would be ideal for my 20x24" camera, my first though was ilfochrome.. but can't find any 20x24" paper anywhere. So ra4 is much better alternative as it's still made..

bvy · Sep 29, 2014

Roger Cole said:
I dunno, I kind of like it. It depends on whether you are going for realistic color or weird unpredictable effects and I'd say if you are going for realistic color, use color film.

OTOH 8x10 color film is outrageously expensive while 8x10 paper is dirt cheap in comparison so that's a reason to try for realistic color from paper negatives.

For that matter, why not take it a step further and reverse process it? It's just couple added steps to the regular RA-4 process. With the right filtering, you can't get reasonably good color balance.

ETA: I kind of like it too...

WayneStevenson · Oct 5, 2014

Reverse processing RA-4 papers gives an undesired mottling effect. Which I haven't been able to figure out (but I am no chemist, just messing around). Nor any others I know who have messed around with it.

You can see some of my experimentation here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/colourpapernegatives/discuss/72157629953833667/

bvy · Oct 5, 2014

I had more trouble with contrast (too much) than I did mottling. You can see a print I made from Kodachrome in my gallery. There are a lot of variables in this process, but a lot of hard stops too. Pure white, for instance, is elusive.

Photo Engineer · Oct 5, 2014

I suggest re-exposing front and back for about 1' each and using a 2' color development. I have practically no mottling or none at all. I have posted pictures here and have a 16x20 hanging on the wall right next to me.

PE

WayneStevenson · Oct 5, 2014

I understand you use Endura. And while the mottling isn't as evident in some prints, or in comparison to Crystal Archive, I'll argue that it's still there and once seen, cannot be unseen. Heh. I don't want to be picky..... but if there is a way to prevent the mottling or an explanation for it that may help get to a solution, I'd love to hear it.

Photo Engineer · Oct 5, 2014

See my suggestions above. There are many here and on Photo Net who have used this process with very good results to make positives. However, this thread is about using color paper to make paper negatives, and I have not heard of any mottling with this use.

Look up some old threads with prints by Bujor B on Photo Net. Good pix from paper negatives.

PE

WayneStevenson · Oct 13, 2014

I haven't had any issues with mottling when used as negative either. Just with reversal processing.

Photo Engineer · Oct 13, 2014

Yes, I have to look into that problem. And, BTW, I see slight mottle on Kodak reversal papers as a class. I have to check this out as well.

PE

bvy · Oct 14, 2014

WayneStevenson said:
I understand you use Endura. And while the mottling isn't as evident in some prints, or in comparison to Crystal Archive, I'll argue that it's still there and once seen, cannot be unseen. Heh. I don't want to be picky..... but if there is a way to prevent the mottling or an explanation for it that may help get to a solution, I'd love to hear it.

This is a 4x5 print made from a Kodachrome slide, reverse processed. (Since you don't show as a subscriber, I don't know if you can view gallery images.) While it's a bit dark, and very contrasty (black shadows) I don't think I see any mottling.

WayneStevenson · Oct 18, 2014

I can see it in the shadows.

Color Paper as Paper Negative?

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