- Guess the grade, and make a test-strip to obtain correct exposure for the highlights.
- Change grade so that shadows appear as you want them (more test strips).
This is basically my approach as well. However, my "guess" at the starting grade is informed by a "proper proof." I find the proper proof an indispensable tool and recommend you use them as well. Allow me to elaborate
I proof all my negatives at a medium contrast setting (I like about 30M with my Chromega heads, but that's just personal preference; use your equivalent of grade 2 or 2.5). These are contact prints made using the enlarger as a light source. I get four 4x5 negatives on a sheet of 8x10 paper. More with smaller formats.
~First, you need to make a quick test strip to find your proper-proofing exposure. What you are looking for is the minimum exposure to make the clear film rebate indistinguishable from maximum paper black. Make the test strip by making sure paper around the negative is also exposed to your enlarger light. Make a series of strips with increasing time. Develop your test strip for your standard developing time (I like 2.5-3 minutes in my developers - really, standardizing your developing time will save you time and paper). Dry the test strip and evaluate it under what you consider ideal display lighting. Don't use lighting that's too dim or too bright or you'll get skewed results (yes, this is subjective, but so is printing). Find the shortest exposure where the clear film rebate and the adjacent paper black seem identical, or really, really, really close. Err on the side of less exposure. This is your proper proofing time for whatever enlarger head height, f-stop, light intensity, film and developer combination, etc. you used to make the contact print. (If you use different films, you need to do this for each, since each film/developer combination has a different film-base-plus-fog density.)
~Now, proof your negatives using that exposure, etc. Don't worry about getting them to look nice; that's not the point. What you'll end up with is a set of proofs that will give you information about your film exposure and development as well as giving you an idea of how to start printing.
(Sidebar: if your negatives have insufficient shadow detail, you need to rate your film slower and vice-versa. If the highlights are too dark, you need to develop your film more and vice-versa.)
~When you get around to printing a negative, look at the proper proof. Are you happy with the contrast? If so, then start there (you kept good notes when proofing, right?). If not, tweak the contrast a grade one direction or the other and start there.
~Make an initial test strip to determine print exposure using a detailed highlight (low-density area of the print) as your guide. Get the right exposure to render that detailed highlight how you want it. Do use your standard development time.
~Next make a straight print at your chosen exposure. Develop it for your standard development time and then evaluate it. I like to squeegee the print and hang it from clips on my white board, which is under what I consider "gallery" lighting. Take some time deciding what you want to do with the print next. If the contrast is way off, change your contrast setting or filter and start over with another test strip to get the new base exposure time. If you're close to the right contrast, you can just make a small tweak, like 5-10CC or the next closest filter and guesstimate your new exposure; it's not critical at this point. Make small adjustments to your exposure at this time too. If your print is overall too light, but the contrast is close, add 20% more exposure or whatever or vice-versa. Decide on some initial dodging and burning here too. Write all this down so you have a detailed set of directions for your next print that included new contrast setting/filtration, base exposure time (and f-stop), and times and areas for dodging and burning.
~Make another print with your new time, contrast and manipulations. Develop it for your standard development time and repeat your evaluation. Make a plan for print number three. By the third print you should be getting closer to a final product unless you have a really tricky negative.
Some tips:
I like to think of changes in exposure and dodging/burning times as percentages of my base exposure. I have a pretty good idea now what a 15% change or a 5% change will look like. I make my test strips in rough 30% increments too, e.g., a series of seconds that looks like this: 10 - 13 - 17 - 22 - 29 - 37 - 48. That gives you roughly even spacing for the whole strip and a wide range of exposure times to choose from. You can extrapolate intermediate exposures easily if needed.
If you need to make a big change in either exposure or contrast setting/filtration, start over with a new test strip. This will save you time and money in the long run.
When you get close to your final product, let your prints dry before making the evaluation. Dry down makes a big difference in some prints. If you like the way the print looks wet, you may be disappointed when it dries.
My darkroom mantra is "waste time, not paper." Take your time evaluating your prints and planning the next steps. Keep notes and make a plan for each subsequent print.
Don't worry if you need to make a few test strips when starting with a new paper or film. Once you get in the ballpark, you'll have a better idea of where to start with the next print on the same paper or from the same film.
Split-grade printing is a great tool. I like to include it in my dodging/burning scheme. I'll burn with the highest-contrast setting or the lowest; whichever is needed. Sometimes I'll dodge and area so I can burn it back with a different filtration. My base contrast setting, however, is dialed in on my color head or by using one of the standard filters. You can do the whole contrast control with different amounts of the highest- and lowest-contrast filtration, but I find this tedious and wasteful of paper (for me anyway).
Hope this helps,
Doremus