Developer suggestions for Ilford Galerie (Gr. 3)

[Colin Corneau]

Hey kids

I picked up a pack of 8x10 Galerie -- just to try out my very first graded paper.

Normally use MG-FB warmtone by Ilford, with their warmtone developer, and love it. And yes, I know this is very subjective...but I always appreciate and respect the voice of experience.

Also, any info on how this paper tones? I use selenium, normally, and am getting into sepia also.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

Galerie - lovely paper

Responds well to different developers - cool/neutral/warm - it is very slightly warm emulsion in neutral Ilford MG Dev on a very white base

My preference if for cool tone developers - but I don't know what you have available on your side of the pond

It also responds well to developer concentration

Tones well to all the Toners I have tried - about half way between Ilford Multigrade FB (not much) to Ilford Warm Tone Fibre (lots)

I find if you work with it - it pays you back

Have fun

Martin

 

[jmcd]

Bromophen is a good choice.

 

[eddym]

I love Galerie. I've used it with Zone VI developer and dilute Rapid Selenium toner, and get a tone just slightly warmer than neutral. With Ilford Warmtone developer, it's even warmer, but then can go reddish with too much selenium toner.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Wow, great advice all.

Still a bit green, to not know the trick with sodium sulfite...any tips on how much to add? This is timely because I had a print I really worked on and just loved, found the perfect method to sepia tone JUST right and selenium tone JUST right...only to have a stain somehow in the top ruin it.

 

[haryanto]

I use Kodak dektol or D72 homebrew 1:2 for 2-3 minutes, got excellent results, Gallerie is great paper

 

[dancqu]

Contrast Control Developer?

With Graded paper a contrast control developer
is a good thing to have. Beer's or Adam's Ansco
120 are two. Edwal markets an off the shelf
version. Dan

 

[Richard Jepsen]

When toned in KSRT Galerie has a minor color shift but changes color faster than MG IV. If your into a sepia warm look you may want to try the new/changed Oriental WT or FOMA warmtone. Galerie's base color is slighty warmer (warm gray) than Ilford MG IV. For contrast control consider using a condensor light source tor increased contrast and a diffused head for lower contrast. Additional control can be found using Dektol and a slightly lower contast developer like Ansco 130. EMAKS graded is another very good paper. EMAKS grade 2 is very soft.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

Wow, great advice all.

Still a bit green, to not know the trick with sodium sulfite...any tips on how much to add? This is timely because I had a print I really worked on and just loved, found the perfect method to sepia tone JUST right and selenium tone JUST right...only to have a stain somehow in the top ruin it.

Staining is usually caused by either insufficient fixing or print washing before toning or possibly both.

To fully fix a print for Toning you need either very fresh Fix in a single bath or a two bath fixing regime (see Darkroom Cookbook 3rd Ed)

To properly wash you need to soak the print in a bath of either a commercial Hypo Clearing Agent or a self made one (again Darkroom Cookbook - Sodium Sulphite 20g per litre of working sol’n)

After the Hypo Clearing Agent soak give the print a good wash before you start the Toning process.

Martin

 

[Colin Corneau]

Thanks, guys.

This is interesting, because I've been using fresh (Ilford non-hardening) fixer, then washing thoroughly and using fresh Edwal HCA. They recommend using a 2-bath setup for this, at 1:15. I then wash it thoroughly after that, also.

In addition, I kept the prints in a wash tray, with water slightly (5-10 degrees C) warmer than the selenium toner, which is Ilford's product at 1:10.

I've only had the one print have a small, globby stain at the top, seems almost like a water mark or something.

Anyway, this is all great info and I thank you.

 

[Richard Jepsen]

Note: If you use Hypo Clearing Agent after fixing fiber-base
prints, you can use a working solution of Hypo Clearing
Agent to dilute Rapid Selenium Toner 1:20 or 1:40, and
eliminate the wash step between fixing and toning. To avoid
stains, don’t rinse the prints after fixing; immerse them
directly into the combination bath.....

Yes, you can use this older technique to avoid stains but HCA mixed in KRST has a limited shelf life. This results in discarding toner after a few days. Stains occur if the paper is not in an alkaline state. Another path to avoid stains is avoiding an acid environment by using a weak stop bath or effective water stop. Fix prints in TF-4 or similar alkaline fix. Follow with a 5 min water rinse prior to toning. Discard toner when it fails to tone efficiently (30-40 8x10s) or 5+ months). Toner sediment is reduced. Use HCA after toning. Prints wash faster in an alkaline fix (20 - 30 min). If using one tray limit fiber print capacity to (12) 8x10s per L.