Developing paper games

[Ole]

As some may have seen form my other postings, I'm having fun in the darkroom at present.

After reading through "the Darkroom Cookbook", I decided to try Gevaert G262 print developer. I can no longer remember why that one exactly, but that's what I decided to try.

The first thing I discovered was that Multigrade IV RC doesn't react to it at all. No change with dilution or extended development, except when the soup had been in the tray for 3 days and was almost black.

Then, for some reason, I dug out my old package of Kentmere Art Classic... Now that made a difference! Suddenly I could change the tone from warm black through brown to almost red simply by dilution, and adjust the contrast through exposure and development! G262 at 1:10 gives very warm reddish brown tones, and the contrast can be adjusted almost like in lith printing. Bergger Contact works well too, but you only get the contrast effect. It stays cool (but warms up in Selenium, unlike MG IV). So then I tried blue-toning one: I thought it would take some time, but everything was bright blue after 5 seconds!

It seems to me I have stumbled upon many of the joys of lith printing, but without the infectious development (at least it hsn't happened to me yet). so I'll keep on having fun for a while

 

[glbeas]

Doesn't the multigrade have developer incorporated? That would be a reason for the lack of any change from standard developer....it's still standard.
That does sound like an interesting developer.

 

[Ole]

According to Ilford, the Multigrade RC does NOT have incorporated developer. On the other hand, Kentmere claims that Art Classic HAS developer incorporated, but it works like a dream...

That developer is very interesting, yes... The prints I made today (had been out trying MACO IR 820c) were very much cooler than yesterday's batch. Today I used 1:6, yesterday 1:10. More reports to follow...

 

[Poco]

Funny because I was fooling with Gevaert G262 last week -- that probably makes two of us for the entire year ;-). Unfortunately I was only playing with MG Warmtone Fiber and I never got the tones toward red, no matter how much I diluted the developer. I've become convinced Ilford's papers simply aren't terribly flexible. The once exception I've found to that is Warmtone bleached back and redeveloped in lith -- that gives some funky tone shifts with parts of the print drifting towards yellow/mustard color. For the right image, it might be interesting.

 

[Ole]

By sheer coincidence (yet another one), I found a box of MG FB I had forgotten about - and tried it...

The negative was Pyro-developed, and the stain gave a very soft print (I used no filters for a quick test, just guessed at four seconds exposure). When the print finally developed (after two minutes I could see outlines) it was a rather nice warm brown. No hint of red, as you say. But the depth... Now THAT was amazing! I think I'll try that combination again, with fresher developer and lower concentration. And a bit more exposure...

To get really reddish browns, try diluting even more. Kentmere Art Classice is a lovely warm (not red) sepia at 1:8, red-brown at 1:10...

 

[Aggie]

well I want to play too. I get my new enlarger delivered next week. I will be converting a spare/storage bedroom into my darkroom. It has no running water, but the bathroom is just a few steps away. I have some very heavy plastic that will go down on the floor first, then the tables to hold the chemicals on that.

But reading your comments about paper developers and such, I went out and bought Steve's book so I could play too.

 

[Poco]

"But the depth... "

Yes, I noted the difference. Or rather, I noted A difference. "Depth" discribes it quite well.

 

[Les McLean]

Another way to increase the warmth of papers is to increase exposure and reduce development, for example, with Ilford Warmtone increase the exposure by as much as 75% and reduce development by 50% and you will increase warmth and reduce contrast.

 

[Robert]

well I want to play too. I get my new enlarger delivered next week. I will be converting a spare/storage bedroom into my darkroom. It has no running water, but the bathroom is just a few steps away. I have some very heavy plastic that will go down on the floor first, then the tables to hold the chemicals on that.
/quote]

Use slop trays. Basically put the trays with the chems in them in bigger trays. If you spill anything it spills into the empty tray. Odds are you've got a bigger set of trays sitting on the shelf anyways.