Kallitype beginner looking for a good book

[captainscot]

ok thanx, i will try 100grams next time and see what happens, 10 grams seemed to make a big difference so i cant wait to see what 90 more will do.

 

[Herzeleid]

Not that it would make more difference, but %10 solution can be re-used for lots and lots of paper. %1 solution will be enough to neutralize 1,5 full sheet of paper, so it will exhaust quickly. For consistency in the long run I would recommend preparing a %10 solution (approx 1 Molar) it will be enough neutralize 14-15 full sheets (56x76cm).

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[captainscot]

When i used the 1% solution it was for a tray with only 2 sheets of 11x15 in it, although it would make good sense for me to do all of them at once and be done with it.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

10% is the way to go. You will not see a difference in a 1% and 10% bath. At least I didn't. Arches Platine is a nice paper. I've also been using a rebranded 100 sheets per pack from my local art supplier (Opus), that is cheap, a loonie a sheet (dollar), and prints beautifully. It looks very much like Rising Stonehenge, but holds up way better. I also use it for carbon transfer printing.

 

[captainscot]

Andrew,
How long are you washing after the 10% soak? I have city water at my house and its PH is pretty neutral.

 

[captainscot]

Maybe i am over thinking this, but i thought you pre soak the paper in order to acidify it before coating, but if i rinse it in running tap water that is neutral PH, wont that make the paper neutral. I always thought Arches platine was neutral from the start...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

My water is slighlty alkaline, depending on time of year. I usually wash 12, 15x11 sheets (if larger prints are anticipated, I'll wash a few full 22x30 sheets) in a big tray for one hour. I have one of those kodak washer hoses that clamps onto the edge of the tray. Does a remarkably good job. Halfway through, I shuffle the paper, bottom to top. Take great care in doing this with larger sheets, as they tear easily. I hang everything on a cord with plastic clothepegs.
I have also used the soak and dump method, which saves a ton of water, and works very well. Soak the paper in water, leafing through the stack, bottom to top. Then dump the water. Fill the tray with water and let sit for 5 minutes, leaf bottom to top, then dump. I do this 5 times. Again, take care with large sheets.

 

[davido]

Something which I don't see in this thread is that all iron based processes (kallitype, vandyke, chrysotype) like to have certain amount of humidity. Sandy King, in his excellent website page on Kallitypes, says that he works in 60% humidity. I think this allows the paper to absorb the sensitizer better. Some people also will do a first coat of sensitizer mixed 50/50 with water. This helps humidify the paper and break down the sizing so the sensitizer can be absorbed. Soaking the paper in an acidic bath would also work this way in humidifying the paper.
At this time of year, many people's darkrooms (or what I refer to my dimroom for alt process) are very dry at around 30% humidity. When the sensitizer isn't absorbed properly,most of it gets washed out in the clearing bath and you're left with an anemic print!
As for articles, I strongly recommend Sandy Kings article on Kalllitypes and Mike Ware's is also very good on iron processes in general. Christopher James' book is fun and has great images but Sandy's information is better. I also recommend APUG where I have learned so much just by cruising through the threads and asking questions like this.
The most important thing in iron processes is the paper. I suggest working with a neutral paper like Platine or Cott320 until you get it figured out.
I also always tone my prints in gold or palladium - this done before the fixing. The prints are more archival and have better dmax.

cheers, david

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

All excellent points, David. Luckily out here on the wet coast, the humidity is high most of the year except Winter, where it never goes below 50%RH… at least in my darkroom.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Maybe i am over thinking this, but i thought you pre soak the paper in order to acidify it before coating, but if i rinse it in running tap water that is neutral PH, wont that make the paper neutral. I always thought Arches platine was neutral from the start...

From what I understand, sulfamic acid bath does something to papers with alkaline buffering.

 

[captainscot]

I live in south florida so humidity here is usually pretty high...i will try the 10% this wknd and see what kind of results i get...it gets frustrating at times but i think i am getting there, i have read all of Sandy's articals, and those articals are one of the reasons why i started with kallitypes, i am having alot of fun with it!...Andrew thanx for your info.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

My pleasure, captianscot. We are all here to learn!

 

[andreios]

As for humidity - my darkroom is also quite dry, I've found out that I get better prints when I shortly "steam" the paper over boiling water. I am no expert on chemistry or physics - it feels like if it "opened" the paper (Bergger Cot 320) and it coats beautifully.

I have now some Arches Platine on order, will try the Sulfamic acid when it arrives.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

andreios, I picked up some Arches Platine a few days ago. At $10Cdn a sheet it better be good! I ran a sheet through the acid bath, washed and dried it, then made a print. Nice. I then made a print with a sheet that did not receive a pre acid soak. Once again, nice. Side by side, there is no difference. This leads one to believe that neutral, alkaline free papers do not need acidification. Papers such as Stonehenge, need it. Alkaline based papers bad. Alkaline-free papers good.
This paper is wonderfully dries flat. It has a lovely surface. I think I'm hooked.

 

[rince]

Since you all helped me so much getting started, I wanted to share my first ever kallitype with you. It is far from perfect, but it is recognisable
I liked it enough to apply gold toning before fix. Thank you all so very much, I am definitely in love with this process. Just need to learn how to enlarge negatives now I guess
since 4x5 is the max size I have for now.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I asked some questions about it in the Standard Gallery… I'll ask them here, too. Which developer and paper did you use? How did you find printing with TMX? I was under the impression that it was not a good candidate for alt printing due to its UV blocking layer… or maybe you just have to extend the printing time? Very nice first print, by the way.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Getting back to my previous message #39. With heavy papers such as Arches Platine and Lana Aquarelle, sensitizer leached out when developer (sodium citrate) was poured over the print, often times sticking to the paper fibres, ruining it. My normal procedure was to dry the sensitizer with a blow dryer. I tried air drying for an hour and that eliminated the problem. Perhaps with these thicker papers, the sensitizer needs time to soak into the fibres…

 

[Bruce]

Question On Rising Stonehenge paper

I just purchased some of this paper and want to try it for Kallitype prints. I dint see a watermark on the paper so how can I tell what the print side should be?

Thanks!!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

One side should be slightly smoother than the other… but you can print on either side. Did you acidify it yet?

 

[Bruce]

Andrew

Yes I tried the Sulfamic acid and it really helped. See my image in the Gallery on the DPUG site.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I left a comment there...

 

[davido]

Hi Bruce
Your kallitypes are looking good. The glossy areas are solarization, where the image gets too much exposure. The nice thing about toning your prints with a noble metal, is that the toner covers that up.

 

[Bruce]

Andrew-where did you post your comment on the DPUG site. I could not find it.

David-Why does this solarization only happenen on a few prints?
The humidity level is very low here in Ohio right now. Could that cause it? It seems strange to have this happen on just certain prints.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The nice thing about toning your prints with a noble metal, is that the toner covers that up.

It's subdued it in some cases for me, but never eliminated it. Cutting back on exposure is the key in my experience.

 

[Bruce]

Andrew

By why does this happen? I made a print of this image a few weeks ago and it turned out fine. I reprinted the same neg the other day and the solarization appered. I repeted this again today and got a similar solarization result. Could low humidity cause this?