Lith paper for portrait => Sterling Lith replacement

[laparn]

Is there an alternative for Sterling Lith paper? Portrait paper wanted.

Hi!

Usually using Fomatone MG Classics Fb and Adox Nuance Warmtone for lith printing in general, I´d now like to find a paper better suited for portraits.

Nuance is really great for portraits as I´d like to interpret. Distinct grains but still restrained infectious development, hence not that gritty as Fomabrom or similar paper.
I like Nuance for portraits but prefer a more vivid tone straight out from the developer. Papers with warmer colors will respond better to toning with a better flexibility in after treatment than Nuance for instance.
Fomatone? yes, but it is too vivid for my intentions and I´d also prefer a more accentuated lith grain than from this paper, without beeing gritty.

Tim Rudman´s portrait pictures in his lith books are great and the creamy and smooth color is very appealing to me. These portraits are (all?) printed on Sterling Lith but since this paper is discontinued I urge for a successor.
Is there any equivalent to Sterling with similar characteristics? What brand, variant, surface? Any recommendation is appriciated.
Many thanks!

 

[Robert Hall]

I would suggest trying Ilford warmtone. I think it has a little more controllable surface than others that are in current manufacture. I think one thing that can be done to effect a different outcome for the paper is to try different developers, dilutions, and temperatures. A bleach and redevelop a la lith may help you as well.

I hope this offers something useful, best of luck.

 

[Donmck]

Adox Nuance Warmtone??

Is that available anywhere in the US?

-Don

 

[Anon Ymous]

Adox Nuance AKA Efke Emaks

 

[Donmck]

Emaks K888??

not warmtone in my book ----although the base is not as white as some others.

_Don

 

[Anon Ymous]

Don, I haven't tried this paper, but a lot depends on the developer too. I got certainly warm results with neutral to warmish papers using absurd dilutions, like Neutol WA 1+39. Normal dilution is 1+7...

 

[Donmck]

Yeah,I see it's listed it freestyle as slightly warmtone --I guess "my book" needs to be revised.
I'll try some different developers and see what I get.--Thanks-

Don

 

[Mark Fisher]

Fomatone can be much less vivid if it is used with fresh(er) developer and selenium toned. You might also want to consider Fotokemia (sp?) warm tone VC paper.

 

[laparn]

Emaks K888??

not warmtone in my book ----although the base is not as white as some others.

_Don

I haven´t tried Emaks though but Adox Nuance is a favourite of mine. Nuance is claimed to be a warmtone paper but I concur in your doubts. In Dektol, for instance, I found Foma Fomabrom to print warmer than Nuance which is strange to me.

However, Nuance is great for lith with lovely grains. The appearence is for the color shy though and I´d like a little more bite. Nuance show pinkish tones but is too restrained for my intentions. I will try it in diluted developer though and very high temperature and hope for success in my attempt. Wish me luck!

 

[laparn]

Fomatone can be much less vivid if it is used with fresh(er) developer and selenium toned. You might also want to consider Fotokemia (sp?) warm tone VC paper.

Yip, I´ve got less colorful results in fresh developer and with higher concentration but the grain in Fomatone is not what I am looking for.

Fomatone is by far the best lithable paper today from my point of view but it doesn´t suit the purpose here. I insist Fomatone need after treatment since I honeslty don´t really like the yellow look.
Toning in selenium makes wonders and also transform the grains to a more gritty appearance and the color can also be cooled off by this process. But, I like more accentuated lith grains than that. Without beeing too gritty as Fomabrom, Slavich Unibrom, Forte Bromofort etc.

You will see examples of Fomatone transformation in my gallery. Picture K1 is selenium toned (Harman 1+9) for 20 seconds to restrict from cooling off and to keep the yellow appearence that is significant from this paper at high dilutions and warm developer.
Picture M1 did initially have the very same color AND grain as K1 but is completely changed after toning. The grains in M1 is close to what I urge but not exactly. M1 is selenium toned (Harman 1+9) for 17 minutes!


Thanks for your advise though.
/P