Lith - translucent spots on Ilford WT

[PVia]

Tim Rudman mentions this in his first book, calls it the measles...but they don't always go away upon drying, almost looks like the dev doesn't "take" in the same way, so ends up looking blotchy.

This happens whether dev is hot or room temp.

Sometimes prints are great but then blotchy the next session. I run a clean darkroom, very meticulous.

I'm trying to complete a lith series on Ilford WT...

 

[PVia]

Anyone find the same results with this paper or have a cure?

 

[Lowell Huff]

If by "measles" you mean "pepper spots" then the cause is the developer is too active.

 

[MarkL]

I've had mystery splotches too but haven't used Ilford papers with lith. Wish I could be of some help. I assume you're agitating evenly and enough?

 

[PVia]

Agitation is totally even and constant...the translucent spots are easily seen through the whole sheet, and if you hold it up to the light it's like wax paper in those areas.

Well, the lith doesn't take as well in those areas, it seems, and creates blotches upon drying.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Pvia,

What dev are you using ?

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Bob Carnie]

Ilford Warmtone in lith is tricky to do. But once you get it the results are spectacular.
Are you waiting for full development in the devs and then snatching.
If so I would suggest trying to snatch the print just as a solid black emerges. You will find 50% of the contrast will appear in the fix.
I have made quite a few liths with this paper, the most significant was 400 triptics for a hotel project, 1200 11x14 Ilford Warmtone in lith, we found that the snatch point for this paper is critical and not what you would think.
If the full image is completed in the dev , you will not have good prints.
I think this problem will sort out by snatching the print sooner.

 

[PVia]

Simon,

I'm using Moersch EasyLith 1+25 (A 20ml + B 20ml + 1000ml water). Like I said, sometimes I can get a good print, exceptional even, but these translucent spots are weird. They're translucent in the dev, wash and fix, but become opaque when dry, however, the place where the spots were leave uneven blotches in the dry emulsion. If I remember correctly, I noticed these spots with regular paper developer as well but they don't leave any impact upon drydown. This is the semi-matt finish I'm using.

Bob, thanks for the tip. I'll try pulling earlier, but I don't think this will affect my blotch problem...other than this problem, I love the effect of lith on this paper, but my success rate is very low.

As I mentioned, Tim Rudman describes this problem in his Master Lith book, but says the problem disappears upon drydown and that hasn't been my experience each time.

Thanks for chiming in, guys...

 

[Bob Carnie]

I have no experience with the semi matt paper as I mainly use the Warmtone Gloss.