Multigrade works with special dyes ? Is it natural and good for print ?

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

I am remembering color head expose the special dyes and activates the multigrade process ? Is it true ? I started to darkroom course and we bought ilford multigrade plastic base satin papers. We use multigrade paper developer 1+9. I did not like the multigrade paper. We use 3.3 strenght on the enlarger and I feel its terrible. Whites are paper whites , blacks are ultra strong and no tone between. Our friend goes to germany and I requested brovira or portriga from agfa. What do you say ? When the contrast grade lowers , print loses everything. I really hate even satin finish.

 

[koraks]

I am remembering color head expose the special dyes and activates the multigrade process ? Is it true ?

It's not clear to me what you mean exactly. Variable contrast emulsions effectively consist of two to three emulsion components, each of which having a different spectral response. I assume this spectral response is at least in part controlled by dye sensitization, but from a viewpoint of a photographer or printmaker, it doesn't matter how this sensitization is done exactly.

We use multigrade paper developer 1+9. I did not like the multigrade paper. We use 3.3 strenght on the enlarger and I feel its terrible. Whites are paper whites , blacks are ultra strong and no tone between.

This sounds like you're trying to print a negative with too high a contrast on the 3.3 paper grade (assuming this is what you meant). For this negative, try setting a much lower contrast, for example 1 or 1.5. Then see if you can get better tonality. You may end up realizing that your negative is just too high in contrast for this printing process.

Our friend goes to germany and I requested brovira or portriga from agfa. What do you say ?

You're out of luck; neither of those papers have been manufactured for several decades. You will sometimes find old batches of paper; sometimes they're entirely fogged, sometimes they're still usable. It's a gamble. But there's no reason whatsoever why you as a starting darkroom printer should consider falling back to papers that have been discontinued in the last century. Present-day papers made by Ilford and Foma can and do give excellent results. But like many things, you need to learn how to use them.

I really hate even satin finish.

Darkroom printing papers come in several finishes. Pick whichever you please.

PS: feel free to post in your native language, or use an AI tool to translate your posts. I think this will ultimately make communication easier. I find I'm usually struggling to figure out what you mean; it's entirely due to the language gap. Today's technology very effectively can solve this for us!

 

[snusmumriken]

Ilford Multigrade is a fine paper, capable of beautiful results. If you are getting horrible results, you are doing something very wrong.