"Paint on" intensifier for prints

[younger]

Is there an intensifier that I can use on prints to darken specific areas, painting it on, much as I do bleach to lighten particular areas?
Bob Younger

 

[Jon Shiu]

You can use selenium toning to make the blacks blacker, or spotone to darken light or gray tones.

Jon

 

[Ian Grant]

Your problem is that all intensifiers alter the image colour so the areas treated will be noticeable.

Ilford IT-8 Toner has a strong intensifying effect and is repeatable, it uses a bichromate bleach followed by a Pyrocatechin redeveloper, and you could bleach and redevelop local areas then bleach the whole print to give a more even image colour. Needs very good washing between stages.

Ian

 

[MattKing]

Judicious use of warm developer can make a difference.

Just ask anyone who ever worked in a newspaper darkroom.

Matt

 

[Rolleiflexible]

You might try Renaissance Wax, but if you use it selectively
the differential in surface sheen might present problems.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Hot developer on a cotton ball is the old trick.

 

[doughowk]

I've tried cotton swab dipped in developer; but problem of light dimness with enlarging paper makes it difficult to be very precise. Slower papers such as for contact printing (AZO, Lodima) are quite conducive to the technique given the higher light levels.