Quick Question on Bleaching Kallitypes

[Fragomeni]

Hi all, I've been working with a few different concepts that I want to print in alt processes. I'm considering using the Kallitype process but I have one question that needs answering. When using this process can I use a bleach (perhaps using Potassium Ferricyanide) highlights or reduce tones like I can in gelatin silver? What I mean is can the print be dunked in a bleaching solution to reduce it overall and/or can a bleach be applied locally to highlights to raise them? Following this bleaching, will I then be able to tone the prints as is typically recommended for Kallitypes?

 

[R Shaffer]

I have not tried bleaching kallitypes with Ferri, but since no one has jumped in to answer your question I'll throw in what I have read.

According to Stevens book, yes, you can bleach with a Ferri/bromide bleach. You will need to use it very very dilute since the silver is exposed on the surface of the paper. You can also do indirect toning with kallitype and bleach & redevelop in a sulphide toner. Also selenium toner can act like a bleach. Maybe it would be possible to use a weak farmers reducer to locally bleach. Plain fixer also beaches kallitype.

This really would be unconventional with kallitype and they tone beautifully in pt, pd & gold prior to fixing.

I will be printing kallitypes this week. If you want I can make a couple of small prints for you to experiment on. Just send me a PM

 

[Fragomeni]

Sending PM now.

 

[R Shaffer]

So attached are a couple of test strips that I did some selective toning to. One is a kallitype processed with Roschelle salts and no toning. The other is developed in Sodium Citrate and toned in pd. While I thought the un-toned would work best, that was not the case for me. The un-toned print changed color. I would assume that I am not toning to completion with the pd, which is why I am getting bleaching. But it held the original color much better.

The bleach needs to be very very dilute or it just dissolves away the image in seconds.

And the pasted square is where I copied a small square from the beached area and pasted to an unbleached lighter shade to see if there was color shift.

 

[R Shaffer]

These are a couple of over-exposed prints that I bleached the entire image. They are both un-toned and developed in Roschelle salts. The tree image was bleached in 10ml of stock ferri bleach diluted to 1liter and bleach for 10 minutes. The other is bleached in 10ml 10% copper sulfate: 10ml 10% bromide and diluted to 1 liter for 5 minutes. Unfortunately on the original scans prior to bleaching I did not scan in color. The pool print was way way overexposed and came out very grainy with a ochre color that is not pleasant.

Neither of these prints were very good to begin with, both kinda grainy and not very smooth tones. But good for sacrificing for a test.

 

[Fragomeni]

Very interesting results. R Shaffer and I have been messaging back and forth in his very generous effort to help me figure this out. This is what makes forums like this great.