Re-development in Lith

[Thomas Bertilsson]

What effects can I expect by varying my bleach from potassium ferricyanide to cupric sulfate?

Yesterday I printed a portrait on Ilford MGWT fiber glossy using Dektol at 1+1 dilution. I bleached it back about 60% using pot ferri, washed it, and re-developed in AristaLith at 200ml A + 200ml B + 1600ml water. In the end, the print looked exactly as the original, but the slightly green cast that the paper/dev combo gives went away and I got a slight maroon cast instead. Very beautiful color indeed, but I had expected more of a difference in how the print looked other than color.

What gives?

- Thomas

 

[Wolfgang Moersch]

Give about a half stop more exposure, bleach in copper 100%!!!!! Dilute your developer very much stronger and heat it up to 95-104°F. Developing time has to be 2- max. 5 minutes. First the blacks will come back - if the lights show color stop developement. In the fixer the print will brighten up.

Wolfgang

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

So when I bleach in copper even the yellow ghost image should disappear? Or just all of the black?

I already diluted the developer less than usual. 1+1+8, I normally do 1+1+14. 1+1+5??? Or do you recommend to try for myself?

95-104*F? Wow... What does that result in? I am now developing in about 80*F water and development was about 4 minutes for maximum black... I suspect that at higher temperature and less dilution development might be too quick?

Thanks Wolfgang!

 

[Wolfgang Moersch]

Thomas, first trys are not easy, because there are some pitfalls. For a colorfull result, you need overexposure (40-80% with MGWT). Possibly, you must experiment with the acidity of the bleach. You must bleach until the yellow image (more or less) disappears. Than wash for at least 10 Minutes - take care, no spots or streaks should appear.
Heated developer produces more color. I´m not familar with AristaLith, but if you use normally 1+1+14, try 1+1+40 (or up to +100 depending on overexposure) - or take a surplus of HQ solution. Move the try vigorously. If you develop all the silver back, the print will look as the original - so stop it, bevore the mids turn black.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Got it, so by overexposing in the original print you CAN stop the lith development before it's developed to completion, and thereby achieving the colors.

Thanks! I really appreciate the advice. I know what I have to do now.

- Thomas

 

[Wolfgang Moersch]

Further information about redevelopement.
Redevelopment with lith is not a lith-development in the usual sense but sooner a (multiple) toning with diluted hq developer. Therefore no old brown is needed. The information for deep black is contained in the original print. Contrary to lith development the blacks appear first and it will take some time until the lights emerge. Usually the blacks are reddish brown. If they turn to deep black before the lights are developed, the developer is to strong. If the blacks come to fast (in less than one minute), dilute your developer for further prints, as well during the development. The lights should be somewhat denser, because in the fixer all densities will brighten up with losing color.
Not until drying final color will appear!

Suitable paper brands:
Ilford MGIV
Ilford MGWT and similar brands like Bergger and Adox Variotone
Agfa or Adox MCC and MCP

Slavich is possible too with brown or black shadows and yellow lights.

 

[sly]

I tried some bleach and redevelop in lith last time I was in the darkroom with spectacularly variable results. All the prints were printed a tad too dark. I added old brown to the developer, as Wolfgangs advice had not been posted yet. Some of the prints are interesting, some horrible, some don't look lithed at all. I'll post a few of them in the gallery.