Toning Problem

I've been using KRST for a while with good luck, no staining, even tones. I've been very happy with being able to fine tune the final print. So I thought I would try to add something new. I tried to do some dual toning by toming in Edwal blue first then was then the selenium. I had some really nice blue tones in the shadows and after the short wash that was described on the bottle I put the paper in the selenium. It almost instantly began to bleach out. I ended up with a very faded terrible looking print. Not wanting to waste anymore hard earned FB Ilford Warmtone paper I thought best to check here first to see what dumb mistake I am making.

Here's what I'm using
Edwal Blue Toner
Kodak Selenium (KRST)
Ilford FB Warmtone.

Any help is appreciated, I was excited to try this dual tone but must have made a grave error someplace.

Ken

Can't speak from personal experience, but the ubiquitous Tim Rudman suggests in his toning book that it is important to wash between using blue toner and KRST as the blue toner contains ferricyanide bleach and the KRST includes fixer - combine the two and you get Farmer's Reducer...

Cheers, Bob.

P.S. anyone playing with toning owes it to themselves to get that book...

Just to be redundant...get Tim Rudman's toning book. You'll learn more than you ever thought possible about toning, and you'll avoid mistakes like this one. Plus, it's a great read.

Well,

Just ordered Tim Rudman's Book a moment ago.

Another question: The response from Bob sounds logical. Now have I ruined my working toner solutions also? or would they still be safe to use.

Until the book arrives I plan on trying some smaller test strips to see what comnbination might work. Maybe selenium first then the long wash then the blue?

The instructionw with the blue toner warned of washing too long but maybe with FB that isnt really a problem. I'm sure that I did not wash long enough after the blue toner. Well, thats part of the learning experience...success and failures.

you guys are very helpful. I've been doing B&W darkroom work for 25 years and just now getting into toning.

Ken

Hoosierken said:

Well,

Just ordered Tim Rudman's Book a moment ago.

Another question: The response from Bob sounds logical. Now have I ruined my working toner solutions also? or would they still be safe to use.

Until the book arrives I plan on trying some smaller test strips to see what comnbination might work. Maybe selenium first then the long wash then the blue?
Ken

Click to expand...

I should think the KRST will be fine - the bleach (if that is indeed the problem) will have been in the paper base and only a microscopic amount will have come out into the KRST.

Swapping the blue and selenium order works fine with different effects (as shown in the Tim Rudman book of course ).

have fun.... Bob.

I just received the Tim Rudman book that I had ordered. I see why so many people recommend it. I've never seen so much information on toning in one book. Very much worth the price.

Ken