Woohooo....cheap pt proofing process

[Jorge]

I just ran across a method for printing with pt, pd or pt/pd that sounded interesting and simple. I have been looking for a way to proof pt prints without the expense of using the pt/pd solutions, this is important when printing 12x20, so while looking at the alternativephotography site there is an article about satista prints.

The process sounded simple and I had the chemicals, so I gave it a shot....amazing! the prints that came out have a great tonality and the process is so simple it is a wonder nobody has mentioned before. Those of you starting might give it a try, it is simple, far simpler than kallitypes or salt prints and it might represent some savings while you get the hang of it.

 

[Jim Moore]

Jorge,

Could you please post a link to the article?

Thanks!

Jim

 

[Jorge]

Jorge,

Could you please post a link to the article?

Thanks!

Jim

Here you go bubba, enjoy.....

http://www.alternativephotography.com/process_satista.html

I just made what I think is one hell of a satista print, as soon as it dries I will post it.

A few observations, this process is bleached by rapid fixer, so this tells me is not as stable as a pure pt/pd print. Sandy and I had a discussion about toning Kallitypes with pd and how the pd replaces the silver in the print. It seems we are doing the opposite here, we start with a pd print and we replace the pd with silver.

 

[sanking]

Here you go bubba, enjoy.....

http://www.alternativephotography.com/process_satista.html

A few observations, this process is bleached by rapid fixer, so this tells me is not as stable as a pure pt/pd print. Sandy and I had a discussion about toning Kallitypes with pd and how the pd replaces the silver in the print. It seems we are doing the opposite here, we start with a pd print and we replace the pd with silver.

There is also an article on Satista at http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/Technical_papers/Satista+/satista.htm. Could be the same one Jorge cites above, I did not check.

I have done a fair amount of experimentation with Satista, with these comments.

1. It is in essence a silver-iron process of the same family as kallitype. The result is not a palladium or platinum print but one that consists primarily of silver metal. For permanence it must be toned. Just look at the basic formula. For an 8X10 print you use 3 drops of either palladium or platinum salt, and 1 ml of a 10% silver nitrate solution.

2. In my own working conditions I concluded that making a traditional kallitype print, and then toning with palladium or platinum, was actually less complicated than making a Satista and then toning it. And the final result is the same. Your own work habits may lead to different conclusions.


Sandy King

 

[Jorge]

Ok, the image is in the experimental gallery....tell me what you think.

 

[Jorge]

There is also an article on Satista at http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/Technical_papers/Satista+/satista.htm. Could be the same one Jorge cites above, I did not check.

I have done a fair amount of experimentation with Satista, with these comments.

1. It is in essence a silver-iron process of the same family as kallitype. The result is not a palladium or platinum print but one that consists primarily of silver metal. For permanence it must be toned. Just look at the basic formula. For an 8X10 print you use 3 drops of either palladium or platinum salt, and 1 ml of a 10% silver nitrate solution.

2. In my own working conditions I concluded that making a traditional kallitype print, and then toning with palladium or platinum, was actually less complicated than making a Satista and then toning it. And the final result is the same. Your own work habits may lead to different conclusions.


Sandy King

The article I read specifies a 4% solution, seemed to work just fine. It is really no surprise as 4% is far more silver ions that are needed to replace the pd ions in the paper.

 

[mark]

Is it that orange in real life? It is a nice pcture.

 

[Jorge]

Is it that orange in real life? It is a nice pcture.

Yeah, it is orange in real life. That is how it develops, if you vary the concentration of pd/pd you get different colors. I used 4 of pd and 1 of pt of this one, but you can get subtler tones. I imagine the paper and the sizing it has will also make a difference.