ziatypes: problems

First;
after exposure you are to place the print into water for 2 mins with light rinsing. Then into the Citric acid. Well when I place it in to the water the print lightens up as much as a half a stop and some highlights disappears. Now I print in Pt/Pd and was just trying this since Pt/Pd now go for outrageous amounts. Now you should be able to expose the print and when it looks right you have it. well I find that when I get the right exposure I have to guess how much more I have to expose it to compensate for it lighting up.
Two: using Sodium Tungstate to change the color, I have use 1-5 drops without much change. Also when increasing contrast I have used Ammonium Dichromate and got some increase in contrast and a lot of increase in exposure time, along with making the color of the print a gun metal gray instead of brown or sepia that I expected to find. Can anyone figure out why it does this type of thing. I find it a lot easier doing Pt/Pd.

mike andersen

Ok let's see. First your border should be black black before you wash. Is it? Second, the highlights will self mask so don't be afraid to let it cook some. Are you using a UV light? I use the sun to expose and since I'm in Florida (also lot's of humidity) I have no problems on a clear day. I get deep black borders pretty easy without alot of AD. What you need to do is a series of prints, say 3 maybe 4 depending, and pull the first as you normally would. On the next three pull them 3-5 minutes apart (this is the depending part) based on your light source and how strong it is. You may need to add more time. Now AD can really lengthen your exposures and I don't use alot. I don't particularly like the look nor the exposure time especially on a overcast day. First I cut my AD 50/50 with water and I use only 1 drop for a 7 drop total count for a 4x5 print. One of those drops is water to give me enough solution for coating. Also make absolutely sure your AFO is good. It's the solution of all of them that goes bad. At a year you easily need to replace it.

On a normal AFO, LP, AD print your color is neutral gray. Supposedly (I haven't done it) if you let it sit without washing it will turn progressively browner. The other way to go is to use Sodium Tungstate. The recommendation is 1 drop (or more) for a 8x10 print resulting in a range of warm to a very warm print depending on the number of drops. Remember to really mix the AFO and Tungstate as a precipitate will form that needs to be cleared. Remember also that the humidity of the paper affects color and contrast so you need to be consistent in that respect. Walmart carries an indoor/outdoor thermometer with a humidity meter. I think it was like $10 when I bought mine. Once you get the humidity under control the rest is easily controlled with the solutions. Another thing, make sure you coat under very low incandescent illumination and no direct light on the paper. The paper also affects your outcome. It's all an exploration with Ziatype's but the process is actually easier them PT/PD when you get use to it.

Mike, the trick with Zia's is the same as the Ware/Meade - the humidity in the paper. Not the humidity in the room, but the paper - it really makes a big difference in color, contrast etc. I found there were only certain conditions where I could count on a Zia coming out the way I wanted it to.

Curious why you mention the cost, as you can use the same metal salts so only the AFO vs FO would be different. I finally yielded and went to DOP vs POP just because it was easier in the end (yeah I know it was a co-out). I use LiPd for my DOP and get a totally different range of colors, than when using NaPd or KPd.

In the end, it is what you enjoy/prefer I found. Don't give up on the Zia's they just take a bit of getting used to - think most of best results were in the fall when it was not quite as hot and the humidity was around 60-70%. Still had to let the paper set out and reach the humidity of the room, etc. The big risk is not using a mylar sheet between the neg and the substrate, lost a couple of negatives that way...lesson learned.

I can see this is a new learning curve. It took me a while to get my Pt/pd prints to where with a densitometer I can get very close to what the exposure will be. then it is only fine toning for density and contrast. I live in Florida so humidity isn't a problem. I use a Edwards engineering UV box for all my work. Though i loved it when I used the sun to make prints. it just seemed like you were to the very basics of printing. I'm getting prints that I will post but I guess i will say with pd/pt. you indicated that you have used the lithium pall. with the pd/pt proceeds? how did that work.


mike

michael9793 said:

... you indicated that you have used the lithium pall. with the pd/pt proceeds? how did that work.

Click to expand...

Just used the lithium palladium in place of sodium palladium (or any other metal salt), same drop count. If I wanted a warm tone, would heat up the PO, for a more colder tone used PO at room temp.

Thanks,
I'll give it a try since I have a 100mml bottle of it now and think I'm going back to palladium printing. I like how it looks and handles

mike a

waynecrider said:

Second, the highlights will self mask

Click to expand...

Just correcting this mistake I made in my post as I was thinking backwards. The shadows self mask allowing the highlights to come in.