[alt-photo] Re: argyrotype

[Christina Anderson]

Loris,
Mike's notes say, if there is sediment, to filter old solution before use.  I didn't do anything and it was fine but no silver all over the inside.

The color is related to humidity says Mike, with the cooler tones being lower humidity.  It is grey/brown, not the luscious chocolate brown I prefer.  But Montana is really...in some respects....a PITA for alt with its traditionally semi-arid humidity levels.  I can humidify a room with a small humidifier at home, which I do before I do platinum, but there is no way I can humidify the facilities in my program because they are HUGE.  Two 20 enlarger darkrooms, one 18 individual darkroom area, and a large finishing room connecting all rooms.  So I have to work with what I have.  In the individual darkrooms they can place large trays of water and that helps greatly.
Chris

Christina Z. Anderson
christinaZanderson.com

On Feb 18, 2010, at 9:38 AM, Loris Medici wrote:

> That's funny; I've read this right after dumping a 4 y/o Argyrotype
> bottle! Not because I tested it and it didn't work but because there
> was silvering on the inside walls of the bottle and substantial amnt.
> of dark precipitate in the bottom...
> 
> BTW, I never achieved almost platinum blacks with both Argyrotype and
> Vandyke. Perhaps related to compounding/mixing; I don't use pure
> silver oxide but make it myself... (silver nitrate + sodium hydroxide)
> For me, when it comes to blacks single coat Argyrotype was better than
> single coat Vandyke, double coat Vandyke was better than single coat
> Argyrotype and gold-toned Argyrotype and Vandyke were both better than
> all.
> 
> Regards,
> Loris.
> 
> 
> 2010/2/18 Christina Anderson <zphoto at montana.net>:
>> Dear List,
>> Yesterday we started our argyrotype unit and I thought I'd share a couple points.
>> 
>> I tested old argyrotype from 3 years ago and it printed beautifully.  I was able to get 8  stops out of it on a Stouffers 31
>> step with a  printing time slower a bit--10.6 minutes--than fresh argyrotype which I had mixed for the class. So don't throw
>> out old stuff til you test it. This was on Weston paper.
>> ...
> _______________________________________________
> Alt-photo-process-list | http://altphotolist.org/listinfo