Toner
Gold Chloride Solution 1% 5.0 ml
Sodium Formate Solution 5% 10.0 ml
Water 200 ml
Clearing bath
Water 500 ml
Kodak Developer HC110 (straight) 10 ml
Procedure
Make Platinum or palladium print in customary manner and clear and
thoroughly wash print. Clearing and washing cannot be overstressed as all
the iron must be removed from the print or staining will result. Since the
toning bath actually intensifies the print, underprinting is recommended for
maximum toning effects.
Mix formate gold toning bath and immediately begin toning. Once the formate
and gold are mixed the toning bath has an @ 15 minute life.
Agitate print in toning bath. Time varies from 2 to 10 minutes. Warmer
toning bath speeds up toning but increases risk of staining in whites..
Tone develops in the shadows first. Overtoning produces severely blocked
shadows and graining.
If toning bath begins to appear purplish in color, immediately stop and
clear. The formate causes the gold to eventually form "King's gold" which is
actually a colloidal form of metalic gold. The colloidal gold will stain the
whites of the print.
When print reaches desired toning level, immediately go into clearing bath
to prevent staining.
Notes.
Pure platinum tones to blue gray black. Palladium and palladium platinum
mixes tend towards rosey or plum tones. Pure palladium seems not to tone.
Dektol, D52, or LPD paper developers should work as clearing baths though
the author has not tried them.
The classic Dolland method cited in Keepers of Light uses 1 gm of gold
chloride per 8 x 10 inch print and invariably stains the print. (at least
from my experience.) Classical literature cites staining as the necessary
result of this process. With the Sullivan method staining can be avoided and
far less gold is used.
This method can be used to "sharpen" and add depth to a print, and shift the
color slightly by only light toning. Toning develops so slowly that it is
hard to detect while watching it occur, so some workers report that it is
best to stop early before strong visual effects are apparent.
Return comments welcome.