Jeffrey D. Mathias (jeffrey.d.mathias@worldnet.att.net)
Fri, 09 Apr 1999 07:26:13 -0400
CZKs2@aol.com wrote:
> I've recently started Pt/Pd printing, and I need some opinions. I'm using
> only palladium at the moment until my skills are up to spec. I'd like to
> produce some cooler tone
> images and I'm wondering if Ammonium Citrate developer is the way to go. All
> of the references to it in the archives seem to be negative. Should I just
> spring for some platinum and
> get the color I want that way, or is this developer a good
> alternative? I am currently using potassium oxalate, coating on Arches
> Platine, and controlling contrast with the ratios of ferric ox #1 and #2
> (usually 3:1). What drawbacks, if any, will I encounter using Ammonium
> Citrate with these materials?
Steve,
The biggest "drawback" I have found with Ammonium Citrate is the the
image tends to loose depth and substance. What I do to address this is
to mix half Ammonium Citrate (AC) with half Potassium Oxalate (PO).
Remember to shake this solution immediately before each use as the two
will separate. This will give more neutral color but retain the
substance. AC definitely will give a more neutral color, although I
would not call it cool, rather just more neutral.
Various mixture of Platinum and Palladium will provide varying results,
however much more of a neutral shift can be had from the half AC half
PO. Temperature and humidity will also play a part in the color as well
as the paper chosen (isn't this all fun).
A couple interesting ways to get a really cool color could be to
A) use a paper which has a blue or green color (several fine papers are
available from several manufacturers).
B) print on a thin paper like Bienfang 360 and place a blue mat or paper
behind it.
-- Jeffrey D. Mathias http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/
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