----- Original Message -----
From: Liam Lawless <lawless@ic24.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, December 19, 1999 7:45 PM
Subject: Paper Negs
> One of two postings that were sent on Friday, but which have only just
> (Sunday night) been reported undelivered.
>
> Found this in Henley while looking for info on luminous prints.
>
> PAPER NEGATIVES.
>
> There are a few simple steps in this control method: 1st, the making of a
> print, either by contact or projection, of the size desired in the
finished
> print. (Negatives smaller than the finished print size are projected in
the
> enlarger.) Corrective work, with pencils, crayon and/or chalk, as well as
> chemical reduction of dense areas, is done on this paper positive,
(usually
> called a "diapositive"). This diapositive is on very light-weight paper,
> enabling, after completion of the corrections, a print to be made by
> contact on another light-weight paper. This resulting second print is now
a
> negative on paper and some corrective work may also be done on this. The
> final print is made from this paper negative, the selection of the final
> paper usually being one of a. so-called "artistic" surface that will fit
the
> type of subject matter.
>
> The use of intermediate positive and negative made on paper, naturally
> results in a finished print showing a certain amount of the paper texture
or
> grain. Two major methods of making paper negative prints are in general
use,
> one emphasizing the paper grain so as to add to the final effect and one
> method minimizing this grain. The paper negative process is especially
> suitable for broad effects, pictures in which delicate, minute detail is
> relatively unimportant. It is also one of the easiest of the control
> methods. The difference in the grain quality is simply a matter of
> manipulation. The ordinary method, (giving the most grain) is described
> first. The methods of working and formulas used, are.the same for either
the
> grainy or subdued grain methods. The only difference is in the position of
> the emulsion side of the paper during the various steps.
>
> Any enlarger may be used, any good quality negative is suitable. The
> negative should preferably be somewhat on the thin side, possessing good
> detail in both shadows and highlights as well as a generous scale of tone.
> It is inserted into the enlarger in the regular way and an exposure made
on
> very thin or light-weight enlarging paper, held in the easel as when
making
> a straight enlargement. The paper should be of the long-scale or "soft"
type
> since the paper negative process gains contrast. Exposure of the
diapositive
> should be rather full and development kept short. The result should be a
> very soft print, having no really brilliant whites or deep blacks, having
> soft gradations of tone. Dark areas may now be worked on, lightening them
up
> with the regular print reducer solutions. A quick reducer is an adaption
of
> the "Farmers," a few crystals of potassium ferricyanide in a weak solution
> of ordinary hypo and water. The reducer should be slow in action since too
> rapid a reduction will result in hard, sharp edges instead of soft blended
> ones. Work is done on the wet print, frequent rinsing with water being
done
> while the reduction work is used. This enables observation of the progress
> of reduction. When the desired changes have been made in-so-far as
> lightening up areas are concerned the print is dried and then work is done
> on both the back and front of the print with soft lead pencils. Spots and
> mechanical errors are removed and areas that are too light are darkened by
> means of graphite or chalk. All this work is done by means of transmitted
> light, the diapositive being supported on a sheet of glass and having a
> strong, evenly diffused light passing through it. Other lights in the room
> should be extinguished, it is necessary to judge the progress of the work
by
> the transmitted light only.
>
> There are no special formulas for developing this diapositive, the regular
> paper developer to which one is accustomed is all right, except that it
can
> be diluted more than would generally be normal in order to maintain the
> necessary softness in the diapositive.
>
> When the alterations and handwork have been completed on the diapositive
it
> is then ready for printing, by contact, on another piece of the same type
of
> paper. (It is easy to remember that whatever is lightened or darkened in
the
> diapositive will be correspondingly lightened or darkened in the finished
> print. The paper negative is made and developed in the same type of
> developer as the diapositive. This paper negative should also be somewhat
> on the soft side, full exposure and short development aiding in this. When
> dry, additional handwork is done on back or front or both, until tones are
> altered or objects eliminated to suit. It must be remembered that, unlike
> the diapositive, any areas lightened in the negative will be darkened in
the
> finished print. From the completed negative, a final print is made, by
> contact, on the chosen paper, this paper being handled as when making a
> print from a regular negative. The paper diapositive and the paper
negative
> may be oiled or made transparent in order to reduce printing times which,
> of necessity, will be longer than when printing from a film negative.
> Contrary to belief, this transparentizing emphasizes the paper grain more
> than if it is not used. It is to be noticed that the various mediums,
> negatives and positives, are printing with the emulsion side to emulsion
> side in each step.
>
> The following will make paper transpar-ent
> 1. Alcohol, 6 ounces; Castor Oil 1 ounce.
> 2. Paraffin, 4 ounces; linseed oil, 1 ounce. Use at 176 deg. F. and after
> immersion dry the print between blotting paper.
> 3. Mineral oil, (white), 5 parts; Alcohol, 1 part.
> 4. Rub in white vaseline on the wrong side of the print, using a clean
rag.
> Allow to stand for some time.
>
> In using any solutions to transparentize paper care must be taken that the
> medium used for this purpose does not stain the paper used for the next
> step.
>
> If difficulty is experienced in having ex-posures too long or paper grain
is
> too objectionable a regular, soft gradation film emulsion may be used for
> the diapositive. There is a limitation to the ease with which control work
> may be done on this film positive, in the hands of the less expert.
> However, the use of a film positive has advantages over the paper positive
> in many respects.
>
> If less paper grain appearance is desired in the finished print the
> intermediate steps are as follows. Make the first diapositive with the
back
> of the paper uppermost, that is, print or enlarge through the paper stock
> itself. After the work on this diapositive is completed (being done as
> previously mentioned), the paper negative is also made with the back of
the
> paper against the emulsion side of the diapositive. Thus the grain of the
> paper in each case will cancel out the grain of the other and this method
> gives the least grain. Intermediate grain is secured by making only the
> diapositive through the back of the paper, reversing the negative in the
> carrier in order to bring the objects right side to.
>
>
>
> Liam
>
>
>
>
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