From: clay (wcharmon@wt.net)
Date: 01/25/02-08:11:35 AM Z
FWIW, I've been doing some argyrotypes the last few days (close cousins of
VDB's) and using 1:100 Kodak Selenium Toner before the fixing bath. I've
been limiting the time to 30-60 seconds and haven't noticed any bleaching.
Clay
----------
>From: Andre Fuhrmann <Andre.Fuhrmann@uni-konstanz.de>
>To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
>Subject: Re: gold toning van dyke browns
>Date: Fri, Jan 25, 2002, 7:39 AM
>
>> > >
>>> > [clip] ... Vandykes may also be toned using
>>> > selenium (e.g. from Kodak) 1:100. This is much cheaper but somewhat
>>> > difficult to control -- and most people (including myself) like the
>>> > tonal range of gold toning better.
>>>
>>> My understanding is that an attempt to tone with selenium will merely bleach
>>> the print. Can you describe your results?
>>
>>Kodak rapid selenium has fixer in it, but might be OK used AFTER fixing a
>>VDB. But if you make your own selenium toner it doesn't have fixer &
>>shouldn't bleach
>
>
>True, Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner does contain fixer. But a dilution
>of 1:100 is a homeopathic dosis and probably (?) has much less
>bleaching power than the final hypo bath. True too, however, that
>selenium even at 1:100 will bleach the print if bathed too long (1 or
>2 minutes was the maximum time for me, if I recall correctly). (This
>is to say, Judy, that I doubt that home-made selenium toner without
>hypo would not bleach the print -- I doubt but don't know.)
>
>Keith Gerling wrote:
>"I usually tone for about 30 seconds and fix for another 30 seconds"
>
>Of course, times always depend on the strength of the solution. In
>my experience VDBs need both a good first wash (at least 5 min) and a
>good fix. I fix 5 min in hypo 5%. At the beginning I yielded to the
>temptation to fix for less than 5 minutes and I regretted that very
>much when I looked at the prints a couple of months later.
>
>As to image colour, I noticed that VDBs come in a wide range of
>colours. One factor that seems to influence colour more than
>anything else is the humidity of the paper. Apart from this selenium
>does shift colour towards cooler shades of brown.
>
>To sum up my experience with VDB: it is an easy and versatile
>process, particularly good for beginners in ALT photography, capable
>of yielding results such that you may not want to look any further.
>But make sure that you wash & fix & wash carefully!
>
>André
>
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