Re: Kallitype

Scott,

First, all fluorescent tubes put out some UV light so if you are
drying the sensitized paper in this light this could be part of your
problem. But it sounds like you have worse issues.

You really have me confused about the developers and clearing agents.
I have never used the Borax Rochelle salt developers so can not
comment but your clearing agent, potassium oxalate, is normally used
as a developer.

Finally, a real key to your problem is in how the image looks after
exposure. There should be kind of a "whisper" of an image after
exposure, just a bit more than with Pt./Pd. But by no means should it
look like a good print at this time. The print kind of appears
during development almost as soon as you pour in the developer.

Sandy

>OK here goes, I have made many successful cyanotypes, van dykes and salt
>prints so I decided to try kallitypes. I started with Photographers
>Formulary's kit. Ferric oxalate & silver nitrate for sensitizer, Rochelle
>salt (with some borax) for the developer. Potassium oxalate for the clearing
>bath and hypo with ammonia for fix. I tried coating the papers with glass
>rod and foam brush. Using Cranes 90lb wove and Lanaquarell (sp) cold press.
>With both papers and both coating processes I get similar results. After 10
>to 30 minute exposures in a UV (fluorescent) light box the faint yet
>distinct image is sharp and clear. As soon as I put the print into the
>developer it turns "muddy" and "mottled". Some have come out better than
>others (the ones without borax) but the results are very disappointing.
>Today I tried Sandy King's method of using sodium citrate for developer and
>citric acid to clear. The results are WORSE. Either the print holds almost
>no image or they turned completely brown (faint image). Could I have
>accidentally exposed my sensitizer to room light. My dark room has
>fluorescent lights overhead. I don't understand why the image looks so good
>before development then turns to "you know what" in the developer. I even do
>all of the processing with red safelights and overheads off. Any help will
>be appreciated.
>
>Scott B. Weber
>Associate Professor of Photography
>Department of Fine Arts
>Barry University
>11300 NE 2nd Avenue
>Miami Shores, Florida 33161
>(305) 899 4922
>
>
>
>
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Received on Tue Aug 9 17:47:45 2005