Re: bronzing in pt/pd AND Epson 2400 curves

Hi Eric et al,
OK from all you pt/pd experts, I have narrowed your comments to 4 causes,
probably in combination, for bronzing/solarizing. Humidity, too thin
coating, overexposure, and overheating/drying. The students are not using
heat to dry, so that should not be an issue.

Since the bronzing departed with the redo of the print in the same exact
circumstances, just with upping the drop count, I am going to assume that
this particular case was too thin coating which therefore overexposed a bit
with maybe a tetch of humidity slipping in there. I think there was one
other student with bronzing, but I better make SURE none are using hair
dryers (they wouldn't they couldn't, yes they could when an assignment is
due).

I have not experienced bronzing, but I tend to not skimp on solution.

Eric, you ask why 661? I was standardizing a proportion, not an actual drop
count, so that for every 6 drops of Solution 1 and 2 they were to use 1 drop
of NA2--that is because:

 1. I ordered that amount of NA2 for the class to just fit this proportion
and

2. they were developing their curves based on this contrast mix.

They first had to print a step wedge, then a CDRP or the color density range
palette from Mark Nelson's system, then a 101 step tonal palette, so I am
sure that the 661 drop count worked for all three of those and then for some
reason the student didn't think that a larger print would require more
solution :).

I am SOOOO excited!!!! I am calibrating curves for the Epson 2400 (the old
2200 died at a very inopportune moment). Two things: the Epson 2400 color
ink is incredibly dense and EVEN denser than the black ink! That surprised
me, to see paper white with the colors sans black and right next to it the
black border print tone.

 No need to increase ink density on this puppy with palladium. AND I got a
curve, printed a palladium, and it is gorgeous. Paper white to max black,
Arches Platine. I chose a really contrasty scene for the image that had
sunlight entering a ruined dark house, and I am impressed with this printer.
I may even like it better than the 2200 which will be hard for me to do. The
real test will be salt, I suppose.

The inks are denser than the 4000 I know because my students are having to
up the ink density in that printer by 7% to achieve paper white.

Back to work: I have two days of interviews this coming week--4 of us
finalists competing for the two tenure tracks that have opened up here this
year. ARRGGGHHHHHH.
Chris

> Chris, Did any one else have the bronzing/solarization? How are you
> drying
> your coated paper? Are you adding humidity after drying?
>
> Some may confuse bronzing with "burned areas" as well. If you are using
> only
> palladium, and the only form of platinum is your contrast agent, make sure
> your students are not over drying their paper or getting it too hot. I
> have
> not run the test on Cesium for bronzing as my first mix of it still sit
> largely unused on my darkroom shelf. I haven't seen B&S's listing for LI
> PD
> but recall that the formula in TNPP were off as compared to other
> palladium
> mixes. Also as a starting point, I try and make sure beginners understand
> that it is the Ferric and the metal salts that need to be balanced 50/50 (
> or for advanced close to that ) and let the total volume needed be paper
> and
> print size dependant.
>
> Why 6/6/1 ? all previous work was 4x5 and then you let them go big?
Received on Fri Apr 7 09:23:12 2006