Argyrotype Tests

Small image (height 600px, ~100k):
http://www.loris.medici.name/Argyrotype_Tests_small.jpg
 
Big image (height 2104px, ~200k):
http://www.loris.medici.name/Argyrotype_Tests_big.jpg
 
Left: Argyrotype on Masa paper (on CP side - not vellum side), cleared in
citric acid, 6 drops of sensitizer, 7 mins. exposure.
 
Middle: Argyrotype on COT320, *NOT* cleared in citric acid, 25 drops of
sensitizer, 6 mins. exposure.
 
Right: Argyrotype on COT320, cleared in citric acid, 8 drops of sensitizer,
7.5 mins. exposure.
 
* Dmax champion is Masa
* Smoothness champion is COT320 (obviously, because it's an ultra-smooth
paper)
* Color is more reddish (and pleasant to my eyes) on Masa, color on COT320
is not much interesting
* Contrast is considerably higher with Masa (paper white on step 18 whereas
paper white is on step 22 with COT320)
* Citric acid is very effective in clearing - was able to get paper white
and no bleeding occured
* Test print on right exhibit less dmax (my guess is: it's due to
solarization because of using so little sensitizer, I'm sure it would show
the same dmax with the test on the middle if I had used more sensitizer)
* Paper cleared in citric acid shows paper white 3 steps earlier (a full
stop in negative). I'm not that surprised since it's said that addition of
more acid sulfamic acid will increase the contrast of the emulsion
* Masa is hard to work, it's very thin and abrades very easily (see the
abrasion mark next to the number on the left in step 17)
* Will also type the vellum side of Masa (albeit it doesn't look
interesting)
 
I guess I will use Masa of straight Argyrotypes, COT320 for toned
(palladium, platinum or gold) Argyrotypes (because dmax will further
increase with toning) Argyrotypes. Thanks Michael for informing me about
this paper, thanks Sam for sending me a paper sample for testing.
 
That's all for now. Hope this is helpful for some of you...
Regards,
Loris.
Received on Fri Apr 14 04:12:54 2006