Re: Van Dyke toning trying to remember...

Christopher Lovenguth wrote:
>
> I've just started doing some Van Dyke prints again. ... and I was trying
> to remember if there is a way to darken the brown like you
> can do with hydrogen peroxide on a cyanotype. I know you can use gold and
> selenium toners, but isn't there a common household item that can be used or
> am I totally wrong here? I thought I remember using something that made my
> browns go much more "chocolate" after development and fixing, and I know I
> never used gold or selenium on alt prints ever so I know it wasn't these
> two.

Christopher:

Adding household ammonia added to your fix will change the color to a
darker brown. It is also supposed to reduce bleaching caused by the
fixer. I don't do this because I prefer the reddish brown but as I
recall a tablespoon or two in a liter of fix should do the trick.

Dan

--
Daniel Williams
Enumclaw WA
dtwilliams3@comcast.net
www.daniel-williams-photos.com