Show me your latest darkroom prints

[ThomasM]

Thomas, I love lith prints. And yours are excellent, what paper and which developer?

Thanks Will,

I used my last sheets and bits of old Fomatone MG Classic Warmtone (although I discovered I still have some 18x24 sheets in my darkroom), in Moersch EasyLith. I tried the new Fomatone, but didn't like the effect (and it takes a lot more time to develop).

I also found some sheets of old Kentmere 18x24 Finegrain warmtone, that was my second choice for lith printing, but I guess that after that there will be no more lith printing, unless someone comes up with a new lithable paper.

 

[jean-bob]

Jean-bob, welcome to the darkroom print thread.
It's neat to see the sprocket hole on the print above.
Feel free to add which developer and paper on these prints.

Thank you !

These are all MGIV RC mat paper with Ilford multigrade develloper. I used the grade 3.5 filter on this particular one.

I have yet to try FB paper though...

 

[Findus]

I also found some sheets of old Kentmere 18x24 Finegrain warmtone, that was my second choice for lith printing, but I guess that after that there will be no more lith printing, unless someone comes up with a new lithable paper.

Thomas, there is always 2nd pass lith printing. It does not work with every paper, but some give really nice results.

 

[jean-bob]

R0002879.jpg par tumulishoomaroom, sur Flickr

Same developper/paper combo. This is from the first (and only) 120 roll I developed myself and I messed it up... The film wasn't properly loaded on the reel and most of the right hand side of the film is underdeveloped... Hence the cropping !

 

[ThomasM]

Thomas, there is always 2nd pass lith printing. It does not work with every paper, but some give really nice results.

Thanks Sandra, I hadn't really thought about it (call me lazy). I'll give it a try as well.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

From my first contact sheet print.


Friday. Around 3 PM. by Ko.Fe., on Flickr

 

[kingqueenknave]

Portland, OR by kingqueenknave, on Flickr

 

[JoelW]

I've never printed in the darkroom before, but last week picked up a relatively cheap LPL enlarger and set up the bathroom to give it a try. This frame was the first exposure

 

[Johnmcd]

I've never printed in the darkroom before, but last week picked up a relatively cheap LPL enlarger and set up the bathroom to give it a try. This frame was the first exposure

Great work Joel, especially first print!

 

[shadowfox]

Thomas, there is always 2nd pass lith printing. It does not work with every paper, but some give really nice results.

Sandra, I've read about this technique but so far I've always do straight (one pass) lith-print.

Would you expand on it more and maybe show us some examples? Which paper have you tried, which developers?

 

[shadowfox]

Portland, OR by kingqueenknave, on Flickr

Now don't tease us like this 🙂
Color prints are rare, tell us more about this print!

 

[shadowfox]

I've never printed in the darkroom before, but last week picked up a relatively cheap LPL enlarger and set up the bathroom to give it a try. This frame was the first exposure

Joel, I love it when newcomers to the darkroom post here.
Hope to see your seconds, thirds, fourths...

 

[shadowfox]

R0002879.jpg par tumulishoomaroom, sur Flickr

Same developper/paper combo. This is from the first (and only) 120 roll I developed myself and I messed it up... The film wasn't properly loaded on the reel and most of the right hand side of the film is underdeveloped... Hence the cropping !

Just a suggestion, if you make this a square print with the top half, it'd be a super good one. I love the tilt-ish horizon 😀

 

[JoelW]

Thanks guys, appreciate it. I struggled with trying to black out the windows for a good hour so the printing was somewhat rushed due to frustration. But that's what you get for being impatient!

I'm going to buy some materials to make proper covers/seals for the window and door and I'll be back in there soon enough.

 

[jean-bob]

Just a suggestion, if you make this a square print with the top half, it'd be a super good one. I love the tilt-ish horizon 😀

It was originally square but I see what you mean and I'll try next time I'm in the darkroom. Thanks !

 

[shortstop]

Thank you Shortstop. To have access to a darkroom (where I live), we have a club where we book the room for use with a annual fee. So each time I go, I plan for a full day's 'work'. This set I did was mainly with 6x7 negatives, and I have found this to be my favourite format to print with. the detail, framing and contrast is really my cup of tea. All these prints will be given away to my friends who travelled with me on my recent hiking trip, so what you said about 'picture in hand', resonates with me.

A wonderful gift for your friends! Surely better than an email attachment...😏

 

[jean-bob]

All these prints will be given away to my friends who travelled with me on my recent hiking trip, so what you said about 'picture in hand', resonates with me.

That's where most of my prints end, in my friends' hands. It's a nice gift.

 

[--s]

Graflex revisited. Family affairs in 4 x 5.

 

[Findus]

Sandra, I've read about this technique but so far I've always do straight (one pass) lith-print.

Would you expand on it more and maybe show us some examples? Which paper have you tried, which developers?

Hi Will,

Please excuse my late answer, I just did not see your question before 😱

If you wish to do a 2nd pass lith, you would start with exposing the paper ca. 50 % more than a normal print would require, as the process tends to lighten your print and reduce the contrast somewhat. Then you develop it normally in your standard developer, stop, fix, wash well.

Then you can do the 2nd pass lith. I work under red darkroom safelight during the whole procedure, which is:

- Bleach the paper in copper bleach. Ca. 30-40 seconds.
- Wash 10 minutes minimum, in the meantime:
- Prepare the lith bath; here you can experiment a little. Start with
3 ml Part A, 3 ml Part B, 500 ml water (warm water, around 35-40 ° Celsius)

- Put the print in a tray with warm water (ca. 40 ° Celsius/104 Fahrenheit), to warm it up, then
- Put the print in the warm lith developer (ca. 40 ° Celsius/104 Fahrenheit) to redevelop. Experiment with the correct moment to snatch the print
- Stop and fix as usual
- The print will lighten somewhat when in the fix; it will get darker again when dry.
- Wash as usual

You can stop here or tone the print in Se, Au, sepia or whatever.

If you do not like the result, you can repeat the process (edit: before toning, of course), but I found that the contrast suffers and the gelatine will swell even more. I will have to experiment further with this.

I tried 2nd pass lith with Fomabrom Variant 111 and Adox Variotone. You can find examples at my ipernity account. I don't know how to include the images here (this was easier with flickr), but here is a link to

Fomabrom Variant 111: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/sandra-wittmann/17201283

and this one is Variotone: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/sandra-wittmann/17201415

Moersch Easy Lith gives other colors than Rollei Superlith. Both are beautiful. 🙂

You may want to read Wolfgang Moersch's information here:

http://www.ipernity.com/blog/wolfgang.moersch/697765

More examples on his website:

http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/content/shop/lith/97/lith_umentwicklung/lang:en

And you may also wish to subscribe to Tim Rudman's newsletter:

http://www.timrudman.com/mailing_list

His 2nd pass lith prints are here:

http://www.timrudman.com/printing-processes/2nd-pass-lith/1

I hope that I was able to answer your question a little bit. Experiment and have fun!! 🙂

Best regards,

Sandra

 

[Ko.Fe.]