Digital BW, The Print

I'd also like to hear the details about the Lith redevelopment process. 
  Please tell all Don.  This is a Digital Black and White list.  IMHO it 
sounds like this process is at least half digital, I'd think it's close 
enough to desired topic to be shared with the list.  Thanks, so much.

Roger Smith, East Lansing, MI


On Nov 20, 2004, at 8:48 PM, 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> Message: 13
>    Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 10:09:00 +1100
>    From: Glenn Barry <glennrbarry@...>
> Subject: Re: Re: Printers
>
>
> I'd be very interested to hear about the Lith redevolpment, I've never
> heard about such a technique. Off list if others consider it too off 
> topic
>
> Thanks
>
> Glenn

Roger,

I agree that this topic has relevance for the list, as this is a hybrid process.  I expose 
with a 10d, and formerly printed to 1160 BO or Quadtone.  While I love the tones 
provided and the ability to print on art papers, I wanted a quality lustre surface that 
did not require spray.  I don't know about most of you, but I've never been able to 
spray completely even and the print always look "sprayed."

Lith redevelopment is purely experimental.  On page 106 of Tim Rudman's "The 
Photographer's Master Printing Course," he refers to the process as being successful 
when applied to papers that are initially developed in lith chemistry - but not when 
processed by conventional methods.

Lith development is highly dependant on the paper used.  Those that work best are 
papers that are not developer incorporated (which many RC papers are).  I have no 
idea if the paper from mpix.com is developer incorporated, so I am not certain if lith 
redevelopment will work correctly.  I do know that they use Polymax as their 
developer.

According to Rudman, the steps involved are quite simple and can be performed in 
daylight.  First, bleach the print to completion in any ferricyanide/bromide bleach 
utilized in sepia toner.  Wash the print and redevelop in any lith developer that is 
highly dilute.

Here is where I believe the process will give a "lith look."  On page 107 Rudman gives 
a recipe for Non-LIth alternatives by "adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to your 
developer.  This compound is produced in the infectious development cycle when 
paraformaldehyde reacts wih sulfite.  NaOH can cause burns and should be handled 
with gloves.  It works best with PQ developers such as Ilford PQ Universal."  His 
recommendation is 5g of NaOH to 1 liter of working strength developer to acheive a 
lith type look to the print.  Page 107 gives an excellent print example and this would 
be my starting point for lith redevelopment.

For any bleach and redevelopment process, you need to have the initial print darker 
than that of the final image.  Typically, you would print an image 1-2 stops darker 
and process normally.  Wash then bleach the print to completion.  Wash the print and 
redevelop in working developer+NaOH as described above.

I am not certain if this will work as I intend, or how pronounced the lith apparance will 
be when completed.  Remember this is only one method to achieve a lith look on a 
darkroom print.  It would be just as easy to have a print made that was two stops too 
dark and bleach back to proper print density.  Bleaching without redeveloping or 
toning gives the print a brown tone as well as giving the print a grainy appearance.  
There are many additional darkroom practices that can be utilized for post-
processing, but the best is just experimenting.

Hope this helps,

Don

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Roger Smith 
<rbsmith252@c...> wrote:

> I'd also like to hear the details about the Lith redevelopment process. 
>   Please tell all Don.  This is a Digital Black and White list.  IMHO it 
> sounds like this process is at least half digital, I'd think it's close 
> enough to desired topic to be shared with the list.  Thanks, so much.
> 
> Roger Smith, East Lansing, MI
> 
> 
> On Nov 20, 2004, at 8:48 PM, 
> DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> 
> > Message: 13
> >    Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 10:09:00 +1100
> >    From: Glenn Barry <glennrbarry@o...>
> > Subject: Re: Re: Printers
> >
> >
> > I'd be very interested to hear about the Lith redevolpment, I've never
> > heard about such a technique. Off list if others consider it too off 
> > topic
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Glenn

Roger and all,

The prints from Mpix.com can be bleached and redeveloped in a lith developer.  While 
not a "true" lith print is made, redeveloping in lith will introduce lith type effects on 
the print.  My prints acheived a split tone, stretching from purple to pink, in the 
midtone and highlight areas while the darker tones remained neutral.  The creative 
possibilities are endless, and this gives an excellent look to portraiture.

As I had no lith chemisty available but plenty of gumption, I bleached the print in 
standard septia toner to about 75% completion.  I used crystal drano (Sodium 
Hydroxide) as the catalyst for the lith effect.  I added 1-1/2 tablespoons to 1 liter of 
water with 10 milliters of Sprint Film Developer.  The print redeveloped slowly, then 
quickly started to change colors - when the print looked right it was snatched from 
the developer and quickly dropped into stop bath and given a complete wash 
sequence.

I did try paper developer in a standard working dilution, but the developer was much 
too active to achieve a lith effect.  It worked perfectly with very dilute film developer 
with a larger amount of NaOH.  I am beginning to see the possibilities of this hybrid 
digital/silver process and am very excited.  That and no banding!

Don

> I'd also like to hear the details about the Lith redevelopment process. 
>   Please tell all Don.  This is a Digital Black and White list.  IMHO it 
> sounds like this process is at least half digital, I'd think it's close 
> enough to desired topic to be shared with the list.  Thanks, so much.
> 
> Roger Smith, East Lansing, MI