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Black Stains - Lith printing
I'm having some success with prints from wet plates. However, last night I got these huge black stains.
The first three prints were fine (from two different plates). I go to make my fourth print with a different plate and one area starts to develop out first (5 or 6 minutes in). By the time the rest of the print is ready, that area is a black mass.
I printed the thing a total of 4 times with similar results. The stain was in the same general area but not exact. From my search I see it's usually from the print getting air and oxidizing in that area or poor agitation. On the second through fourth, I made sure that wasn't a variable.
The things I tried:
Added fresh developer
Made sure my red headlight wasn't a problem.
I thought perhaps the new 25W bulb I'm using was an issue. I tilted it to a different part. I also reduced/increased exposure a bit.
The only other thing I can think is its the plate itself. I ran out of time to go back and try one of the early plates.
That was a real pity.
I do a good job at cleaning the back of the plate but maybe there is an area clearer than the rest?
This is an unvarnished plate so maybe that is causing a 'hot spot' and not an even exposure?
However, the other plates were the same and taken at the same time......
As far as the light bulb, this one is a soft white. I don't think it really matters but I am curious if it's a factor.
Do I need to try to diffuse it evenly some how? It seems even looking at the table.....
Anyway, any and all comments will be muchly appreciated.
I really wanted to see this print in it's entirety. The rest of it I liked.
Chemistry:
Easylith 30ml:35ml:1L
Then I added 15ml:15ml:500ml to see if that would help.
Paper is fomabrom
Exposure was 3-5s
Thanks
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I did have a little flake of collodion get in the developer. That couldn't have ruined it??? Even if I did have bad developer could it create this stain in roughly the same spot every time?
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If anyone lands on this page in the future, my problem was agitation. It seems rocking the tray wasn't enough. I have to agitate with the developer with the tongs and there is no issue. I think it has to do with a stronger dilution than my first two sessions.
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