Lodima Fine Art Toners

[chrisf]

I read in the thread about developers for Lodima some don't tone because they are concerned about losing the beautiful tone of this new paper.

I follow Michael's formula for toning and can say the paper looks beautiful when toned using this method. For some subject matter I use twice the amount of Kbr that is in his formula. This warms the print slightly.

I would like to open a discussion on different toning methods to achieve a different color in the final print. Has anyone used gold or other toners and what effects do they have?

[jovo]

Unless you're looking for information specific to Lodima papers, the answers to most any toner question you can think of can be found in Tim Rudman's book here:

http://www.allbookstores.com/book/97...ive_Guide.html


edit: It seems the book is currently out of print, but you may be able to find a used one. Sorry about that.

[chrisf]

John,

Yes, I was looking for experiences with Lodima. I realize Lodima is new so there might not be much experimentation done but I thought I would ask.

cf

[Andrew O'Neill]

Did you try here?:

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/Az...ulletinCate=13

[vet173]

I've probably used at least 10 sheets just for 4x5 21 step tablets for toning. Tim will be able to write a whole new chapter on what you can do with this paper. I've toned with thiocarbimide, selenium and gold. I have been able to get tri-tone prints. My only recomendation is to do gold first. It works from the top down and the others from the bottom up. Trying to pull warm back to cool really wants to lead to pink most of the time. 2 min in gold @ 75 will go down to upper mids. Then selenium 50:1 for one min to lock in D-max tone. 10 seconds in cold bleach at a ( 1% ) not 10 percent, I usually only want to skim the top end. Thiocarbimide till I like it and a bleach pullback maybe if I feel like it. Toning at 90f. One thing I think might be a problem is when toning under the fan for the stove. ( Wolf gas stove, big suck required ) I would not be too generous with the light. especially on a bleach pullback. I got mud real quick. I now only use the room lights without the hoodlight. I hope what little I know about it was of some help.

[chrisf]

vet173, thanks, it was helpful. I purchased Tim Rudman's book about toning.

I have only done Selenium so far, 32:1 was too strong so I cut that back to 64:1 and compared a print I made on Azo Grade 3 and on Lodima Grade 3. The Lodima is slightly warmer than Azo. I used the recommended amount of Kbr but I've increased the amount of Amidol to 10g because after filtering there is at least a gram worth of sludge. I remember reading somewhere Michael talking about increasing the Amidol to (cool?) the print; I can't remember and couldn't find it.

I have some prints I will try the bleach and Thiocarbimide method on, I'm looking to change the color of the very top end slightly in these prints.

All in all I'm excited about this new paper and have made some prints I like very much.

[c6h6o3]

I have only done Selenium so far, 32:1 was too strong so I cut that back to 64:1 and compared a print I made on Azo Grade 3 and on Lodima Grade 3. The Lodima is slightly warmer than Azo.

The operative word here is "slightly", aka "perfect". I've always toned Azo at 1:64 and sometimes got the tone I wanted, sometimes not. I'm delighted to see that selenium toner doesn't change the color of Lodima (that I can notice) and it's gorgeous.

Why in the world would you want to change it?

[Shawn Dougherty]

Because different people have different tastes... =)

I change the color of mine by greatly increasing the KBR in my amidol and selenium toning at 1:50 for about 3 minutes. A beautiful, FLEXIBLE paper in every sense.

Shawn

[c6h6o3]

Because different people have different tastes... =)

I change the color of mine by greatly increasing the KBR in my amidol and selenium toning at 1:50 for about 3 minutes. A beautiful, FLEXIBLE paper in every sense.

Shawn

sounds like you like it even warmer than i do

[Mahler_one]

I would second the suggestion to get in touch with Michael and Paula. Forty plus years of working with Azo type papers yields experience that cannot be duplicated.

Ed