Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype : A Step-by-Step Manual of Iron-Silver Processes Highlighting Contemporary Artists

Focusing on three iron-silver processes—kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and argyrotype—this book will guide readers through how to create prints using these accessible and historic processes in the digital age. Often termed the Brownprint processes, author Donald W. Nelson provides step-by-step detail on how to create prints using kallitype, Vandyke brown, and argyrotype methods, including information on the materials needed, troubleshooting issues, and examples from contemporary artists. The book consists of two parts. Part I is a step-by-step how-to section including all the information that a practitioner at any level needs to achieve successful kallitype, Vandyke brown, and argyrotype prints. Part II is devoted to contemporary artists who have integrated the process into their creative practice. The book includes the following: • A list of equipment and supplies needed. • Concise step-by-step instructions for creating kallitype, Vandyke brown, and argyrotype prints successfully. • Troubleshooting common issues. • A range of creative ideas on how to use the processes in the classroom. • Examples from over 20 contemporary artists, including their prints and how they came to make them. Ideal for students and professionals alike, this book is an accessible introduction to alternative process photography. Cover Endorsements Half Title Series Title Copyright Dedication Contents Foreword Preface Part I Information that a practitioner at any level needs to achieve successful kallitype, Vandyke brown, and argyrotype prints Chapter 1 Introduction to Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype Historic kallitype processes The modern kallitype process Early brownprint processes, the predecessors to Vandyke brown The modern Vandyke brown process The argyrotype process Chapter 2 Chemistry Supplies General chemistry Chemistry supplies for kallitype Kallitype developers Chemistry supplies for Vandyke brown Chemistry supplies for argyrotype Chemistry supplies for toning prints Ammonium dichromate Where to purchase chemistry supplies Chapter 3 Setting Up the Brownprint Dimroom Safety first Essentials and nonessentials Essential equipment list Smaller equipment needed Nice to have Essential consumables Workspace setup Darkroom equipment Chapter 4 Creating the Digital Negative What you will need How to use QuadToneRIP on the PC Where are my QUAD files? Selecting your Epson printer in QuadToneRIP Printing an ink test in calibration mode The Curve Creation tool Loading an existing .txt or .qidf file into QuadToneRIP Deleting old .quad files Printing a negative with the PC version of QuadToneRIP How to determine if the Windows operating system needs an update Deleting unused lines from a QIDF (txt) file saved from the Curve Creation tool Creating and linearizing a process-specific ink descriptor file Step 1: Determining exposure time for Dmax Step 2: Find the UV blocking inks for your QUAD file Step 3: Finding the ink amount needed by the QUAD file to achieve white on an image Step 4: Linearizing the ink in the QUAD file QIDF file examples Kallitype ink definition curve Vandyke brown ink definition curve Argyrotype ink definition curve Making a simple digital negative curve for Photoshop that does not require QuadToneRIP Creating the Photoshop curve Applying the curve to a negative Printing the negative in Photoshop Eisenlord’s Build QTR Curve tool Chapter 5 Paper Selection Paper characteristics for success Paper quality control Paper tests Dmax test results Paper for kallitype Paper for Vandyke brown Paper for argyrotype Chapter 6 Mixing Chemistry for the Processes—Sensitizers, Developers, and Toners Kallitype sensitizer Vandyke brown sensitizer Final sensitizer mixture Sandy King’s alternate Vandyke brown formula Argyrotype sensitizer Alternative preparation of silver(I) oxide Developers Kallitype developers Ammonium citrate developer Borax developer Classic Borax-Rochelle salt developer Gray-blue developer Henry Hall developer Rochelle salt developer Sodium acetate developer Sodium acetate/ammonium citrate developer Sodium citrate developer Warm brown-black Rochelle salt developer Fixers Kallitype fixer concentrate Vandyke brown fixer concentrate Argyrotype fixer concentrate Post-fixer clearing bath Chapter 7 Making the Kallitype Print Overview of kallitype step-by-step Preparation for printing Dimroom preparation Sensitizer preparation Brush or rod? Sensitizing the paper Drying the paper How long will sensitized paper last before printing? Preparing the negative QuadToneRIP ink definition files for the kallitype developers Exposing the print Preparing the sensitized paper and negative sandwich for exposure Timing the UV exposure Exposure tips Sun exposure tips Exposure completion Processing the print Final tips Gold chloride in the sensitizer Fumed silica applied to paper before sensitization Dichromate in the developer Chapter 8 Making the Vandyke Brown Print Vandyke brown step-by-step Dimroom preparation Sensitizer preparation Brush or rod? Pre-humidification of paper Sensitizing the paper Drying the paper How long will sensitized paper last before printing? Preparing the negative Preparing the sensitized paper and negative sandwich for exposure Timing the UV exposure Sun exposure tips Exposure completion Exposure tips Processing the print Contrast control with potassium dichromate Use of fumed silica on the paper before sensitization Adding gold chloride (or mercury chloride) to the sensitizer Chapter 9 Making the Argyrotype Print Argyrotype step-by-step Dimroom preparation Sensitizer preparation Brush or rod? Sensitizing the paper How long will sensitized paper last before printing? Drying the sensitized paper Preparing the negative Exposing the paper to UV light Preparing the sensitized paper and negative sandwich for exposure Timing the UV exposure Sun exposure tips Exposure completion Exposure tips Optional: Postexposure humidification Processing the print Modifications to printing argyrotype Contrast control with potassium dichromate Contrast control using additional sulfamic acid in the sensitizer Fumed silica applied to the paper before sensitization Adding glycerin/glycerol to the sensitizer Changing the color by pre-humidification of sensitized paper Gold chloride (or mercury chloride) added to the sensitizer Chapter 10 Troubleshooting Negative issues Not getting good Dmax (black) The whites are blown out—details are missing that should be there The whites in the image are gray/dark with no actual paper white Negative sticks to the sensitized paper and ruins the negative when pulled apart The image has pizza wheel marks Paper issues Stains on the paper Mottled paper and mottled image Paper tears or comes apart during processing Sensitizer issues Sensitizer comes off the paper during development Weak blacks Sensitized areas on paper appear yellow brown Workflow issues Fingerprints or abrasions on the print, particularly visible in darkest areas of the image Random paper white areas appear on the image Incomplete coating Mottled blacks Stains appear on the print surface After drying, the image yellows and fades, sometimes weeks or months after drying A line appears across the print Solarization of maximum density areas The image printed and cleared fine but appears faded upon drying Negative sticks to the paper Image color draining down from images that are hung up Staining occurs in irregular areas Specific troubleshooting for kallitype The paper appears to have a stain where sensitized The print has good blacks, but whites are either blown out or overly dark The print is too dark Blotchy or pale prints Prints turn yellow in the lightest areas Dmax significantly weakens over time Prints fade over time Muddy whites The image appears too cool Solarized prints Specific troubleshooting for Vandyke brown Silver is plated in the sensitizer storage bottle, or solids are at the bottle’s bottom The darkest areas of the image are lighter than other dark areas Prints fade over time or have yellow highlights Specific troubleshooting for argyrotype Sediment appears in the sensitizer storage bottle Argyrotype Dmax has become much lighter than previous printing sessions Chapter 11 Making the Toned Print Introduction to toning Step-by-step—gold, platinum, and palladium toning Step-by-step—selenium and all other toners (except gold, platinum, and palladium toners) Gold toning Mixing gold toners 5% Gold Chloride Solution 1% Gold Chloride Solution Sandy King’s Gold Toner #1 Sandy King’s Gold Toner #2 Gold Toner 231 (A Gold-Ammonium Thiocyanate Toner) “Blue-Gray” Gold Toner (Another Gold-Ammonium Thiocyanate Toner) Gold-Borax Toner Nelson Gold Toner Gold “Crimson” Toner Gold Sodium Bicarbonate Toner Gold Sodium Carbonate Toner Gold Borax Toner 2 Gold Sodium Phosphate Toner Gold Thiocyanate Toner Gold Iodide Toner Gold Iodide-Thiocyanate Toner Gold Thiourea Toner 1 Gold Thiourea Toner 2 Sel d’or Toner Palladium toning Mixing palladium toner 20% palladium chloride stock solution Palladium toner Sandy King’s palladium toner Platinum toning Mixing platinum toner 20% Potassium chloroplatinite stock solution (platinum solution #3) Platinum toner Double toning with noble metals Selenium toning Mixing selenium toners Dassonville T-55 Dassonville T-55 toner working solution Direct selenium toner Direct selenium toner working solution Kodak rapid selenium toner (KRST) Brown toners Mixing brown toners Kodak T-8 polysulfide toner Ilford IT-2 hypo-alum sepia toner Kodak T-1a hypo-alum toner Brown toners that produce weaker images Dassonville T-5 copper brown toner Other colored toners Mixing non-brown color toners GT-15 copper toner Copper toner intensifier Ansco 241 iron blue toner Weak iron blue toner (Kodak T-12) Chapter 12 Finishing Prints Spotting Flattening prints Increasing the Dmax with a coating Framing and displaying Part II Contemporary artists who have integrated the process into their creative practice Chapter 13 Contemporary Artists Sandy King Adam Finkleston Annemarie Borg Brittonie Fletcher Chris Villiers Constanza Isaza Martinez Danielle Edwards Dennis Moser Gordon J. Holtslander Kristen Paniagua Krzysztof Strzoda Mark L. Eshbaugh Mat Hughes Pablo Kolodny Robert Poole Suzanne Izzo Walt Polley Chris Byrnes Luther Gerlach Eben Ostby Roberto Lavini Sam Wang Appendix A Kallitype Developer QuadToneRIP Ink Definition Files QuadToneRIP ink definition files for kallitype developer choices QTR profile for 1⁄2 sodium acetate/1⁄2 ammonium citrate developer QTR profiles for other developers Ammonium citrate developer Borax developer Classic Borax Rochelle salt developer Gray-blue tone developer Henry Hall developer Rochelle salt developer Sodium acetate developer Sodium citrate developer Warm brown-black Rochelle salt developer Appendix B Gold Toner QuadToneRIP Ink Definition Files QuadToneRIP ink definition files for gold, platinum, and palladium toners QIDF profile for Sandy King’s gold toner #1 QTR profiles for other gold toners Sandy King’s gold toner #2 Gold toner 231 (gold-ammonium thiocyanate) Blue-gray gold toner (another gold-ammonium thiocyanate toner) Gold-borax toner Nelson gold toner Gold carmine toner Gold sodium bicarbonate toner Gold sodium carbonate toner Gold sodium borax 2 toner Gold sodium phosphate toner Gold thiocyanate toner Gold iodide toner Gold iodide-thiocyanate toner Gold thiourea 1 toner Gold thiourea 2 toner Sel d’or toner Platinum and palladium QIDF Platinum toner Palladium toner Appendix C Pre-Humidified Argyrotype QuadToneRIP Ink Definition Files QuadToneRIP ink definition files for argyrotype with a 30-minute 100% humidity soak after sensitization QIDF profile Bibliography Index "Focusing on three iron-silver processes: Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype, this book will guide readers through how to create prints using these accessible and historic processes in the digital age. Often termed the Brownprint processes, author Donald W Nelson provides step-by-step detail on how to create prints using Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype methods, including information on the materials needed, troubleshooting issues, and examples from contemporary artists. The book consists of two parts. Part One is a step-by-step how-to section including all the information that a practitioner at any level needs to achieve successful Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype prints. Part Two is devoted to contemporary artists who have integrated the process into their creative practice. The book includes: A list of equipment and supplies needed; concise step-by-step instructions for creating Kallitype, Vandyke Brown, and Argyrotype prints successfully; troubleshooting common issues; a range of creative ideas on how to use the processes in the classroom; examples from over 20 contemporary artists, including their prints and how they came to make them. Ideal for students and professionals alike, this book is an accessible introduction to alternative process photography"-- Provided by publisher