Large Format Platinum

I would like at some point like to make some 11x14" platinum prints. I keep

seeing 5x7 and 4x5, but I have never seen, in person anyway, platinum prints

over 8x10. I've never made platinums, so I'll have to work with smaller sizes

until I get to a point where i feel comfortable making larger ones.

 

I realise this will be extremely expensive.

 

But what I am wondering is this, I don't have a ULF view camera... so I'd need

to make a negative. So i was thinking about taking my 4x5 negatives, likely

developed in WD2D+ (a pyro solution with a brown/yellow mask) and making

a 11x14" negative. The 11x14 negative would be developed in D76 or XTOL

and selinium toned, too much trouble in printing stained negatives and i don't

think I'd gain any advantage. Will my stained negatives interfere with the

panchromatic film?

 

Problem is, then I'd have a positive.. Now I am assuming that platinum

darkens to light, so would the best way to make it back into a negative be to

do the flash thing and reverse it directly, or make an interneg?

 

How does the flash thing work? Is it reliable? Would I end up ruining more film

than if i carefully made an interneg? What's the best way to manage dust?

What chemicals would I need to reverse it? I am sure this has been asked...

But i figure i may as well ask again since i have platinum questions as well.

 

Also, what is the best online resources and texts for platinum printing?

I recommend Jill Enfield's book--Photo-Imaging. It has simple instructions for making conventional and digital internegatives and interpositives. It also has instructions for Pt/Pd printing. Also see this thread:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003F2f

Another recomended book would be:

 

Making Digital Negatives for Contact Printing by Dan Burkholder

www.burkholder.com

 

General information from someone who shoots up to 12x20,

Platinum & Palladium Printing by Dick Arentz

Focal Press.

 

Will

Go to the B&S website and read the articles there on using lito and other films for making enlarged negs. Also, the book "The New Platinum Print" form B& S has a terrific section on how to fine tune enlarged negs using step wedges instead of a densitometer to tweek exposure and deveolpment.

will litho film perform as well as non-litho?

 

I am having a hard time beleiving that i will be able to maximize the platinum

range with a film which is designed to be used in ink reproduction... Maybe

while I'm learning, but the way i feel is I am striving towered the broadest

range possible... I certainly do not want to limit that range!

 

Maybe I'm wrong though?

Go to www.unblinkingeye.com and read the article "less is more." The author explains how to make direct enlarged negatives with ortho film. BTW there are a couple of other good articles on making enlarged negatives for alt printing.

Lith film has a density range far beyond that of regular film. It works very well with platinum printing.

You could also try fuji Mi dup film, it is a direct positive film used in radiography to make copy of radiography.

It give good result develop in D19, the blue based density film is a little stron comapre to usual film ? But I am quite nice Platinum with negative enlarged on this film.. You're lucky enough to find it at a good price in the USA, here is a web page to find it.

http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/purch/contract/wp5517.html

 

Christian Nze