liquid emulsions as contact prints

[german]

Hi,

 

Has anyone done contact prints on liquid emulsions, as if doing a

Platinum print?

 

I don't have an enlarger (nor do I currently have a contact printing

frame, for that matter) so I just want to work on contacting onto

nice watercolor papers.

 

And I recall printing on watercolor papers with liquid emulsion

taken quite some time (like minutes, if I am not mistaken) with the

lens wide open.

 

If this were possible (which I don't see why not), would the outside

sun light be recommended, or inside light, which would be easier to

control.

 

Of course I would have to do the necessary test strips, etc.

 

By the way, I do love the liquid emulsion on watercolor paper. It's

not just a matter of not having an enlarger.

 

Thanks for your input,

 

German Silva

[colmmccarthy]

I've made a few 4x5 contacts on Arches and Fabriano watercolor papers, but that's using the enlarger as the light source. I can't imagine sunlight would be practical, but some well timed blasts of a household bulb would probably work fine.

[german]

I may have to try that, or just get an inexpensive enlarger (for now).

 

Thanks.

 

Has anybody else done anything like contacting on liquid emultions?

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks again,

 

GermᮠSilva

[corrie sweiger]

I have done this, ive had better luck with medium format negs though than 35mm-only because the brush lines I used were pretty course, and since the 35mm are so small, they look really marred. But with the medium format they were great.

Im sure if you applied the emulsion very carefully and evenly with a finer brush, and tried to avoid as many airbubbles as possible, it would probably work ok.

Also, if you dont have a contact frame, use the glass from a picture frame to keep them flat on the paper(to avoid curling, moving etc).

[german]

Thanks Corrie,

 

I plan to use this with 4x5 film.

 

I'll have to get a whole lot of equipment, and chemicals beforehand.

 

I'll start that shortly. (I need trays, timers, etc.)

 

I've just gotten my 4x5 camera and want to do a ton of things with it. I have to get to developing the film, then printing (contact).

 

But I wanted to know if anybody had tried this method. If not, I'll give it a try and post the results ... when the time comes.

[corrie sweiger]

ah, 4x5 should work just fine. Have fun! There's nothing like your first time playing with chemicals!

[douglas_howk]

I've used 4X5 & 8X10 negs for contact printing on liquid emulsion, and results look promising. Have only used Liquid Light so far; but just got some Adox Lux Liquide (from J&C) that I hope to try this weekend. My negatives are dense, and I use same setup as for AZO printing (75w reflector bulb).

[james___]

I've used two different emulsions and found them both to be great. Liquid Light and Rockoid. I have recently purchased some more and will be doing flower studies with it. I like textured papers and apply the emulsions to slightly damp papers. I use the papers just as I would use silver papers. I project the image onto the paper and make tests for each negative. It's easy and rewarding. I am going to do some more Pt/Pd printing too. I am using Dick Arentz book and hope to do better/not waste as much. I want to find a way to enlarge my 4x5 negs to 12x15 so I can contact print them at the larger size. Any solutions?

[german]

Hi James,

 

I know this would take a little extra work, but how about scanning the 4x5 neg, enlarging it to 8.5 x 11, for example, and printing it on a clear, Pictorico paper to use as your contact negative? This would be your "digital negative" as I think it's called.

 

I purchased some of that paper, to make large negatives, and then I purchased a 4x5 camera. So, I'll be in a similar situation if I want to make larger contact prints than 4x5s.

[german]

Douglas,

 

how long were the exposures for the contact prints on papers with liquid emulsions?

 

I remember printing on watercolor paper for something like a minute and 1/2, if I am not mistaken, for an 11x14 print.

 

I am wondering if I could do such contact prints without an enlarger, since I don't currently have one.

[douglas_howk]

My contact printing setup is geared for AZO with 75w bulb about 24" above frame. A very dense negative that would normally take 30 secs for AZO takes about 3 secs for Liquid Light. I'd recommend a far lower wattage bulb if you want to contact print liquid emulsion and have better control of its exposure.

[rowland_mowrey]

I make and coat my own emulsions.

 

I use a special coating blade to coat the emulsion on flat surfaces, or a brush on other surfaces. The blade eliminates the brush strokes and gives near production quality from a liquid emulsion.

 

My emulsions vary in speed from grade 1 - 3 and in speed from Azo to about the same speed as current enlarging papers.

 

Ron Mowrey

[german]

Thanks guys.

 

I am going to have purchasing some chemistry, contact frames & trays now.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Best,

 

German S.

[cdewen]

Hey, Ron: Where'd you get your "special blade"?