Any one know where I can find specs on kodak 2 part sepia toner? I have several packets of this but don't know how long to prossess in each.

-- Barbara Javener (littlebit152@hotmail.com), October 17, 1999

Answers

Bleach the print in Part A, redevelop in Part B. Bleach until the image is gone, redevelop until the image comes back.

http://www.ravenvision.com/rvapeter.htm

-- Peter Hughes (leonine@redshift.com), October 17, 1999.

That's about it. There is no right or wrong way--you vary the time in the bleach as well as the time in the toner for a multitude of possible tones.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com), October 18, 1999.

With Kodak's two part toner it really is trial and error. The tone you will get depends not only on the time in the bleach but the type of paper as well. With neutral tone papers, you most often have to bleach for a few minutes before the image begins to fade. Warm tone papers react much sooner and the effect varies with brands. For instance, I use Luminos Charcoal R quite a bit and this paper, which is quite warm, reacts very quickly in the bleach. 30 seconds to a minute and a half results in a very warm sepia tone. Any longer than that and I end up with chocolate brown. Same goes with Forte Fortezo which I use extensively for portraits. With this paper, a very quick bleaching (30 to 60 seconds) followed by 5 minutes or so in part B results in beautiful skin tones. If your first attempt is disappointing, don't be discouraged. It takes time to get used to it. Try different times in the bleach, different papers, etc. It's not an exact science so experiment and have fun.

good luck,

Walter

-- Walter Massa (WFMassa@webtv.net), October 19, 1999.

If you wish to use the toner to completion, i.e. bleach the silver image completely and then tone, there is really not too much to say. Yet, you might also consider selective toning, which means that you bleach (and tone) the highlights only (which disappear before the shadows). (It might be helpful to use dilute bleach then to have more time to snatch the print from the bleach when the bleaching effect seems appropriate.) Sometimes, striking effects are possible when highlights and shadows are toned with different toners. (such as deep black selenium-toned shadows and warm sepia-toned - or sepia- and gold-toned highlights.) For a lot of suggestions for experimentation see Tim Rudman's book "The Photographer's Master Printing Course" which you will easily find on Amazon.com.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), October 19, 1999.

Have you ever try with natural tints, like tea or coffe. With those you obtain a antique look, even some great stains

-- Gabriuela Saenz Pucci. (humgasa@sol.racsa.co.cr), November 13, 1999.

Whilst I'm not answering the question, I too have been waiting to mix up my Kodak sepia toner. I've held back because I don't yet have a "bank" of prints I wish to tone and I don't know the keeping properties of made up solution. What are the keeping properties of made up Kodak sepia toning solution in ,say, a full capped container and in, say, a capped partly filled container? Thanks in advance

-- Frank Alvaro (falvaro@ozemail.com.au), November 13, 1999.

The bleach doesn't keep well, unless you keep it in a brown bottle well away from the light. The toner keeps with no problem.

I just make the bleach from dry chemicals as I need it, and discard the solution after the session.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), November 13, 1999.