I have twelve 8x10 archivally processed (according to Ilford) prints on Oriental Seagull double weight, fiber based paper. I would like to tone them in selenium, both for the additional archival qualities it allegedly provides, and to "enhance" the blacks and dark grays.

Should I mix the selenium liquid with hypo clearing solution, and at which dilution? Or should I just go ahead and tray tone the prints in a selenium working dilution? I've read of dilutions from between 1-3 to 1-20. I'm still not clear on how different dilutions may affect image tone. Finally, how will selenium toning affect the highlights?

And....after toning, do the prints still require a 60 minute wash? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

-- frank burtnett (confra@earthlink.net), June 30, 2000

Answers

I haven't used Oriental for several years so I can only answer generally, so here goes.

> Should I mix the selenium liquid with hypo clearing solution, and at which dilution?

You can. I've found that mixing with HCA can slow down toning quite a bit.

> I've read of dilutions from between 1-3 to 1-20. I'm still not clear on how different dilutions may affect image tone.

For the best protection with selenium toner, I only give complete toning; that's usually at 1:4 dilution for two to three minutes. See http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/an12/an12-5/an12-507.html for more info; it's about microfilm, but applicable.

I have no idea how selenium toning will affect the color of Oriental paper.

> Finally, how will selenium toning affect the highlights?

Usually it'll darken the entire image slightly.

> And....after toning, do the prints still require a 60 minute wash?

Yep. Ten minutes or more in HCA, then standard wash.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), June 30, 2000.

With selenium toning, Oriental Seagull tends to deepen in the blacks quite impressively. There is a good increase in Dmax. Extended toning reduces the Dmax and the color tends towards a purplish hue in the shadows. I would suggest you keep a wet, untoned print on hand for comparison and pull it when the shadows are deep enough for your tastes. Higher dilutions slow down the rate of toning which makes it more controllable but makes it more difficult to judge just when to pull it. Experiment a bit, you will find a speed which suits you (i.e., slow enough to allow control and fast enough so you can 'see' the changes). Selenium toning has a minimal influence on the highlights. You can see the action typically starting in the shadows and slowly go up the scale. And yes, you do need to wash the prints again (the Kodak selenium toner contains ammonium thiosulphite and this stuff permeates the paper fibres and needs to be washed out). A good way to guage the toner might be to make a blank test strip, cut it into strips and tone the strips for different lengths of time. Good luck. DJ

-- N Dhananjay (ndhanu@umich.edu), June 30, 2000.