Hi,

None of the photo supply stores stock lith film or developer where I live (Singapore) due to low (no?) demand, so I was wondering if any of you could help me on this one. Have any of you tried lith printing using regular B&W film, developer and paper? I was thinking of using a high contrast film like TechPan or APX-25 (35mm), underexposing it a bit to maintain the transparent areas on film, overdeveloping it to push grays and blacks to Dmax, overexposing a sheet of grade 5 paper, and underdeveloping it in dilute developer so that the whites remain white. Could anyone suggest a better / different way of doing it, given the resources I have?

Thanks!

-- Sriram (r_sriram@bigfoot.com), August 15, 2000

Answers

Let's get a few things straight first: Lith printing as I know it (see for example Rudman's book) is not limited to a particular film. You can use any film, even colour, and process it as you like. The actual lith printing, then, will not give lith-like results on all papers, but there are quite a few. To name some: Maco Expo RN and RF, Oriental New Seagull, Forte Polywarmtone and Polygrade. Most RC papers will not give you a satisfactory lith effect. Acc. to Rudman, the RC equivalents to the above-mentioned Forte Papers are exceptions from this rule.

The negatives need not usually be made especially for lith printing. Contrast is very effectively contolled by the lith method itself. From the same nominal grade of paper (or from unfiltered VC paper) grades between less than 0 to what one might call 6, or even 7, are possible by adjusting exposure and development. For a complete explanation, I can only recommend Tim Rudman's book:

The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course : A Definitive Guide to Creative Lith Printing by Tim Rudman List Price: $29.95 Paperback - 128 pages (March 1999) Amphoto; ISBN: 0817445390 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.27 x 10.99 x 11.22

or go to

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0817445390/o/qid=966333774/sr=8 -4/ref=aps_sr_b_2_1/103-0233407-1110221

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), August 15, 2000.

Just to add to what Thomas said. The negatives used for lith printing are normal negatives that you would use for regular printing. Lith printing basically involves overexposing your print and developing it in very dilute, high-contrast lith developer. A typical lith print will demonstrate high contrast in the shadows (as a result of using the high contrast lith developer) and a long tonal scale in the high values (as a result of the overexposure). Considerable variations are possible on the general theme. Development is by inspection and the print has to be snatched when it reaches the critical point. Be prepared for long exposures and long development times. If you are interested in the process, Tim Rudman's book is definitive. Can you mail order some Kodak D19 from B&H? If you're interested in mixing up some of your own stuff, you can find some formulae at http://members.iinet.net.au/~forbes/lithdev.html#D85

Good luck DJ

-- N Dhananjay (ndhanu@umich.edu), August 15, 2000.

Thanks, folks, for the replies.

-- Sriram (r_sriram@bigfoot.com), August 15, 2000.