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How to Make a Basic Platinum/Palladium Print:

First Things First

Platinum vs Palladium -----Platinum and palladium are 2 very closely related metals. Either one can be used in printing, or they can be mixed together. Palladium tends to have a longer scale, and a warmer tone. Unfortunately, it is also prone to solarization if overexposed.The printing procedures are nearly identical. For beginners, I would recommend palladium. It is quite a bit cheaper, so if you screw up a print you are less likely to have a nervous breakdown.

Some suggestions: -----DO NOT use any metal containers, tools, etc. in the making of your prints. If the platinum solution touches metal while in a liquid state, the subsequent print will be ruined. -----I would suggest starting with a kit. It is just easier than remembering the list of requirements. -----Make test strips! Don't try to get fancy 'til you know what you're doing. -----In the beginning, at least, buy your emulsion chemicals in pre-mixed solutions. Trust me, it's much easier.

What you will need -----A large negative. You can make platinum prints from 35mm negs, but you would need a magnifying glass to look at them. This is a contact printing process. You should use at least a 4 x 5 negative. You can either use a 4 x 5 (or larger) camera in the first place, or enlarge a smaller negative. There are a number of photography sites on the web with information on how to do this. -----A quality art paper. A good watercolor or print-making paper should be fine. -----eye-dropper bottles, (3) -----a shot glass -----a pencil -----4 darkroom trays -----A chemical kit. -----A 2 inch paintbrush. I would recommend a "Hake" brush with NO METAL ferule (available at most art supply stores). You could also use a foam rubber brush, but they can abrade the paper, so be careful. When you start using this to coat your paper, it should be slightly damp. -----Water (distilled, unless yours is exceptionally pure) -----A contact printing frame, or two sheets of glass. -----A Well Ventillated darkroom, or a darkened room, with ONLY dim incandescent light. -----A painter's dust mask. Get a good one, this ain't kid stuff. -----A hair dryer. -----A pair of scissors. -----Sunlight ----The patience of a saint.

Let's Get Started -----This will go easier if you have everything laid out as needed. -----You will need a sheet of your paper cut about 1 inch larger than the negative. 5 x 6, for a 4 x 5 neg., etc. -----Tape the paper, by the corners only, to a piece of mattboard. -----Place the negative in the center of the paper and trace the outline very lightly, in pencil. -----You will have 3 small bottles (with eye-droppers) of emulsion chemicals. Solution #1 is Ferric Oxalate. Solution #2 is Ferric Oxalate with a small amount of Potassium Oxalate added for contrast control. Solution #3 is Palladium Chloride. For a 4 x 5, I would recommend using 12 drops of Palladium, and 12 drops of Sol. #1 and #2 combined. If you want a very low contrast print, you might try 10 drops of Sol. #1, 2 drops of Sol. #2, and 12 drops of Sol. #3. If you want a very high contrast print, use 3 drops of Sol. #1, 9 drops of Sol. #2, and 12 drops of Sol.#3. 6 drops each of Sol. #1 and #2, with 12 of Sol. #3 will give you a contrast level similar to a grade 2 or 3 silver paper. -----When you have decided on your drop recipe, mix your chemicals in the shotglass. -----Pour the chemicals in a straight line across the center of our negative outline. -----Quickly, but gently, spread the emulsion over the entire surface of the paper using back and forth strokes of your (slightly damp) brush. Keep brushing until the emulsion has stopped puddling, and the paper is evenly coated. -----Wait a minute or two. Put on your dust mask, NOW! When the paper surface no longer looks wet, ( it should have a very dull look), you can begin using the hair dryer. -----Hold the hair dryer about 8 to 12 inches from the paper, moving it slowly back and forth. It is imperative that the paper is fully dry before you try to print. If your negative comes into contact with emulsion that is still damp, the metals will attach themselves to the neg., and you will never get them off. Your negative will be ruined! I learned this the hard way, so be careful. In other words, make sure the paper is DRY before you stop the hairdryer!!! -----Now remove the paper from the mattboard, and cut off the borders. These are your test strips. Slice them down the middle, and you should have 8 1/2 in. wide strips. -----Place a test strip in the print frame with the negative, (I'm assuming you know how to make a contact print.), and take it outside into the sunlight. If it's cloudy, or dark, doin't try to print. -----I would suggest 5 min. for your first test. While you're waiting, set out 4 darkroom trays. Pour your developer into the first one. The 2nd and 3rd trays should both have clearing baths (comes with the kit). The 4th tray is for water. -----When the 5 min. is up, bring the print frame back in and develope the test strip. If it is too dark, repeat the procedure, but for only 2 min. If the first test strip is too light, but does show some detail, try again for 10 min. If the first is blank, or shows almost no detail, try 20 min. Keep this up, halving and doubling the time until you get the exposure right. Or until you have a complete nervous breakdown, whichever comes first. Make a full print at your determined time. -----Develope the print, Then put it in the first clearing bath for 5 min. Then put it in the second bath for 15 min. Finally, put it in the rinse tray, turn the lights up and see what you've got. Are the values and contrast what you were after? If not try again. ----- Anyway, Congratulations! You have just made a palladium print. Wash it and dry it and hang it in a place of honor. Then go make some more.