Paint the walls and ceiling a light color. The only black walls and ceiling should be around the enlarger. Figure how large of a sink you will need and then build it bigger than you think you need. You can't have too much sink.
Paint the walls and ceiling a light color. The only black walls and ceiling should be around the enlarger. Figure how large of a sink you will need and then build it bigger than you think you need. You can't have too much sink.
+1 on Roberts comment about the sink. Wish I had made room for a bigger sink.
And make sure it is MATTE black, not glossy.Originally Posted by Robert Bowring
Ventilation can also be a big issue.
All these suggestions are good, especially Robert's sink reco at #11. I chose to have a workbench for all the cutting, trimming and mounting steps OUTSIDE and adjacent to the darkroom proper, since those steps don't need to be done in the dark and (some) can generate airborne particles that may cause issues around your enlarger (so avoid them). Also, if your darkroom will be in a basement that also includes a forced hot air furnace, clothes washer and dryer (my situation), make sure that the furnace and dryer are really well vented to the outside world and NOT contributing to airborne dust and lint that can drift into your darkroom or cutting/matting/mounting work areas.
All the planning and steps leading up to your finished darkroom can seem endless and overwhelming, but keep in mind that once you get your darkroom the way you want it, and it is working with and for you, there's nothing better to have in support your film photography pursuits.
... JMOwens (Mt. Pleasant, Wisc. USA)
"If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all." ...Michelangelo
Regarding paint, my previous dark room (my daughter's Barbie bathroom) had pink walls. My current dark room (the guest wc) is powder blue.
I can't say I've noticed any difference.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
The darkroom which I have used for over 40 years is 10' square. Along one wall is my 9'10" sink with storage above and below. A 4x5 beseler is on one wall and a 5x7 Aristo on the opposite. Along The fourth wall is a storage cabinet with paper. The paper cutter and light box are on top of this cabinet. Above is another storage cabinet with various essentials. The walls are the original off-white.The floor is asphalt tile. I have hot and cold water and a drain in the sink. The wall behind the Beseler is a closed off window. I closed it with plywood through which I cut a portal so I can reach through and open the window. Another portal holds the light- proofed squirrel cage fan for ventilation. I wish I had more space, but a lot of work has been completed here.
All mounting and mat cutting are done in another space where film and paper are stored.
I should have added - I do not eat or drink in the darkroom for safety reasons. I use a large number of processes and there is too much danger of making a mistake. I make it a practice to go out of the darkroom approximately every hour for snacks,water, and bathroom needs. This relaxation of mind and body is important, I believe. I certainly would never drink alcohol during a lab session.That can wait. There is a time to do photography, and a time to indulge.
Tell me about it! You know how much Rodinal looks like Guinness under safelight!
My wife and I got into cocktails a couple of years ago and one time I went into the darkroom mildly buzzed to develop some E-6. Turns out that 30 minutes in pitch black with no point of reference and mildly impaired motor functions was not a good idea!
Lesson learned...
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