Platinum/Palladium prints...varnished

[higherres]

Hello all,
I have been doing large format photography since 1987, but only silver processes. For about 10 years I have wanted to try platinum printing, but had my hands full, so never tried it. Finally a few weeks ago I took the plunge, and with Bostick and Sullivan's excellent resources on Photoshop curves, chemistry and supplies, I was able to get started with pleasant results. Coming from a 35+ year background of printing on Double weight fiber based glossy silver gelatin paper, the platinum prints looked a bit empty. I know what you're going to say..."The matt finish of the Platinum print is part of its beauty." I won't disagree, but I decided to try some Museum grade varish (which won't color over time) and I brushed on a coat of satin finish. Immediately the blacks in the print came alive, and the print had new life. I might be the only odd ball wanting satin finish Platinum prints, and I'm happy to keep it that way.

[Drew Wiley]

What on earth is a "museum grade varnish"? What are the ingredients? What is the brand? What is the solvent? Butyl acetate print lacquers do yellow over time. Shellacs eventually cross-link and craze. Polycrystalline wax is wax. Were you using some kind of acrylic? Damar varnish? To hold up, the coating would need the same expansion/contraction coefficient as the paper, and that would be a tall order unless the paper itself is firmly glued down to a dimensionally stable substrate.

[popdoc]

Although we await more “technical“ information as to the varnish, and how you applied it, my compliments on the beautiful images!

Well seen, and executed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[higherres]

The varnish is made by Breathing Color and is called Timeless Varnish. The ingredients are proprietary, though it is water based and advertised to last over 100 years. I am experimenting at this point, and I do love the rich blacks on the Platinum prints. I will see what I decide to do. I am attaching some of the images I made and framed.








And thank you popdoc for your kind words.

[higherres]

Drew-I'm not sure why you seem so exasperated by my experimentation with varnish. Though I appreciate your seeming technical familiarity with varnishes/waxes/shellacs, I would appreciate you keeping a more open-minded approach on a public forum. Thank you

[John Layton]

Renaissance Wax would likely a good bet...and heck - just go ahead and try it!

[paulbarden]

Drew-I'm not sure why you seem so exasperated by my experimentation with varnish. Though I appreciate your seeming technical familiarity with varnishes/waxes/shellacs, I would appreciate you keeping a more open-minded approach on a public forum. Thank you

Christopher, Drew likes to disapprove of anything that deviates from his narrow view of photography; ignore him.

It was common - in fact almost universal - that salted paper prints were "varnished" with a beeswax and lavender oil finish upon completion, for exactly the same reasons you opted to varnish your prints. I'm not familiar with the product you're experimenting with, but if it is designed for this kind of usage, then why not? The prints look great, and I know from my experience with salted paper prints, the wax finish amplifies the contrast and appearance of D-max of the print.

Do it your own way and be happy with the results!

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I have been using Renaissance Wax for many years on Kallitype prints, and have been pleased with the results. Previous to that I used beeswax and lavender oil, as Paul described above. I tried a damar based varnish once, and found that it sometimes cracked or crazed.

[radiantstills]

Thanks for sharing higherres! I think I will experiment a bit inspired by your work. I do appreciate all of you and technical questions/points like Drew brings up because I am learning.

[Tracy Storer]

Yep, +1 on the historical precedent of beeswax with a very small amount of lavender oil, you want to wax the prints not oil them. It gives a little sheen and deepens the look of the Dmax.

Christopher, Drew likes to disapprove of anything that deviates from his narrow view of photography; ignore him.

It was common - in fact almost universal - that salted paper prints were "varnished" with a beeswax and lavender oil finish upon completion, for exactly the same reasons you opted to varnish your prints. I'm not familiar with the product you're experimenting with, but if it is designed for this kind of usage, then why not? The prints look great, and I know from my experience with salted paper prints, the wax finish amplifies the contrast and appearance of D-max of the print.

Do it your own way and be happy with the results!