brush development instructions?

[Murray]

Yes, I did seach before asking, but I just keep finding many threads with a couple words buried in them many screens down, and none really get directly to my specfic question.

Could someone please tell how to, or where to read about the brush development method? I didn't understand whether the brush bristles actually TOUCH the film (?!?) or just create turbulence ABOVE the film.

Thank you

Murray Leshner
Holland MI

[David Vickery]

Hello Murray, Yes, you need to actually touch the film with the brush in order to break up the surface tension and achieve the maximum amount of agitation at the surface. So this means that the brush has to be very soft. The only ones that I have used that didn't scratch the film are the Haku (spelling?) brushes. Jerry's Artaroma has them at up to 10" wide. in the Calligraphy section. Get the widest that you can for your film size.

How is Holland?? I lived there for a few years over a decade ago. I knew some great people there and the lake shore is beautiful.

[timB]

I think you may be referring to a Haka used by water colorists. Any good art supply should have them.

For example:
http://www.dickblick.com/zz054/03/

[CG]

From things I have read ...

About halfway down this: http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PCat/PCat2/pcat2.html
page there is a description of one way to use a brush to assist development.

Another way is to use a brush to deliver developer to the surface.

If I recall correctly, some people in the early history of photography would coat paper with a viscous fluid and use a brush to remove that fluid selectively to allow developer to reach the paper.

It's all theoretic for me since I have not done it yet, but am interested in the idea of selective development as a sort of burning and dodging.

C

[Murray]

Thanks all.

Hake, pronounced 'HAH-kay' which I vaguely recall from my brief Japanese vocabulary of <10 words, actually means 'brush' in Japanese. Hake brush is I guess redundant, but only fair to those who have no idea what the heck you meant otherwise!

Holland continues to change in many ways, someone unfortunately has died each of the last couple years at the lighthouse, taking photos on the ice and falling into Lake Michigan, and there is plenty to shoot <500 paces from ones car, if you dare pull over on a shoulder :O).

[Gary Beasley]

Jorge Gasteazoro is quite adept at that technique, you should send him a note and ask him.

[Murray]

OK, thanks.

[j.e.simmons]

It's very simple. I put the negative in a tray of developer. Then I brush from one side to the other from top to bottom, then up and down from one side to the other. I use a tray that's listed as the same size as the negative - in other words, 8x10 tray for an 8x10 negative. You don't want the negative scooting around and missing the brush.

Use a hake (brush) although some folks have used the foam painting brushes from the home improvement stores.

I find that development by this method is about 20&#37; more than with intermittent agitation. In other words, you'd develop around 20% less to achieve the same contrast. As with everything, you need to test.
juan