Seeking Grainy Paper Negative Developer

[LFLarry]

I am using silver gelatin fiber paper as negatives in my view camera and making contact prints.

It is going very well, but I want a developer to produce much more grain in the paper negative because I am attempting to make some soft focus Pictorialist style prints. I want the grain to show up in my contact prints. I have been using Ilford Multigrade and Dektol as my developers so far, but they don't have the grain I am seeking.

I thought I would come to the community here for advice and suggestions.

Thank you, and happy new year.

Larry

[Michael R]

Not sure how easy that will be. Paper emulsions are slow and fine grained and even if they weren’t you’re making contact prints.

[LFLarry]

Yep... I get it... that is why I am hoping someone here knows more than me... I was thinking possibly Rodinal, but I dont have any on hand to run a test. Let's see if others can come up with something.

Not sure how easy that will be. Paper emulsions are slow and fine grained and even if they weren’t you’re making contact prints.

[Greg]

Tried for the same effect years ago to try to match Bromoil prints.
Notes tell me that I used the following papers:
Kodak Special PX-2836 paper
HALOID 812KF paper
and MMP Projection Paper
All with D-19. Didn't mark down the dilutions that I tried. Wasn't at all successful. I did greatly vary the temperatures of the stop bath, fix, and wash solutions. Only one paper came close and looked promising at first, but turned out to be the reticulation of the paper's grain... Actually was quite interesting but not what I was after. In retrospect I think that the paper's grain was far too fine to work.

[paulbarden]

Not sure how easy that will be. Paper emulsions are slow and fine grained and even if they weren’t you’re making contact prints.

I don't think it's possible, and Rodinal isn't going to help at all. Perhaps you can achieve a similar effect by making a transparency that has a uniform coarse grain pattern and sandwiching it between the paper neg and the paper you're printing it on.

[jim_jm]

One option is to try Lith printing. You'll definitely be able to achieve a grittier look, depending on the developer dilution, age and temperature. Print color can be manipulated with most toners after development.
Never tried it with paper negatives, though. Only regular film and glass negatives.
I use Foma paper, but I understand that Arista FB and some Ilford fiber papers are also suitable for Lith. You just need to buy Lith developer and be prepared for long exposures (2 - 4 stops over) and long development times.

[LFLarry]

This is a really good idea. I did not think of that in this context. I have Lith printed before and I do recall some really awesome gritty type of look, so this very well may be a great path for me. Thank you!

One option is to try Lith printing. You'll definitely be able to achieve a grittier look, depending on the developer dilution, age and temperature. Print color can be manipulated with most toners after development.
Never tried it with paper negatives, though. Only regular film and glass negatives.
I use Foma paper, but I understand that Arista FB and some Ilford fiber papers are also suitable for Lith. You just need to buy Lith developer and be prepared for long exposures (2 - 4 stops over) and long development times.

[LabRat]

Use the fastest, shortest printing time paper (like rapid RC types) as they have the largest grain, but as mentioned, paper grain is usually very fine... Lith type of developers are maximum energy and should bulk up the grain... And textured screens as mentioned can be made that are fogged with clear spots for "grain" patterns could be made from a large piece of sheet film by exposure methods...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[LFLarry]

Paul, the coarse grain on a transparency is a great idea. I had not thought of that. Maybe I could get a friend of mine with an inkjet printer to print a couple on Pictorico transparency film and try that. He makes digital negatives all the time, so I am sure he could do that for me.

I don't think it's possible, and Rodinal isn't going to help at all. Perhaps you can achieve a similar effect by making a transparency that has a uniform coarse grain pattern and sandwiching it between the paper neg and the paper you're printing it on.

[LFLarry]

Steve, your idea for making textured screens that are fogged with clear spots for "grain" patterns intrigues me. I am stumped on how to do this. Any ideas or pointers that I can try for this approach?

Use the fastest, shortest printing time paper (like rapid RC types) as they have the largest grain, but as mentioned, paper grain is usually very fine... Lith type of developers are maximum energy and should bulk up the grain... And textured screens as mentioned can be made that are fogged with clear spots for "grain" patterns could be made from a large piece of sheet film by exposure methods...

Good luck!!!

Steve K