Toning Azo

[Pfeiffer Duckett]

Hello!

I'm looking for suggestions on getting a warmer tone from Azo. I've been developing in Amidol and I am pleased with the look, but I would like it warmed up a bit. I thought I read somewhere that if you changed the ratio of chemicals in the developer you could change the tone, but I can't find it now and I'm afraid I might have drempt that.

Anyway, any suggestions?

Thanks!

[iozone]

I believe you can find the information you want at the AZO Forum.

Look here:

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/AzoForum/default.asp

[John Bowen]

If you are using Michael A. Smith's amidol formula, just increase the Kbr.

[anotherJoe]

How about Selenium toner (Kodak)? At 1:64 dilution for 3 min. it warms, ever so slightly, my Lodima/Amidol prints.

[Steve Sherman]

I've been struggling with this very issue since I began using Azo some years ago. I have not tried the Sepia method as it is not a friendly process to delicate highlights. Nevertheless it's worth a try.

I have increased the KbR and seems to only turn the print more green, not good. I've tried decreasing the amount of Amidol with no real gain. I've tried Platinum and Palladium toners with no help.

I've tried straight palladium prints which produce a glorious color but I do not like the lack of gloss.

FOr the last six months or so I have switched to Ilford Warm tone Multi Contrast paper which has an acceptable warmth.

Just last weekend Bob Carnie from Elevator in Toronto Canada was down here doing a printing demo (with Ilford Warmtone) and his suggestion of Sepia toning is the direction I will go in next.

Too bad for Azo, as I had come to love the single weight feel and the way the image seemed to sit on the surface of the paper.

Cheers!

[John Bowen]

Another suggestion is to try Neutol WA developer. You can get waterbath results with this developer.

I recently ran a series of prints on grade 2/Canadian, grade 2/Rochester & grade 3 Azo where I increased the amount of Kbr for each successive print. I don't have my notes handy, but if my memory is correct, I started with 2ml Kbr and increased it by 2ml until the total Kbr was 10ml. I wanted to see for myself how adding the Kbr impacted the print color. I think you will find this a worthwhile exercise, but be aware that because the Kbr acts as a restrainer, you can't have the same exposure/development time for each print.

Azo is incredibly versatile, I would suggest you ask this question on the Azo forum. Michael Smith and others will likely chime in. Nothing like asking the experts!

Edit: See this thread http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/Az...GID=4969&CID=1

There are probably other threads, but this one is old enough, that it might warrant a new discussion.

Good luck,

[Pfeiffer Duckett]

Thanks for all the help!

I do check out the azo forum now and again, but people tend to spend more time round here. I just tried bringing up my KBr to 10ml and toning in selenium as Joe suggests since I had both of them on hand. They are in the wash right now, but I like the results I got. The green cast went away in the selenium and they seem warmer but Ill have to wait and see what they look like after they're dry.

[John O'Connell]

In my experience you can go as warm as you want with Azo just using selenium. I've got prints that are uranium-toner red done in 80 deg. (F) selenium toner 1:4. Usually I tone at 75 deg (F) in 1:10 or 1:7, and timing is quite critical to achieve split toning or subtle warmth.

Nothing toned like Azo.