Does anyone know the processing sequence for bleaching then selenium toning prints? How do you keep the acidity of the bleach from causing stains when the print goes into the selenium toner?

-- Joel Pickford (pickimage@csufresno.edu), November 23, 1998

Answers

Hi! Actually, you don't bleach selenium toned prints. You just selenium tone them. The only process I am aware of were you need to bleach is the sepia toning process.

For sepia toning---> 1. mix the chemicals per the directions; 2. have a well washed print (wet) slip into bleach 3. depending on a number of factors including using RC vs fiber and age of bleach, the bleaching process can take from 1 minute to 10 minutes. You should watch and stop the bleaching when you are happy with the result. You can also split tine which is when you only bleach out the highlights and/or medium tones and leave the dark tones black. 4. WASH the print again. RC 1 minute, fiber at least 5 minutes. (This will prevent the sepia toner from getting contaminated with bleach!) 5. drop print in toner - tone for at least 30 sec to 1 minute. Use your judgement on when its toned to your satisfaction. 6. wash print again 5 min RC, 20 minutes fiber... GOOD LUCK!

-- A Helms (Hap2go@aol.com), January 12, 1999.

Joel: I do this process often. The purpose being to first obtain the 'bleached' effect. And to (selenium) tone to keep the effect you have created. I use only RC (Ilford MGIV Pearl) papers. After bleaching wash the print for about 3 minutes. Then re-fix 1 min. and wash again about 3 mins. I then tone in selenium mixed 1:9 for about 1 min. Then final wash for another 3 minutes. I use a print squeegee (Paterson) after each wash step. Mike

-- Mike W. (mbworld@adan.kingston.net), January 31, 1999.