A weak solution

So finally I got round to using some of those raw chemicals I purchased a while back.  The snow and ice were thick on the ground last week, which meant I was virtually housebound.  I had a few prints that I thought needed a little something to inject some life into them so after reading a couple of chapters of Tim Rudman's books on printing and toning I mixed up a solution of 10% Potassium Ferricyanide, or Pot Ferri as it is known in the trade.  The crystals are a lovely crimson colour, in case you were wondering and it's not as dangerous as the name might suggest (unless mixed with strong acid, I understand - like all chemicals caution is required). Anyway, I started by dabbing some very dilute solution onto a few prints and at first glance it appears to do exactly what it says on the tin - it lightens the highlights significantly.  So far so good.

Then I remembered I had this print lying about that I'd done months ago, on Foma fibre paper.  The print was horrible - just murk & dark. Anyway, nothing to lose here I thought so I dunked it (the whole print) into a bath of weak Pot Ferri solution to see what happened.  By weak I mean about 5ml of the 10% solution mixed with close to a litre of water.  It took a while (generally a good thing - easier to lift the print out before it runs away with you, although I understand redevelopment is possible if that happens and too much of the print is bleached out) but by the end I was impressed. 

Firstly, the print in its original form - not one you've seen on this place before, for obvious reasons:

No redeeming features whatsoever.  So, a dunk in the magic mix and here's what it looks like afterwards:

Now granted it's not going to win any awards, but that's not the issue. The point is, the print has got a whole lot more interesting that it was - it's got some light-ish bits where previously there were none and there's even a suggestion of a highlight or two. Given the original print that's a heck of a  transformation.  Mr Rudman tells us that virtually all his prints get the Pot Ferri treatment in one form or another.  It is sometimes referred to as liquid light. Interesting stuff.