Lumen print on colour paper - what fixer?

[Erik Petersson]

My question is indicated in the title. I had a lumen printing session today, and found that one of the papers is for colour printing. I put in the sun for a couple of hours with some flower on top. Now, do I fix it in ordinary B/W fixer, or does some other chemical apply?

Thanks!
/Erik

 

[NedL]

Sorry nobody has answered. I don't have any experience with RA-4 color paper. I think ordinary rapid fixer ( ammonium thiosulfate ) will fix the image -- i.e. it will no longer be sensitive to light, but I have no idea what might happen to any colors on the lumen print -- it might disappear and bleach away. If these are particularly nice lumen prints that you don't want to mess up, I'd suggest making another one just to test and see what happens when you fix it.

 

[Erik Petersson]

NedL, thanks for the reply. I did already fix it in ordinary fixer, and the picture reacted just like a lumen on a black and white paper. The colours became a bit washed out, but some subtle colour remained. Then I destroyed the print when drying it, which I found a bit ironic...

 

[pdeeh]

Have a search on the forum for a post of mine which gives a formula for a stabiliser which some have found preserves colours of lumen prints better than regular fixer. Not my formula, I got it from Wolfgang Moersch. I can't find it myself just now.

I epxerimented quite a lot with colour paper for lumens, but always found it rather unsatisfactory.
It is very low in Silver compared to b&w paper, so you'll never get a proper black, regardless of how long you expose it (remember that the black in a colour print is a product of dye, not silver).

Have fun anyway. You can always try shooting it in camera as a low-contrast paper negative, developing and fixing as normal.
Or shoot it in camera and then develop it as a reversal using RA4 chemicals. Photo Engineer has posted about this with examples and there are a couple of longish threads about this process somewhere.

 

[dmb]

Some clues on Wolfgang's Flickr pages https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgang_moersch/albums/72157646283869476

Some he tones then fixes (ammonium thiocyanate)

 

[Erik Petersson]

Have a search on the forum for a post of mine which gives a formula for a stabiliser which some have found preserves colours of lumen prints better than regular fixer. Not my formula, I got it from Wolfgang Moersch. I can't find it myself just now.

I epxerimented quite a lot with colour paper for lumens, but always found it rather unsatisfactory.
It is very low in Silver compared to b&w paper, so you'll never get a proper black, regardless of how long you expose it (remember that the black in a colour print is a product of dye, not silver).

Have fun anyway. You can always try shooting it in camera as a low-contrast paper negative, developing and fixing as normal.
Or shoot it in camera and then develop it as a reversal using RA4 chemicals. Photo Engineer has posted about this with examples and there are a couple of longish threads about this process somewhere.

Thanks Pdeeh, I remember the thread, and it was good to read it again. I also found the way to Wolfgang Moersch's pictures. He often uses gold toning and ammonium thiocyanate (Sabattier Stabilizer), which he also sells on his website. I might buy some from him.

I have a friend here in Stockholm who just recently got interested in lumens. This will help me get going again.
/Erik

 

[Erik Petersson]

Some clues on Wolfgang's Flickr pages https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgang_moersch/albums/72157646283869476

Some he tones then fixes (ammonium thiocyanate)

thanks, lots of good advice here!

 

[tezzasmall]

Have a search on the forum for a post of mine which gives a formula for a stabiliser which some have found preserves colours of lumen prints better than regular fixer. Not my formula, I got it from Wolfgang Moersch. I can't find it myself just now.

Here is the link that you mentioned:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/looking-for-advice-for-lumen-printing.127970/

On Wolfgang's various posts of lumen prints, he also mentions that he uses pot. / ammonium thiocyanate alone as a 2.5% solution for 2 1/2 minutes, so maybe a bit more experimenting is required?

Terry S

 

[Erik Petersson]

Hi again. Now I tried to tone a couple of lumen prints, in gold toner (Photospeed AU20). There was an old bottle in the darkroom, in the cupboard with free chemicals. I did as Wolfgang Moersch indicates on his flickr and put them in the toner for several minutes (although he seems to have used another gold toner).

Nothing in particular happened, and the rich color disappeared in the fixer as usual. Should I conclude that the toner was old and spent?

 

[NedL]

Dunno. According to the tech sheet is has a shelf life of several years and a capacity of 60 8x10 prints. From the MSDS we can see that it is a gold-thiourea toner. I'd try leaving the lumen print in it for 30 minutes or an hour and see if it does anything. Good luck!

 

[Erik Petersson]

Thanks NedL, but I have now decided that I'll buy a small bottle of new toner from Wolfgang Moersch instead. I could always use ir for b/w prints if I don't like it for lumen.