Tone N
Tone N—Copper-Iron-Dye Tone.
By first partially toning the black and white film (Medium) in Tone A for three to four minutes at 65 degrees to 70 degrees F., so that the half-tones are completely toned but the shadows only partially, washing for ten minutes and then completing the toning process in the blue toning bath H, the residual silver in the shadows is toned blue. In this way a double tone is obtained, the shadows appearing dark blue and the half-tones reddish brown.
By immersing the film toned in this manner in the Chrysoidin dye-bath as given under Tone K, the dye is mordanted to the half-tones which contain copper ferrocyanide, producing the effect indicated.
Combined Tinting and Toning
In many cases pleasing effects may be obtained by tinting film which has already been toned, the result being that the clear portions or highlights assume the color of the dye, while the shadows and half-tones project a tint intermediate between that of the dye and the toned deposit.
Considerable judgment is necessary, however, in choosing suitable tints to blend with any given tone.
The most successful combination of toning with tinting is in the production of sunset and moonlight effects over water, by first toning blue and then tinting orange, red or yellow.
The following combinations will cover most cases required:
Tones A, B, C, D, E, F, J, K, L. Tints Nos. 2, 5, 6.
Tones G, H, I. Tint almost any delicate shade.
It is considered unnecessary to illustrate every combination of tone and tint above, so that only typical examples are given. It must be noted that toned film (except tones A and F) absorbs the dye more quickly than untoned film, so in order to duplicate appended samples, the dye-baths should be diluted accordingly.
Very pleasing effects may also be obtained by locally tinting toned film, the color being applied either by hand with a brush, or by stencilling.
Equipment
The equipment necessary for systematic tinting and toning is essentially the same as that required for development, consisting of the usual tanks and racks or small drums, only it is advisable that they should be used for this purpose exclusively and, if possible, occupy a separate room to exclude any possibility of contaminating the developing solutions by the copper or sulphiding bath, which would cause development fog immediately.
The “drum” system, on account of the expense involved in apparatus and the larger space required for manipulation, is not to be recommended for tinting and toning operations, though for operation on a small scale, a small wooden drum revolving in a shallow wooden tank is most efficient and economical.
When the tank and rack system is employed, the tanks should be of slate or other resistive material, and have an outlet at the bottom in the form of a hard-rubber stopcock or a plain wooden plug. The racks or drums may be of wood, but if metal pegs are employed on the racks they should be coated with acid-resisting paint such as asphalt, since the presence of any metallic surface in the toning baths will cause contamination and effect a precipitation of sludge. The frames should not be interchanged but kept separate either for tinting or toning to prevent contamination of one bath with racks previously employed in another. This also applies to the small drum system. For instance, a pink tint would be ruined by using a rack which had previously been immersed in a deep blue dye-bath, unless that particular rack had been thoroughly washed. In the case of delicate tinting, however, no harm is done providing the racks have been previously coated with the following waterproof varnish:
| Avoirdupois | Metric | |||
| Hard paraffin | 3½ | lbs. | 1600 | grams |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 10 | gals. | 40 | liters |
Before treatment it is preferable to immerse the racks which have been previously used for developing, in a 1% solution of hydrochloric acid for two or three minutes, wash for fifteen minutes and thoroughly dry. The well-dried racks are then dipped in the above solution and the excess liquid drained off, when the varnish dries almost immediately. The varnishing should be repeated at intervals.
Mixing Solutions
Developers, toning solutions and dyes should be mixed in crocks of glazed earthenware or enameled iron, using warm water where necessary and ensuring thorough solution by stirring with a wooden paddle, which should be thoroughly washed after each operation. Having thus dissolved the chemicals in as small a quantity of warm water as possible, filter through fine muslin and make up the bath with cold water, so that the final solution will be at approximately the correct temperature.
The chemicals employed should be pure (for the samples, “EKCo.” tested chemicals were used), and in cases where a good water supply is not available, only distilled water should be used.
Troubles in Toning
Most difficulties met with in toning may be traced to one or more of the following causes:
Uneven Toning
This may be due to:
a. Grease on the film. Never project film before tinting or toning.
b. Drying spots on untoned film. If possible, always tint or tone film immediately after washing and before drying.
c. Examination of the film too frequently during toning, causes an oxidation of the toning solution in places where the solution fails to drain from the film.
d. Insufficient or uneven washing of the film after bleaching and before toning (Tones F and G).
White Spots
White spots are produced by particles of hypo or carbonate dust or splashes of a solution of these, settling on the toned film. The toned image consists of silver together with more or less silver ferrocyanide and the ferrocyanides of uranium, iron and copper as the case may be. Silver ferrocyanide is soluble in hypo while uranium and iron ferrocyanides are soluble in a solution of sodium carbonate, strong ammonia, etc., so that the white spots indicate those parts where the toned image has been dissolved away.
Irregular white spots may also be formed if the film is imperfectly squeegeed after washing and before drying, especially if the wash water is slightly alkaline. When a spot of water on the toned film evaporates, the small amount of alkali present in the water becomes more concentrated and finally dissolves away more or less of the tone, leaving a white spot on the film.
White spots due to these causes may be prevented by immersing the film for a few seconds in a .5% solution of glacial acetic acid after toning and before placing on the drying rack.
Stained Highlights
Are caused by:
a. Traces of fog on the film before toning.
b. An improperly compounded toning bath. All solutions when new should be perfectly clear.
c. Premature exhaustion of the bath. This is due either to the action of light or to the presence of some metal in the tank in the shape of screw heads, faucets, pins, etc., which gather the tone and cause the formation of sludge.
It is important to keep all solutions containing potassium ferricyanide exposed as little as possible to daylight, to use only wooden racks with wooden pegs, and to cover all metal parts very carefully with acid resisting paint.
d. In dye-toning, stained highlights are due either to insufficient washing after toning with copper, too strong a dye-bath, or an incorrect amount of acid in the dye-bath.
Tints
1-12
Back of Tints
1-12
Tones
Thin, Medium, Normal, A-I
Back of Tones
Thin, Medium, Normal, A-I
Tinted and Toned
J-N, Tone J Tint 6, Tone C Tint 1, Tone C Tint 4, Tone C Tint 6, Tone H Tint 2 Tone H Tint 6, Tone H Tint 8
Back of Tinted and Toned
J-N, Tone J Tint 6, Tone C Tint 1, Tone C Tint 4, Tone C Tint 6, Tone H Tint 2 Tone H Tint 6, Tone H Tint 8