Metallic toning of  B&W photographs

Print Contrast
The toner will also affect the contrast of the print. These affects can be stated simply that the sepia formulas of sulfide and hypo alum and Nelsons Gold tend to reduce contrast, while blue gold and selenium increase contrast slightly.

Toner Formulas
Some toners can be purchased commercially ready mixed, but they are not too difficult to mix up your self and some recipes and characteristics are listed further on. 

Sepia toners

There are various sepia recipes that can be mixed from scratch to give a range of results, or purchased as a commercial product.  These toners create an image that is apparently more permanent than the untreated silver image. The silver image has tendency to break down into silver sulphide but it does so over a long time and in an uncontrolled manner, the sepia process advances this process converting the image completely to silver sulphide. The final image colour  depends chiefly on the grain structure of the original print, and on details of exposure and development. Remember an over exposed and under developed print will never tone well and it is a process to be used on technically excellent prints.

Method 
The first part of the process is to bleach the existing sliver 
 Image. 

Step 1 Place the image in a bath of the bleach solution keeping the solution moving across the surface, until the image bleaches and the black image changes to a very light brown colour. This could take from 1-2mins, and depends upon a range of factors, which includes the freshness of the chemical. The chemical can be used repeatedly as long as it continues to bleach. An increase in the concentration of bromide tends to produce images with a more yellow tone.

Bleach Recipe
Solution A
Water at 52degrees C    750ml
Potassium fericyanide……..50grms
Potassium bromide………….10 grams
Sodium Carbonate, monohydrated 20 grams

Water to make ………………..1,000ml
 

Step 2
Wash the print in water for at least 10-15min which will remove the overall yellow staining leaving a faint buff image on a white background. 

Step3 Place the paper in the second solution until the image is fully redeveloped or darkened which should take about 1min. Keep the solution moving evenly over the surface of the print during this time.

Solution B Redeveloper
Sodium sulphide, anhydrous…………….20ml
Water to make ……………………………..500ml
 
 

Step 4
Wash the print for 30mins 

It is wise to use plastic trays for the bleaching bath as metal can cause blue staining, also be aware that solution B will deteriorate much quicker than solution A

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