Touching up B&W prints

Kev M

Kev M

Suspended / Banned
Messages
4,347
Name
You can call me Sir.
Edit My Images
Yes
I was hoping that I might be ale to make a couple of prints worth mounting and putting into the local club competition. I'd finished with my test strips and made what I'd hoped would be the final print, as it was drying I noticed a problem.

There are two white lines, probably about 1.5" long (on a 14x12 print) that are barely a hairs width wide. I'd spotted the first on a test strip but thought it was a long peice of grass, then when I saw the other mark on the full print I looked again and realised I had two marks and not a piece of grass. I then checked the negative and found two tiny black marks which have caused the white marks on the print and I've no idea what caused them but I doubt they're squeegee scratches or the negative would be clear and the print black.

Perhaps if I had a decent loupe then I might have spotted the marks on the contact print and aved myself the time, paper and money.:bang:

Other than the marks I really quite like the prints but I know I'll get slaughtered in a competition for the two marks. Is there a special tool/pencil/pen that can be used to touch up prints on resin coated paper? I've seen Robin Bell touching up prints in a video but suspect he only uses fibre based papers.

Cheers,
Kev
 
It's in a midtone ish area, think deer fur and tree leaves. I'll show you on friday when you come round.
 
Spotting is becoming a lost art but you can still get the inks you need.

The trick is to keep the ink light and build up layer by layer. Back in my darkroom days I'd quite often have to bleach out unwanted intrusions and spot the background back in.

Take a looky here.

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=671
 
I have some of these and they work incredibly well. You can get warm and cool tone versions as well as neutral so you can get really close to matching the tone

Is the area of the white line patterned and if so is it a pattern that matters. Spotting can work wonders on small areas, but trying to match an existing pattern I have found to be almost impossible. you have to settle for a close approximation, and as Darren says you build up in thin layers.

You will want the finest paintbrush you can find if you do decide to go down this route
 
Cheers for the feedback chaps. I'll try and take some photos later to show you what I'm on about but I suspect that it's going to be too tricky to do a proper job of.
 
Just to illustrate the problems I've got here's a few pics of the print.

1


2


3


4


5
 
I've repaired far worse on prints than your marks there with spotting, so it's certainly do-able.

From that peek of the print, I'd say it's well worth the investment of the time needed.
 
Back in the days ..

I used a plastic paint pallet which I mixed the dye with water and gently built up layers - less is more and all that stuff. If you make a mess with the water based stuff you can just wipe it off with a wet finger.

Use a small retouching brush also available below.

Try also : http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/categories/67/retouching
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top