What darkroom chemicals and kind of photographic paper do I need?

acornrawr · Apr 28, 2011

I'm looking to develop around 40 pictures cheaply, but I don't know what kind of photographic paper or developer chemicals that I need.

For my project, I want to allow light to shine on certain parts of the paper (by covering up part of it when I turn on a light) and then develop it to see which parts of the paper were exposed.

Can anyone tell me the cheapest darkroom chemicals and kind of photographic paper I should buy?

Thanks!

CCericola · Apr 28, 2011

Are you going to print in color or black&white?

acornrawr · Apr 28, 2011

color or black and white? Which ever is cheaper. I just need the exposed parts of my paper to be significantly different than the unexposed parts.

CCericola · Apr 28, 2011

Black and white is usually cheaper. What kind of enlarger you have?

acornrawr · Apr 28, 2011

I was going to cover up parts of the photographic paper with cardboard pieces. Then shine light on it briefly. Then develop the paper to end up with the "shadow" of the cardboard pieces on the paper.
My project doesn't need very high resolution images. My project just needs the papers to have low res images (like large letters) after developing and needs the low res images to be not be legible if the paper is exposed to additional light before developing. I really can't find a cheap way to do this.

MattxMosh · Apr 28, 2011

Make 4x5 pin hole camera from old shoe box and used 4x5 holder, use paper as film, drag dark slide an inch every second or so depending on size of pinhole, buy cheap developer, success.

That will be $100.

CCericola · Apr 28, 2011

Oops! You gave him the info before the check cleared!

acornrawr · Apr 28, 2011

Why would what I described not work? (Covering up parts of paper with cardboard pieces.) It would expose only the parts that I want exposed.

Where can I buy cheap developer, fixer, paper and whatever else I need? The cheapest I can find to do this is ~$20 for the smallest amount of developer and fixer powder they sell on Amazon.com (1 liter each), then ~$20 for the smallest pack of photography paper they sell, and use water for stop bath.

acornrawr · Apr 28, 2011

Is this all I need:

Ilford Multigrade IV RC Deluxe MGD.44M Black & 1168338 B&H

Kodak Fixer for Black & White Film & Paper 1971746 B&H

Kodak Dektol Developer for Black and White Paper - 1543966 B&H

Thanks!

ann · Apr 29, 2011

you will also need stop bath. You might check out Freestyle for their brand of papers, as they may be cheaper.

Are you contact printing this project? Or, enlarging ?

djacobox372 · Apr 29, 2011

You'll need:

paper
paper developer
fixer
stop (you could just use water)
2 watt lightbulb for exposing paper (if you use too bright of light your exposures will be too short)
red safe lightbulb
timer/stopwatch
four trays (developer, fix, stop, rinse)

Freestyle Photographic Supplies - Traditional Black & White Film, Paper, Chemicals, Holgas and ULF is the place I recommend. Also you can probably find some examples of this technique on youtube

acornrawr · Apr 29, 2011

what do you mean when you say "if you use too bright of light your exposures will be too short"?
does photographic paper need a low intensity exposure over a long period of time? would it work if I simply covered up the parts of the photographic paper I wish to be unexposed and then turned normal room lights on for a second?