Making a Black and White print

 Definitions

Emulsion-a composition sensitive to some or all of the actinic rays of light, consisting of one or more of the silver halides suspended in gelatin, applied in a thin layer to one surface of a film or the like.
Aperture-an opening, as a hole, slit, crack, gap, etc. Also called aperture stop . Optics . an opening, usually circular, that limits the quantity of light that can enter an optical instrument.

Masking easel-A darkroom device used to hold paper flat while exposing it to light from an enlarger. An easel creates a white border surrounding a print because its "arms" block light from striking the print paper's edges.
Exposure-the act of presenting a photosensitive surface to rays of light.

the total amount of light received by a photosensitive surface or an area of such a surface, expressed as the product of the degree of illumination and the period of illumination.

the image resulting from the effects of light rays on a photosensitive surface.

Safe light-a darkroom light with a filter that transmits only those rays of the spectrum to which films, printing paper, etc., are not sensitive.

Dodging-(in printing) to shade (an area of a print) from exposure for a period,  

while exposing the remainder of the print in order to lighten or eliminate the area (sometimes fol. by out )
Burning-Basically, a darkroom process that gives additional exposure to part of the image projected on an enlarger easel to make that area of the print darker.

Materials

• Safe light

• Paper 

• Liquid Measurement Devices (graduate)

• Tongs
  

• Thermometer

• Squeegee

• Hanging Clips

• Darkroom

• Enlarger, 

• Easel, 

• Processing Trays (at least three, preferably five),

• Sink

• Rubber gloves, 

• A length of string or sturdy cord to hang prints from when drying, 

• Tacks or push pins to attach the string to the walls, 

• Plastic or wooden clips to attach the prints to the string.

•  Timer

Chemicals

Developer  Stop Bath and  Fixer.

 

 

  Switch on the enlarger light. Place a masking ease on the baseboard.

Place a used piece of photographic print paper white-side-up on the easel. Switch on enlarger light. Scale and focus image. Create a border around the image by sliding the easel arms up to the edge of the image so it just overlaps. Switch off the enlarger light and place a sheet of unused print paper emulsion-side-up on the easel. Close the top of the easel so that the arms are centered on the page. Select a filter if using variable contrast paper. Filters are usually placed inside a slot in the enlarger head and come in five grades, 1 being low-contrast and 5 being high-contrast. Place filter in filter holder and close securely. Set the aperture and timer using the test-strip as a guide. Switch on timer. After exposing the print paper, place it in the developer tray and proceed with processing. 

 

  Place the exposed print paper in the developer tray. (Time varies by paper type. Resin-coated paper stays in the developer 1 minute, while fiber-based paper stays in for 2 or more minutes.) Take the paper out of the developer with tongs. Let all excess liquid drain off of the paper before placing it in the stop bath tray. Place in stop bath tray, leaving resin-coated paper in the stop bath for 15 seconds and fiber-based paper for 30 seconds. Take paper out of the stop bath and place in fixer for 1 to 2 minutes for resin-coated paper and 2 to 10 minutes for fiber-based paper. Remove from fixer and place in wash for 2 to 5 minutes when using resin-coated paper and 30 to 60 minutes when using fiber-based paper.Take out of wash and place on drying cabinet.