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Method of basic split grade printing using variable contrast papers as practised
by Geoff Holmes

1. Set up negative in enlarger, focus at maximum aperture and close down to selected aperture (this will not be varied during the process) and position easel to include the area of the image selected for printing.

2. Filtration: I use Ilford Multigrade filters 00 = soft, 5 = hard.

3. Procedure:
· Select filter at the soft end of the range i.e. 00/0. Expose a test strip in the normal manner. Process fully and dry. Process time must be standard throughout.
· Select the exposure which first gives detail in the highlight areas.
· Place a new piece of paper in the easel and expose the whole sheet for the chosen time.
· Leave this sheet in the easel.

4. Now remove the soft filter, replace with the hard or contrasty filter e.g. 5 and make a test strip in the usual manner on the paper which has already been exposed to the soft filter.

5. Process fully to the standardised time and dry. You should now have a test sheet with a range of combined exposures. One of these strips should give you detail in highlights, and in shadows, plus a range of density.

6. Place a new sheet of paper in the easel and expose for the chosen time through the soft filter then for the chosen time through the hard filter. Process fully for the standardised time and dry.

7. Fine tuning, Once you have mastered the basic techniques it is possible to fine tune the image.

These are methods I used:
· Exposure: If overall print is too light /too dark for my purpose I vary one, or both, exposures.
· Control of tones. The range of tones can be controlled by varying the filters used e.g. move up to Filter 1 or down to Filter 4.
· Burning in. This can be done using any filter in the range thus tailoring the image to your requirements.

As with all processing, once you master the basics you will find yourself varying it to suit your purposes. I would point out that it is essential that all images are fully developed. Standardising is essential to make the most of the process. Processing should be to time, not how the image looks under the safelight, and images should be assessed when dry to allow for the effects of drying down.

Split Grade Printing - My Way.

Test strip 1

Ilford Multigrade filter ‘00’ placed beneath enlarger lens.
This exposes for the highlights.

Sheet of Ilford Multigrade paper inserted in print easel.

Test strip exposed at two second intervals.

Paper processed in Ilford Multigrade developer for two minutes, washed, fixed and washed.

Paper dried before selecting exposure for the next stage.

12 seconds exposure selected.

Test strip 2

Ilford Multigrade Filter ‘00’ left in place.

Sheet of Ilford Multigrade paper inserted in print easel and given 12 seconds exposure as selected from Test strip 1. This exposes for detail in the highlights.

Paper left in position and Ilford Filter ‘00’ taken out and replaced with Ilford Multigrade filter 5. This exposes for the shadow areas.

Test strip 2 exposed over the, already exposed, paper at two second intervals.

Paper processed in Ilford Multigrade developer for two minutes then washed, fixed and washed.

Paper dried before selecting exposure for a print.

12 seconds strip selected.

First full print

Exposures selected from test strips are Filter ‘00’ 12 seconds and Filter ‘5’ 12 seconds.

Ilford Multigrade Filter ‘00’ placed beneath the enlarger lens.

Sheet of Ilford Multigrade paper inserted in the print easel and exposed for 12 seconds.

Did not remove paper but changed filters so that Filter ‘5’ was in position.

Exposed pre-exposed paper for 12 seconds.

Processed paper for two minutes in Ilford Multigrade developer then washed, fixed and washed as normal.

Paper dried before assessing print. I felt it was too dark overall, so I reprinted it with less exposure.

Second full print.

In order to lighten the print I re-examined test strip 2 and decided that 10 seconds through each filter would be about right.

Whole process repeated: 10 seconds through filter ‘00’; 10 seconds through filter ‘5’

Print developed for two minutes, then washed, fixed and washed.

Print was examined when dry.

I felt that the bank of trees on the right has more visible detail and being lighter the whole print has more ‘life’. However, I felt the church had lost detail and needed extra exposure through filter ‘00’.

Third full print

Going back to my second test print I decided that 12 seconds through Filter ‘00’ was right for the church.

I repeated the process as for the second full print:

Whole image ten seconds through Filter ‘00’, the church was given an additional two seconds through filter ‘00’. Whole image then given 10 seconds through filter ‘5’.

Print processed as before.

I am happy with this print.

Procedures

These seems to be some argument about which filter should be used first. One theory is that using the low contrast filter (Ilford ‘00’) actually flashes the paper and increases the contrast range. Others believe that there is no difference as long as a standardised procedure is used.

I decided to reprint this using the high contrast filter first (Ilford ‘5’) to lay down the shadow detail then the low contrast filter (Ilford ‘00’) to print in the highlight details.

I gave 10 seconds through filter 5, then 10 seconds through filter ‘00’. I gave 2 extra seconds to the church through filter ‘00’.

The print was processed as before and I can tell no difference in the result when comparing this print (print 4) with print 3.

Conclusions

Split grade printing is another tool brought to us through the development of variable contrast papers. I use Ilford Multigrade filters which are placed beneath the lens but colour heads on enlargers can be set to do the same job.

Below I set out some recommendations for Ilford multigrade paper that I have gleaned from various sources.

Ilford filter	00	1	2	3	4	5
Durst	150Y	55Y	0Y0M	45M	100M	170M
Kodak	199Y	50Y	0Y0M	25M	80M	199M

The best thing to do is to find out which kind of filtration is in your enlarger’s colour head and then spend a day, or two, experimenting.

Once you have found the two extremes you can use any combination between them.

I often use filters 00 and 5 but burn areas in using filter 1½. Variable contrast paper is just that and it allows you to use a variety of filters to make the best of its attributes.