Part 1: What you will need
A darkroom with an enlarger and enough space to comfortably work
Negatives
Puffer brush
Loupe
Photographic paper such as ILFORD MULTIGRADE
Focus Finder
MULTIGRADE filters
A Safelight
Developer - Make the images appear on the paper
Stop bath -Brings development to an end
Fixer - Makes the developed image permanent
Container for water
Containers to mix your chemicals x 3
Stirrer
Measuring cylinder
Thermometer
Rubber gloves
Safety glasses
Set of 3 developing trays and tongs
Darkroom timer
Part 2: Preparing the chemicals
The volume and dilution of chemicals you need to mix will depend on the size of the paper and trays that you are using
you should prepare enough chemicals to cover the print in the tray to ensure an even development. This information can be found in the relevant technical data sheet on ilfordphoto.com
Paper developers come in liquid and powder form. For beginners we recommend a liquid developer such as ILFORD MULTIGRADE DEVELOPER as they are the easiest to mix and use.
We are printing 8 x 10" ILFORD MULTIGRADE RC Glossy photographic paper at a temperature of 20 °C / 68°F
1000ml of diluted developer solution at 1+9 = 100ml developer +900ml water (at 20°C / 68° F).
Measure 100ml of MULTIGRADE developer. pour this into a large cylinder.
Add 900ml of water at a temperature of 20°C / 68° F to this and stir.
1000ml of ILFORD ILFOSTOP at 1+19 = 50ml ILFOSTOP +950ml water (at 20°C / 68° F).
1000ml of ILFORD RAPID FIXER at 1+4 = 200ml ILFORD RAPID FIXER + 800ml water (at 20°C / 68° F).
Tip: If the area you are working in is cold, keep your prepared solutions at 20° C / 68° F.
Stand them in a try of water that is a couple of degrees warmer until you are ready to use them.
Add your processing solutions to their respective trays.
We recommend using different coloured trays and labelling them.
Developer Stop Fix
Part 3: Choosing your negative
Choose the negative that you want to print
Hold the negative strip so that you can read the edge numbers, then turn the negative around (not over) so the number are furthest away from you.
Place the negatives into the negative carrier.
Use a puffer brush to remove any dust.
Slide the carrier into place.
Part 4: Focusing your image
Switch on the safelight and switch off your room lights
Turn on the enlarger. You should see your image projected onto the easel.
Raise or lower the enlarger head to size and frame your image, bring it into focus using the focusing wheel.
With the enlarger head at maximum aperture, use a focus finder for optimal sharpness.
Part 5: Setting the aperture (F-Stop)
Adjust the lens aperture to F8, this is usually a good starting point.
Slide a MULTIGRADE 2 filter into the filter drawer or holder on your enlarger. This filter provides a good range of print tones with an average negative.
if you have a colour enlarger you may prefer to dial in filtration equivalent to a MULTIGRADE filter 2.
Part 6: Making a test print
Put a sheet of ILFORD MULTIGRADE paper into the easel (shiny side up).
Make sure to reseal the packet.
Set the timer for 5 second increments. Cover approximately 4/5th of the sheet and expose for 5 seconds.
Repeat until you have revealed all of the sheet (approximately 4 or 5 exposures).
Take your sheet over to your trays of chemicals and slide it quickly and smoothly into the developer.
Start the timer and watch your image appear.
After 60 seconds use a pair of tongs to life the paper out and slide it into the stop bath. (Don't be tempted to remove the print too soon).
Do not touch the stop bath solution with your tongs to avoid contamination.
After 10 seconds use a 2nd pair of tongs to transfer the test print to the fixer. (Again not letting the tongs touch the next solution).
Fixing should only take 30 seconds in fresh solution.
Rinse your test print under running water.
Turn the rooms lights on to examine your print.
It should show 5 strips, each one darker than the previous one.
Select the correct exposure from your test print, here we've chosen around 12.5 seconds.
Part 7: Making the final print
Ensuring the room is in safelight, take out another sheet of MULTIGRADE paper. Position this on the easel and use the timer to give the paper the correct exposure.
Repeat the processing steps taken previously
Developer 60 seconds
Stop 10 seconds
Fixer 30 seconds
After the fixer you will need to wash the final print
Place it in a tray of water, ideally at 20°C / 68° F for 2 minutes.
You should empty and refill the wash water a few times during this to remove the chemicals, or use water running through a hose to syphon water from the bottom of the tray.
You have now made your first print.