Using darkroom paper for printing?

nomadah · Oct 28, 2011

Hi all,

I have so much paper left over from my darkroom days. I always saved it, thinking one day I'll have a darkroom again. I'm probably going to get kicked off the forum for asking such a stupid question, but here goes...

I'm buying a printer for my digital prints. I know the paper I have is light sensitive, but is there any way at all, or anything I can do to it, so that I can use it in my printer?

Signing off embarrassed for asking,

Nomadah

CCericola · Oct 28, 2011

You can not expose it then run it through the chemicals, dry it and see what happens.

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CCericola · Oct 28, 2011

My thought is after you get it to white then run it through the ink jet it will just smear and bead up

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ann · Oct 28, 2011

No, the ink will not adhere even if you developed , fix , wash, etc.

You might find some folks over on APug.org who could use it for other types of processes. Maybe Oil printing.

tirediron · Oct 28, 2011

Toss the paper, keep the boxes (They're great for storing prints). I binned packages and packages of Dektol & D76, bottles of fixer concetrate and paper when I sold off my wet darkroom equipment. The only thing I kept was my half-litre bottle of Photo-Flo (You can have great fun with that stuff).

compur · Oct 29, 2011

... and maybe you could use your enlarger to jack up a car ... :crazy:

Helen B · Oct 29, 2011

What paper is it (ie manufacturer, type)? someone else might want it. You might also find that you want to get into contact printing from digital negatives - ie large format negatives made on an inkjet printer. Which printer are you getting?

nomadah · Nov 1, 2011

ann said:
No, the ink will not adhere even if you developed , fix , wash, etc.

You might find some folks over on APug.org who could use it for other types of processes. Maybe Oil printing.

Thank you Ann. I'll check it out.

nomadah · Nov 1, 2011

Helen B said:
What paper is it (ie manufacturer, type)? someone else might want it. You might also find that you want to get into contact printing from digital negatives - ie large format negatives made on an inkjet printer. Which printer are you getting?

Hi Helen, Sorry for taking so long to respond.

I know most of it (if not all) is Ilford, but I can't remember the types. I have a huge box of it, but it's packed away in the back of a closet! I have to do some digging!

I'm going to look up the process for contact printing from digital negatives, as you said. Since posting, I've bought the printer (yahooooo!

) It's used - things like printers are SO much more expensive here

Anyway, it's a Canon Pixma Pro9000. I'm very excited about it.

Thanks so much, Helen, for your response.

Nomadah

Proteus617 · Nov 1, 2011

The best use for old and possibly fogged paper is photograms. It's easy and great fun. Back in the day the technique was used by many prominent artists and photographers.

Cruzingoose · Nov 4, 2011

To answer your question, "but is there any way at all, or anything I can do to it, so that I can use it in my printer?"

YES!!!! It will look absolutely fab!!! BUT... you have to do one very important thing first. FIX and WASH THE PHOTO PAPER FIRST. Yes, folks, COLOR and B&W photographic paper, fiber base or RC will look absolutely like a real photograph (depending on your printer). I use all my scraps and fogged paper in my HP CP1700 for printing digital photo restorations to get a quick look at how the image will print in the darkroom.

The photo paper has just enough "absorbtion" to allow the ink to bleed slightly and blend together eliminating most of the common issues of banding and dot clumping.

nomadah · Nov 13, 2011

Hi Proteus

Photograms!! Such a great idea! I love the ghostly look! The only problem is I don't have a darkroom anymore. But perhaps one day...

Hi Cruzingoose,

Hmmmm...If I can find someone around here with a darkroom I can try these things! My printer is a Canon Pixma Pro9000. I just bought it second-hand.

Thank you both for taking the time to answer, and sorry for my delayed response.

Nomadah

Cruzingoose · Nov 28, 2011

You don't need a darkroom at all. Everything is done in the light. All you need is some fixer, any kind of fixer for any film or paper be it color or B&W. Just mix the fixer, pour into a plastic tray, add paper and let it sit with occasional sloshing around for about 5-10 minutes. After washing the paper in fresh water, the B&W paper will come out brilliant white and the color paper will loose the blue or pink color cast and turn pure white also.

Toksam · Jun 17, 2023

Cruzingoose said:
To answer your question, "but is there any way at all, or anything I can do to it, so that I can use it in my printer?"

YES!!!! It will look absolutely fab!!! BUT... you have to do one very important thing first. FIX and WASH THE PHOTO PAPER FIRST. Yes, folks, COLOR and B&W photographic paper, fiber base or RC will look absolutely like a real photograph (depending on your printer). I use all my scraps and fogged paper in my HP CP1700 for printing digital photo restorations to get a quick look at how the image will print in the darkroom.

The photo paper has just enough "absorbtion" to allow the ink to bleed slightly and blend together eliminating most of the common issues of banding and dot clumping.

Dear Cuzingnoose
Your description concerning the use of old expired photographic paper in a regular printer is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. I have tried the method you suggest, yet I have not been able to make pictures in a reasonable quality. I must be doing something wrong. Can both a laser printer and an inkjet printer be used? My home printer is a Epson XP-970 (inkjet). If you have the time I would very much like to pay you for an online step-by-step instruction. It could be great fun to master this method. Best regards from Copenhagen - Peter

Toksam · Jun 17, 2023

Toksam said:
Dear Cuzingnoose
Your description concerning the use of old expired photographic paper in a regular printer is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. I have tried the method you suggest, yet I have not been able to make pictures in a reasonable quality. I must be doing something wrong. Can both a laser printer and an inkjet printer be used? My home printer is a Epson XP-970 (inkjet). If you have the time I would very much like to pay you for an online step-by-step instruction. It could be great fun to master this method. Best regards from Copenhagen - Peter

Sorry - Cruzingnoose, not Cuzingnoose. Peter