Lith Printing

Prompt

Identify

You see [gritty, peppery grain] in the dark shadows. The lighter areas look smooth, featuring warm tones like peach or pink.

Principle

Photographers overexpose¹ standard black-and-white paper, then develop it slowly in [diluted lithographic chemicals]. This triggers an [explosive, localized reaction] in the darkest areas.

Example

Anton Corbijn: Miles Davis portrait, 1989.

Try it out

Look at a vintage music portrait from the late 1980s. Compare the gritty black shadows to the smooth, softly tinted faces.

Background

Lith printing relies on infectious development², a unique chemical process. Originally, printers used lithographic developers to create pure black-and-white text graphics. In the late twentieth century, artists used these highly diluted chemicals on standard photographic paper. Artists learned to heavily overexpose the paper under the enlarger³. As the print developed, dark shadows suddenly accelerated, creating harsh, peppery grain. Meanwhile, the bright highlights developed very slowly. This difference created smooth, warm tones and coarse, dark tones. Photographers had to quickly snatch the print from the chemical bath.

Distinction

Unlike sepia toning, lith printing does not color the entire image uniformly. It creates contrasting dual tones and coarse grain during actual development.

Aftermath

It reveals how manipulating standard chemical processes can yield entirely new, expressive aesthetics.

Question

Sources

• Wikipedia: Photographic printing ↗