Introduction to Palladium/Platinum Printing

Of all forms of photo-art, platinum/palladium prints are considered to be the most luminous, enduring and rare. Nothing else looks or lasts like a platinum/palladium image.  Its ethereal luminosity and three-dimensional appearance is due to its enormous tonal scale.  This process was initially embraced by the Pictorialists and later by such artists as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen Frederick Evans, Robert Mapplethorpe and Irving Penn.  Today it is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance along with other antiquarian processes.

The primary goal of the workshop is to learn the palladium print-making process and how to overcome basic problems encountered in doing so.

The workshop will be delivered in two parts:

Part 1 (October 6, 2021 @ 6PM-8PM) will take place online through Zoom and will provide an overview of the history of platinum/palladium printing, an introduction to the process, the chemistry, selection of papers, mixing platinum with palladium and step-by-step instructions on how to make enlarged digital negatives suitable for palladium or platinum/palladium printing.

Part 2 (October 16, 2021 @ 10AM-5PM) will be the guided "hands-on" learning portion of this workshop in Gallery 44's darkroom and will provide participants with the opportunity to apply the techniques discussed and make palladium prints from their own negatives (either digitally enlarged or in-camera). Heavy emphasis will be placed on hands-on printing by participants of their own negatives to learn and practice the coating and printing process. As a result, the workshop is limited to a maximum of 6 participants to ensure that all those attending have adequate one-on-one instruction. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have developed the necessary skills to continue printing on their own.

Most platinum print-makers work with a unique mixture of platinum & palladium to achieve the desired warmth and colour in their prints. Rarely are prints made with pure platinum but some printers are making pure palladium prints which seem to be growing in popularity.

Please note: to keep material costs affordable this introductory workshop will use palladium to teach the process. It has the same properties as platinum and both metals can be readily mixed together to create the coating emulsion. While the workshop will not use platinum, participants will learn how to mix the two metals to control warmth and colour.

Also note: By signing up  you are committing to attending both sessions (Part 1 & 2) on October 6 & 16, 2021.

Workshop outline, requirements & more details can be found here, please read before registering: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n3C4xYYeHVFkbyxM9Z532FMJDyS37YvI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107589051437487823805&rtpof=true&sd=true

Please e-mail [email protected] with any questions you may have.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Gallery 44, 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Canada