KYLE HOFFMANN

The Platinum-Palladium Print

Platinum printing is one of the earliest permanent photographic printing processes, developed in the nineteenth century and first introduced in 1873.

Rather than forming the image within a surface layer of ink or gelatin, platinum and palladium metals are embedded within the fibres of the paper itself.

This gives the print its distinctive physical character: a matte surface, exceptionally subtle tonal transitions and a sense of depth that is difficult to reproduce on screen.

Platinum and palladium are highly stable noble metals, and prints made with them are valued for their exceptional archival permanence.

Made by Hand

A light-sensitive platinum-palladium solution is brushed onto 100% cotton paper. Once dry, the sensitised sheet is placed in direct contact with a negative and exposed to ultraviolet light.

The print is then developed, cleared and washed by hand.

The visible brush-coated edge is retained as part of the finished work. Its slight variations record the process of making and distinguish one impression from another.

The Process

Platinum-palladium printing is a contact process, meaning that the negative used for printing is made at the same scale as the final image.

This allows exceptionally fine detail to be transferred directly to the paper while also making larger works considerably more demanding to produce.

Temperature, humidity, coating and exposure all influence the final print, requiring careful testing and adjustment throughout the process.

These subtle variations are inherent to the material nature of the medium.

The Finished Print

The resulting prints have a quiet material presence unlike conventional photographic papers.

Their surface is soft rather than reflective, with tonal gradations that emerge gradually under changing light.

The image becomes integral to the paper itself, giving each print a physical presence that is best experienced in person.

Platinum-palladium prints are available in selected works and editions.