the projected image on the focusing paper in the easel and estimate the amount of exposure time you think the print requires. From experience, you estimate the correct exposure time to be about 15 seconds. Because your estimate may be incorrect, a logical procedure is to expose a test strip in four sections. To make the actual test strip, you must do the following: 1. Place one test strip on the easel in a position to sample the highlights, midtones, and shadows. 2. Cover three quarters of the strip with opaque paper or cardboard and expose the uncovered section for 5 seconds. 3. Move the cardboard to cover one half of the strip and give another 5 seconds of exposure. 4. Again move the cardboard-this time to expose three quarters of the strip-and provide 5 seconds of exposure. 5. Now uncover the entire strip and expose it for another 5 seconds. This produces a strip with exposures of 5, 10, 15, and 20 seconds. 6. Process the test strip the same as contact prints. 7.  Examine  the  processed  test  strip  under  white light and select the segment representing the exposure that gave the best results. If a time between two sections gives the best result, make another test at the estimated time. When you have selected the exposure, you are ready to make a full-size print-if the contrast is correct. If not, change filters and make another test strip. The primary purpose for a test print is to determine the correct exposure, but it can also help you determine the correct contrast or printing filter to use. When the test print is too contrasty or too flat, make another test print with a higher or lower number of contrast printing filter. When  printing,  contrast  (the  difference  in  tonal value  between  the  highlights  and  shadows)  is  as important  for  you  to  determine  as  is  the  correct exposure.  Almost  all  Navy  imaging  facilities  use variable contrast printing papers. To control contrast with this type of paper, you must use variable contrast printing  filters. Unlike film, increasing the development time of paper does not increase the contrast significantly. In fact, when paper development is carried out much beyond the recommended time, contrast can actually decrease due to fogging. Likewise, short development times should not be used in an attempt to get lower contrast. The result Table 11-2.–Multigrade Filter Selection Guide Filter Number Use 00 Normal prints from very contrasty negatives.  Produces  very  flat prints from normal or low-contrast negatives. 2 Normal   prints   from   normal negatives,  flat  prints  from  low- contrast  negatives,  and  contrasty prints  from  contrasty  negatives. 4 Normal  prints  from  low-contrast negatives, and contrasty prints from  normal  or  high-contrast negatives. 5 Normal  prints  from  very  low- contrast   negatives,   and   very contrasty   prints   from   normal negatives. of short paper development times is usually a print that is not fully developed, and the print has poor tone quality and  a  “muddy”  appearance. Variable  contrast  printing  filters  are  the  only practical way of altering print contrast with variable contrast   papers.   Variable   contrast   papers   have orthochromatic  sensitivity.  The  blue  light-sensitive  part of the emulsion controls high contrast, and the green light-sensitive part controls low contrast. By using the proper variable contrast filter between the light source and the paper, you can control the contrast. Variable contrast filters range from yellow (low contrast) through deep  magenta  (high  contrast). When  making  test  strips  to  determine  correct exposure, you also need to determine the contrast. You do this by examining the shadow area of the test strip that has the correct highlight exposure. When the shadow area of this test is too light, the test does not have enough contrast. When the test does not have enough contrast, a higher number filter is required. When the shadow area is too dark, the test has too much contrast and a lower number filter is required. Table 11-2 is based on using Ilford Multigrade filters and Ilford Multigrade papers. Ilford Multigrade filters are available in the following 12 grades: 00, 0, 11-13