You can either make your own dodging and burning tools or buy them already made. If you want to make your own here is how to do it.

Get (4) 8 1/2 x 11 opaque pieces of illustration board (black rules!).

Cut a hole the size of a quarter in the center of one. (Keep the hole).

Cut a hole the size of a dime in the next.. (Keep the hole).

Cut a hole the size of a hole made by a pencil. (Keep the hole).

Keep the last card without a hole to use to make test strips or to use for other dodging needs.

These black cards can be used to help you ‘burn’ in areas of your print that need a bit more exposure. They help you add light in a controlled and repeatable way.

Take the holes you have cut out and attach them to wire rods (10" to 12" long) (a piece of wire coat hanger works nicely). You can attach them with glue, epoxy, hot wax or any other method that works for you.

These tools can be used to ‘dodge’ or hold back light from an area of the print that needs a little less exposure than the rest of your print.

The Challenge when using these tools is to make your burn and dodge invisible. It should not be possible to see where you did it. It takes practice!

It is important to remember that dodging and burning are secondary print controls... they will not save a badly exposed negative.

It is necessary to keep your dodging and burning tools moving and at a distance halfway between the paper and the lens. The time you dodge a dark area of the print should only be in the range of 5 - 15% of your overall print exposure time. The time you burn in an area can be a much grater percentage of your overall time.