Cyanotype update

 art, blather, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, history, new products, news, projects  No Responses »
Apr 182013
 

I am working on making cyanotype prints using vellum instead of the heavyweight watercolor paper used to date. This is historically appropriate, as well as being far lighter and rollable (ship in a tube rather than flat). Early test runs are encouraging, though the failure rate is higher than for watercolor paper. I’m going to make vellum-type available alongside the watercolor-paper-type. They will be more expensive, due to higher cost and more effort required. They will probably be special-order items. So if there are any of the current cyanotype prints you’d especially like to see as vellum cyanotypes, let me know via email.

Related: I’ve finally found a company that says they can make large-format transparencies, which I can used to make large-format vellum cyanotypes. I hope to have a set of large format transparencies (including both the Saturn Ib and Saturn V) sometime next week.

 

If it all works out, and things are at least encouraging, then I’ll also be able to make vellum blueprints to order, easily up to 18X24, likely to 24X36, and 14X72 or so (two different “frames” on hand). So if you have diagrams you’d like in velum cyanotype format, let me know…

 

 Posted by at 11:27 am

Cyanotype Saturn V minor news

 blather, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, rockets, spacecraft  1 Response »
Nov 162012
 

Experiments with vellum show that it’s workable, but requires substnatially more attention than watercolor paper. It holds up well to water, but if left to simply dry it shrinks differentially kinda badly, with the result that it curls up. This can be countered, it seems, through a few Heroic Measures which I have so far *kinda* gotten to work. More work needed.

Also, today I picked up some slabs of plexiglass, 18 inches by 7 feet, big enough to handle the Saturn V.

The sun hasn’t come out to let me work up the prints that people ordered. The weather forecasts don’t hold out much hope for the next few days. Frakin’ November…

Also: several people sent emails asking for a side-by-side comparison of the Up Goer 5 with the Saturn V. I put together just such as thing, using the full-rez image of the Up Goer 5 from xkcd. However, after a few emails I have not heard back from Randall Munroe of xkcd about posting a modified version of his art (I’ve no issue posting his art unmodified, since it’s clear he’s good with that, but *modified* versions of his art, I dunno about). So unless/until I hear back, here are 25%-scale versions of two takes on the concept… one with the original NASA-MSFC blueprint in the original color, the other with the blueprint modified to match the Up Goer 5’s colors.

 Posted by at 7:07 pm

Cyanotype print update

 blather, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, drawings&documents, news  No Responses »
Nov 152012
 

Until a few days ago, it had been many weeks (a couple of months, I believe) since I’d last received an order for one of the cyanotype prints. But with Up Goer 5, there were a few orders that came in all at once. I was short on some of them, so I’m working on printing up new ones at this time. I plan on shipping them all early next week, latest.

Also: I’ve been experimenting with alternate paper. Most paper either turns to mush or curls up and dies when it gets wet, as blueprints made this fashion must (they must first be painted with a water-based photoreactive dye or ink, and then mus be hosed down). I’ve been using watercolor paper to this point, as it stands up to the process; but it’s not practical for larger format prints, as it’s not readily available in larger sizes. And while it looks great framed hanging on a wall, it’s not historically representative. Today I’ve been testing out several different vellum papers, and have been having promising results. Velum has the dual advantage of being available on rolls, and being historically accurate. So at some point in the future, larger-format cyanotype blueprints will be made available on vellum. The specific target is of course the six-foot-long Saturn V, but others are possible as well. The current infrastructure I have on hand will permit up to a bit short of 2 foot by 3 foot. The only thing preventing *that* right now is a lack of ability to procure 2X3 transparencies… but I am assured that that ability is coming.

 Posted by at 2:36 pm

It’s Almost Art…

 art, blather, cyanotype blueprints  3 Responses »
Aug 032012
 

When I first started tinkering with the cyanotype printing notion, my early experiments were just… wrong. Wrong paper, *really* wrong application method. I started off using some sketch paper that I just happened to have, and painted the cyanotyping fluid using some paint brushed that I just happened to have. Before I could get around to actually trying to expose an image into them, it was clear that I was on the wrong track, so I set some of the early test items aside and forgot about them for some weeks.

The ink reacts with ultraviolet light. Even indoors there is enough to get the process going; fluorescent lights do this faster than incandescent. And even when papers are piled on top of each other, a combo of some UV and just chemical reactions can get the ink going. Two sheets I slapped some ink on, forget and then rediscovered actually now kinda look like some sort of effort at modern art… the sort of thing I could auction off for a million bucks if I was:

1) Famous

2) Dead

Being, at least so far, neither, they ain’t worth squat. But they are kinda interesting in a temporary sort of way.

 Posted by at 11:48 pm

Cyanotype prints: next set

 aircraft, art, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, history, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft  10 Responses »
Jul 282012
 

I recently received some more cyanotyping fluid, and have been busy cranking out prints to fill a few straggling orders, and doing test runs of prints for my next set of releases. Several from the first run have sold zero; a few sold as many as four (Oh yeah, ladies, I’m all that). So for the next set, I’d like to get an idea in advance what will be more popular, so I can make more of those.  If you see something here that really appeals to you, comment and let me know.

——-

A set of three NASA diagrams of the Space Shuttle showing heat shielding. This will be sold *only* as a full set of three, for $25. If this isn’t popular, then I’ll be really confused.

——–

Here are:

Nuclear Turbojet, XMA-1A, exploded view. Kind of a pain to produce, so this will be $12.50.

Dyna Soar Characteristics Summary. I did this one just as a test to see if it looked at all good, and I think it does. I have a whole bunch of Standard Aircraft Characteristics sheets that I think would look good… if the idea appeals, set three may have a bunch. $10.

F-82 cutaway artwork. I think it looks *fantastic.* $10.

——–

Ganswindt’s Weltenfahrzeug from the turn of the last century. Sort of a dynamite-powered Orion. $10.

NEXUS with gas-core nuclear upper stage engines. $10

Super-NEXUS with gas-core nuclear engines and a million pounds of *lunar* payload. $10. I have several more NEXUS-derived designs if these are popular.

———–

Early Dyna Soar atop clustered Minuteman booster artwork. $10.

XMA-1A nuclear turbojet illustration. $10.

Model 54 CAMAL nuclear-powered missile carrier three-view. $10.

——-

Bell SR-126 “bomber missile” illustrations. $10 each or $17.50 for the set.

——–

ICARUS illustrations. $10 each or $17.50 for the pair.

————

If any of these are of interest, let me know.

 Posted by at 12:34 am

Restarting the Space Station V kickstart

 AARRRGH, art, blather, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, photography, science fiction  1 Response »
Jul 212012
 

Back in May, I opened up a little funding effort to help me replace an ancient computer that went kaput on me (SEE HERE).The idea was simple: you give me money, I give you stuff. “Stuff” in this case being as-yet undeveloped diagrams and materials related to Space Station V; the more money you give me, the more stuff I send you. The idea worked; I got a new computer funded, and the SSV project is underway.

The plan was that that would be it for the SSV project. Since then several people have inquired about getting onboard, and I’ve been reluctant to reopen. Well…

Today I spent the day attempting to sell my photos to the art-buying public. It was… a disaster. Not only did I not sell, I spent a lot for the privilege. D’oh. I had been hoping beyond hope that today might help me pay for a new camera to replace the 2009-vintage one I’m using. Instead, I dug myself a financial hole. Whoopee.

So, I’m re-opening the SSV project to those who are interested, for a week or so. I’m limiting it to the $100 and $150 options (as described HERE). A difference from the original is that I am going to take a stab at large format cyanotype blueprints of my SSV diagrams as an option for funders (on the proviso that if the results displease me, I can discard the notion).

So, if’n you want in, here’s your chance. Wander over to Paypal and chuck either $100 or $150 (or more, if you’re generous) my way. The restart will be open until next weekend or thereabouts.

If you do, you’ll promptly get the first part of the project, the preliminary PDF diagram set:

 Posted by at 6:48 pm

Pick & Choose

 cyanotype blueprints  5 Responses »
Jul 182012
 

Here’s a list of some of the images I’m considering for future cyanotype blueprint releases. Not all of them will be released… some will look good on screen but terrible in print form, for instance. If something here really looks like it’d be something you’d want, here’s the chance to say so. Some below are shown in “negative.”

 Posted by at 9:30 am

Cyanotype prints: that’s that

 blather, cyanotype blueprints  No Responses »
Jul 172012
 

If you ordered prints, they are now in the care of the United States Postal System (and for two of you, your respective furrin postal systems). So, anything that happens to ’em from here on out, blame the USPS.

For the US orders, I’d expect them to start arriving Friday, perhaps Thursday. If you get yours and like it, I wouldn’t mind a comment/testimonial here.

I’m out of paper and out of ink. Ink is on order, and will be here whenever; I’ve pretty much cleaned out the local sources of paper, so it might be a while before more becomes available, dunno. I’ll probably release another batch of 12 to 24 prints in a few weeks, depending on getting more stuff in and doing some tests. I’m going to do a bit more work to some of the next set… this set was pretty much “as is” as far as the artwork, but the next set will include some that I will tinker with a bit, mostly moving stuff around so it fits on the available paper best as possible.

 Posted by at 2:01 pm
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