Jul 152012
 

I unleashed 24 prints a few days ago. I got a flurry of orders within the first 24 hours; it then very quickly dropped off to about nuthin’ Pretty much as expected. I’m busy getting the orders ready to ship… my plan is to mail all the orders I currently have on hand tomorrow. However, when I started putting the orders together I quickly found that I was short by quite a few. Simple fix: make more. But the past three or so days out here have been overcast… and here’s a project where the weather plays a direct role in production. Finally the sun came out this afternoon, and I’ve been busy crankin’ ’em out.

To speed the process, I procured a larger sheet of plywood and a larger sheet of plexi… 30X36. This allows two 12X18 sheets to be exposed at a time. It has worked out well. 18X24 sheets of watercolor paper are available, so I can foresee a time when I can do prints twice the size of the current crop. The only thing standing in the way of that is an inability to get transparencies printed off larger than 12X18. Two of the local print shops are supposed to have that capacity “soon,” but not yet. Experiments of putting two 12X18 transparencies side by side to create a single 18X24 have failed, since the seam between them is fairly obvious.

So, if you ordered prints, they should be on the way shortly. If you’d be interested in 18X24 prints – I’m guesstimating $25 each – let me know, and let me know of *what.* If you have issues of APR, now’d be the time to go through ’em and pick and choose.

Anything that would require a setup bigger than the current 30X36 frame (due to edge-clamps, max print size would probably be something like 27X33) would require a serious re-think of the process. Currently the frame is assembled indoors and then taken outdoors… and the current frame is incredibly unwieldy. The dream of a 24X72 frame would require a fixed emplacement where the roof retracts. Bleah.

 Posted by at 4:33 pm
Jul 122012
 

So there’s the first 24 of the cyanotype blueprints. I have another dozen or so lined up so far for future releases, depending upon whether or not this turns into another artfail fiasco.

If’n you’ve been wondering why the aerospace blogging has dropped off of late… well, there ya go. Been working this and a few other projects (including the one nobody has guessed yet), and they’ve pretty well chewed up my time and resources.

Weekend after next I’m going to a  local art/craft show to attempt to sell my landscape photos and such. This has also chewed up time and resources to procure stock and supplies and whatnot… and I have the sneaking suspicion that it’ll prove to be another boondoggle. Oh, well…

Oh: And I can now state with some certainty that having a doctor jam a needle directly into one’s elbow suuuuuuucks.

 Posted by at 11:07 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype print 24: A-4 graphite vane

A Peenemunde layout diagram of the “Druckstuck M” graphite vanes used to direct the thrust of the rocket engine on the A-4 (V-2) ballistic missile.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

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 Posted by at 11:02 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype print 23: STAR Clipper

A layout drawing of the Lockheed STAR Clipper stage-and-one-half launch vehicle circa 1967.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 

 Posted by at 10:57 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype prints 21 & 22: Republic ASP

Two Republic Aviation prints depicting their ASP (Aero Space Plane) concept for a single stage to orbit military craft, circa 1961. More on this HERE. Print 21 depicts the vehicle in a three-view diagram; Print 22 shows a cutaway 3-view. They can be purchased for $10 each, or together for $17.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 

 Posted by at 10:52 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype Print 20: Convair 44

A cutaway isometric diagram of the General Dynamics/Convair Model 44 fighter for the Navy’s VFX program (became the Grumman F-14).

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 

 Posted by at 10:40 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype Print 19: VTOL Tailsitter

A layout drawing of a 1954 Convair design for a supersonic jet-powered tailsitting fighter. More info HERE.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 

 Posted by at 10:31 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype print 18: McDonnell Model 1

A cutaway rendering of the McDonnell Model 1, a WWII era fighter concept that incorporated engines buried in the fuselage and substantial aerodynamic blending.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 

 Posted by at 10:23 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype print 17: Dyna Soar/Titan III

A layout diagram showing the Boeing Model 853-1001D Dyna Soar/ Titan IIIC “Air Vehicle,” the complete launch stack.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 Posted by at 10:18 pm
Jul 122012
 

Cyanotype print 16: Mercury Capsule cutaway

A cutaway diagram of the Mercury capsule.

A hand made cyanotype blueprint on sturdy 12X18 watercolor paper. Each is unique, and likely to feature small imperfections.The blue will fade if left in the sun. If this happens, it can be darkened by placing it somewhere dark with good air flow to re-oxidize the ink. Alternatively. hydrogen peroxide, available from grocery stores, will instantly oxidize the ink and restore it to its full hue.

 Posted by at 10:13 pm