Cyanotype Print 02: Preliminary Mercury Sketch
A very preliminary sketch of what would become the Mercury capsule. This image is taken from a scan made from the actual hand-drawn (by Maxime Faget) original. Note that this design is much more like the “Discoverer” capsule than the final Mercury capsule; the heat shield is in front, not behind. So the astronauts couch would rotate 180 degrees so that he would not be subjected to an eyeballs-out re-entry acceleration.
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.