Moon sketch

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:49 pm

Ug..
Ok,
I know sketching at the eyepiece is a little...
hmm..
It's hard to choose a word here that does not insult astronomical sketchers
and artists but especially me....
..
lets just say it's not the most glam passtime but
I find it kind of therapeutic,
it also helps me to really 'see' or concentrate what I'm observing and
the Moon is a great target for this as there is so much there.

Now I wouldnt be at this craic all the time but I think an odd sketch here
and there is good to keep the senses sharp.
I used to have an observing book that I would enter each nights observations
followed by a few simple sketches but over the years it was lost much
to my disappointment.

Anyway,
this was sketched at the eyepiece of the 10'' Club scope with
charcoals on cartridge paper. It was semi bright out and lovely and warm
so it was nice to do. I can't imagine I'll be sketching during the winter!
I did two this was the better of those.
I don't know the region - I just picked it coz of the shadows.

John O'Mahony · Post by **John O'Mahony** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:19 pm

Very nice Frank.
SAC rocks !!!

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:41 pm

well thats very respectable Frank, some good details translated there.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:53 am

I tried a different approach to sketching Copernicus
last night as it was darker outside and for some reason the
charcoals were harder to use in lower light.
Copernicus was in just the right level of shadow to show it's
crater walls and peaks nicely along with impact ripples around it
and ejecta lines.
Eratosthenes which I sketched the night before is nearby and
has lost most of its definition due to the more direct lighting.

I didn't exaclty nail the distances between it and surrounding
features and other nearby crators.
(It's really hard to judge distance with only one eye!!)
I'm thinking - binoviewer next time!

I still don't have a scanner so again this is a photo of the drawing,
which I have inverted in PS.
There is a loss of detail and texture with the transfer between
sketch, photo & PC.

I was using the club 10 SCT again with an 18 deg Ortho eyepiece.
2, 4 & 6B Pencil & kneading eraser on 150g white cartridge.

here is the original un inverted drawing.

The inverted ones look like white chalk on black / grey paper
which kind of surprised me.
I must try chalks in that way to see the difference although
I don't think they will lend themselves well to capturing finer detail.

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:51 am

The last one is good, it would be interesting to compare it against a pic through the same scope at the same time, the lenses that come with the 10" lend themselves well to imaging the moon with the canon, its also alot faster.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 1:25 am

Well, they are two completely different things and
the intent behind imaging and sketching is also completely different.
Time really doesn't come into it.

For me sketching is almost a by-product of observing and when it
comes to observing I'm sure you'll agree, the longer the better!