kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Hi folks,
Here's my latest "sketch" in the Lunar Observing Forum.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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I finally got a cheap webcam so I could do a fly over of my clay sketch of Archimedes and environs, here is "Landing in Archimedes" . Please forgive the shaky grip and bad lighting.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 2233
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Rich, looks beautiful to me. Kept going back. Kept smiling.
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Roland
Sketches in members galleries: rolandlinda3
Inspirational stories/sketches at:
www.christworksministries.org
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Roland, 
Just wish the lens housing was smaller so I could get a view closer to the surface, a little closer to what it would look like if you were surveying the scene from the surface.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Posts: 944
Loc: Utah
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Rich,
I will be unoriginal but simply amazing. I love the use of light on the sculpture and the effect it has. Love it! Are you going to do more?
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Jay in Utah
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Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
— Ptolemy, c.150 AD
My Blog
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4084
Loc: Illinois
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Rich,
You could have told us you were tired of waiting for NASA to return to the moon so you took it upon yourself to just go there.  Really, really cool stuff Rich.    How large is this clay model and is it light enough to move? 
When you get some more time I wish you would continue with these sculptures. This is very impressive.
Frank 
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my gallery
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Jay and Frank!
Jay, I'm working on one now of the Montes Riphaeus that is about twice this size. Then I'm planning on doing a huge clay sculpture of Mare Nectaris, but expect that one to take several observing sessions to fully complete. I'll be doing fly overs of each when I finish the reliefs.
Frank, sketching the Moon using modeling clay is such a kick and the added benefit of being able to adjust the lighting later to simulate different lunar days is incredible. Add to that the fun of playing with the webcam trying to keep the field of view within the model in order to create a movie and I think you can see how addictive this can become. The model is 13" x 11" and weighs about 8 pounds.
I'm hoping to try some new techniques of guiding the webcam along the viewing trajectory to make all the motions as smooth as possible. Any suggestions from folks who have tried similar projects would be greatly appreciated.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Posts: 1821
Loc: Chicagoland
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That is very ,very, cool thanks for sharing.
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Tommy!
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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Jef De Wit
super member
Reged: 03/06/09
Posts: 123
Loc: Hove, Belgium
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Rich, I'm deeply impressed. I send your piece of art to the mailing list of my astroclub. In a post some days ago I asked it was possible to work in 3-D. I think your model is a definitive answer!
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Clear skies, Jef De Wit
7x50 bino, Meade ETX-70 & Orion Optics UK 12" Dobson
"Bright skies aren't empty skies" (James Mallaney)
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Aldebaran
super member
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 105
Loc: Turku, Finland
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Wow, very impressive work, Rich! It's amazing how accurately you have rendered all the details in that area of the Moon!
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Juha
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Instruments:
10'' Newton
3'' Lens (RFT)
7x18 Binos
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http://juhansivut.pp.fi/Deepsky (my deep sky pages)
Taivaanpallo (my amateur astronomy blog in finnish)
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks so much Jef and Juha!
This kind of sketch, although it does take some preparation, is very rewarding. I think anyone who can sketch the Moon can create a clay sketch. Just takes a little practice and time at the scope. I'm waiting for the right lighting to start my next one, but I am so excited about doing it again.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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perfessor
sage
Reged: 12/30/07
Posts: 499
Loc: Northern Illinois
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Rich, that's awesome. I want to see more!
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Tom
"Don't always know what I'm talkin about"
8" f/7
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Tom!
I'll definitely be doing more clay sketches and fly overs with the webcam, they have actually opened a whole new way of looking at the Moon for me. I enjoy the challenge of interpreting the topography at the eyepiece from the shadows cast and the sculpting of the model on the spot. I really want to encourage others to give this a try, it is a real kick!
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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GlennLeDrew
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 1269
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Neat!
As a first attempt at getting smoother motions for your fly-throughs, how about creating a 'track' from stiff wire (such as hanger wire, as can be found in any DIY store). The scale of your models is small enough that the supports may need only be a post at each end of the 'track'. The webcam could hang by a simple loop of (not-so-stiff) wire, the loop being just large enough to allow some degree of rotation for those creativs pans while 'flying'.
It would still require some steadiness on your part, but at least one degree of freedom would be made smoother.
I'd love to see more of this!!
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Home-made Mk II RA bino, using interchangeable objectives and eyepieces
My Gallery
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Glenn!
Great idea, I wasn't able to locate any stiff wire around the house, so I tried another technique. I affixed the webcam to the end of a long wooden dowel and slowly moved the model around underneath it. it's still a little jerky, but it's a big improvement over my first efforts. Here's the new video, "Flying over Archimedes and environs" . I'm going to try your suggestions when I get a chance to pick up the right guide wire. A friend of mine wants to try mounting the webcam to a battery powered motor from a toy car and enable the cam to ride the wire loop. How exciting and addictive this has become! 
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4084
Loc: Illinois
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Rich,
Great work! The close up detail in this model is fantastic. The videocam doing the fly over simulation adds a whole new wonderful dimension to this clay model and its well made detailed appearance.
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my gallery
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Thanks Frank!
This is such a cool way to sketch. I thought I'd try one of Copernicus and environs soon, maybe tomorrow night or the next, then I'm going to do one of the Montes Ripheaus. I want to do something larger because it's easier to keep the webcam within the area of the model. I've got enough clay to do one 20" x 20". I'm just not sure I'll be able to do that in one session. I learned a new trick too. I use 1/2" thick Elmers foam core board and lay a 1/4" thick clay layer over it. I discovered that if you take a wet sponge and coat one side of the core board with it, it causes the board to become concave on one side and convex on the other. This is perfect because it simulates the radius of curvature of the Moon. So the next model will have the benefit of this added dimension as well, something I am eager to incorporate into these clay sketches.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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Special Ed
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/03
Posts: 4296
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Rich,
You have kicked imaging and sketching up a whole notch with these sculptures--absolutely fascinating. Don't be too modest--this not something just anyone could do. What is needed is a good eye, good hands, and a thorough knowledge of Luna.
I hope you have submitted your sculptures to LPOD.
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Michael Rosolina
8" f/10 Orange Tube SCT
4.25" f/4.2 Astroscan Reflector
SVP 3.6" f/13.6 CA Reflector
40mm PST f/10
APM Germany HD 15x70 binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS II binoculars
Mark I Eyeball
My CN Gallery
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4084
Loc: Illinois
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Michael,
Check out the LPOD for August 2, 2009. You have been very busy getting ready for school and missed it.
Frank
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my gallery
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