Kris.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/16/04
Posts: 1275
Loc: Belgium
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Quote:
I think we ALL need to thank Rony for coming up with this great idea for a thread!
This is a great thread that us sketchers can really appreciate. Not only do we get to share and see first hand how our own sketches/sketching techniques have changed or improved, it is also a great way for those just beginning to sketch to possibly feel less intimidated about posting their first attempts.
Well done Rony!
i'll second that, very good idea indeed!
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Kris
To be old & wise, you first gotta be young & stupid 
8" dob
AstroTech 66ED/APO
TAL 120 newt.
my CN sketch & picture gallery
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3063
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Wade,
No need to thank me. Anyone could have come up with this.
It's the message that counts, not the messenger. 
I'm convinced that we all once were kids who enjoyed drawing, even before we could write. It's a pitty that most of us forgot how much fun that was. 
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
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Ragaisis
super member
Reged: 05/16/08
Posts: 182
Loc: Milwaukee, WI
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Here's my first real attempt at sketching. I've done one double star sketch before, but that's it. I've never been able to draw anything, and all my training has come from reading the tutorials here an online. I didn't reverse the image, so the sketch is how I saw it in the eyepiece.
In any case, I'd be glad for pointers. I _want_ to get better...
Chris
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Televue TV85 APO on a Half-Hitch alt-az mount
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perfessor
sage
Reged: 12/30/07
Posts: 499
Loc: Northern Illinois
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Chris, that's a very nice sketch and you have identified both the allure and difficulty in sketching the moon: there's so darn much of it! It's my favorite target.
My advice, such as it is, is to focus in on one small area - one crater plus a small surrounding area. Otherwise, you get dragged all over the map. Not that there's anything wrong with that - just hard to sketch it all.
Keep at it, and show us your work!
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Tom
"Don't always know what I'm talkin about"
8" f/7
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3063
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Chris,
Thank you for posting your first sketch.
If there is a pointer that I would like to mention, it's this: I believe that you have drawn from what your mind told you : craters. And you've drawn circles. You should ingore your brain and focus on what your eyes show : lights and shadows. Try to make abstraction from the features that you see. Behave like a camera, don't think, don't 'draw' conclusions. Loose the craters and focus on the lights and the shadows.If you draw on white paper, focus on the dark features : the shadows. Once you have drawn these shadows, your brain will translate it into : craters.
With the tutorials, you should have a good start.
I'm affraid that there is no quick magical formula available.
I do know that with every sketch, you build up more experience. Maybe you'll feel more comfortable with practicing indoors. Training is good. Even dry training at the kitchen table. So what you can do, is draw from some pictures of the moon, or from DSO objects. These drawings will help you to control the pencil and the eye-brain-hand process. It may sound stupid, but chances are that you'll make lots of errors. And you will learn a lot from these errors. It's like bicycling. The first times, you have to concentrate very hard. But later, it becomes a subconscious process, and you can concentrate better on observing.
And you'll be better prepared for the field sketch. 
There are a lot of helpfull people over here. So if you have any particular question, we'll try to answer it.
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
Edited by rodelaet (10/12/08 06:15 AM)
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Ragaisis
super member
Reged: 05/16/08
Posts: 182
Loc: Milwaukee, WI
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Rony and Tom - thanks for the advice. My next moon sketch (maybe tonight if the weather permits) I'm just going to focus on a single crater and a bit of the surrounding area. Let's see if that helps. And I'll focus on drawing the shadows first and seeing what comes from that.
Thanks!
Chris
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Televue TV85 APO on a Half-Hitch alt-az mount
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3063
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Chris,
I really do look forward to your next sketch.
And tell us how it went.
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
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KI4YUN
sage
Reged: 04/21/08
Posts: 490
Loc: Satsuma, Florida, USA
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My first sketch was of Saturn in June or July when I got my first telescope. The only difference in my sketching is that I use oil and chalk pastels. *I am still the little kid with the crayons except with "grown up" crayons now * I will scan it and post it here in a few minutes.
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-Tristan
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KI4YUN
sage
Reged: 04/21/08
Posts: 490
Loc: Satsuma, Florida, USA
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This was my first sketch ever. I plan on doing more when I get my refractor finished as it will be more comfortable viewing than with my EQ mounted reflector. Well without further adeu wallaah 
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-Tristan
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3063
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Hi Tristan,
Welcome to the forum!
Thank you for sharing your first sketch, and in full color!!
I believe you did a very nice job with that sketch.
Your planet seems to shine brightly in that sketch.
The colors are very nice as well.
Like you say : keep that kid in you drawing. 
Looking forward to more sketches from your hand. 
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
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KI4YUN
sage
Reged: 04/21/08
Posts: 490
Loc: Satsuma, Florida, USA
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Thanks for the compliment. I like pastels with the blending and all that I can do with them. I might try some pencil sketches sometime as well.
Maybe in a week or two I will post some more sketches up after I get my objective from surplus shed.
Edited by KI4YUN (10/12/08 06:15 PM)
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WadeVC
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/02/05
Posts: 2831
Loc: Lodi, California,
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Chris,
I think that a good sketch...easily recognizable and nice use of shading. Well done!
Tristan,
Hey...I like that Saturn sketch. The ringed planet is always a favorite!
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Orion XTi10 f/4.7
Orion XTi8 f/5.9
Meade NGC 70mm f/10
Orion UltraView 10x50 Wide-Angle Binoculars
My Sketch Gallery
My Astronomy Blog
A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top.
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Demelza
super member
Reged: 05/07/06
Posts: 184
Loc: The Netherlands
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My first sketch is made on February 2, last year. It's one frome the Orion Nebula through my 7cm refractor.
Nice topic by the way!
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Take a look at my website: Observing the night sky.
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 3063
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Demelza,
I'm glad that you added your first sketch.
When I compare it with the sketches (M42 in particular) from your webpage, I'm amazed with the progress that you made in one year. 
Keep up the good work!
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Rony
My Astronomical Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
Callibrate your Monitor with this little strip.
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BooBoo
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/21/06
Posts: 1309
Loc: Lancaster, California, USA
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If ever there would have been a time to start sketching it was last night as Io's shadow passed just above Jupiter's GRS. Alas, sketching really is not among my talents.
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BooBoo
aka Barry
"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
Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian
 Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA
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almaach
journeyman
Reged: 11/05/08
Posts: 6
Loc: Barcelona (Spain)
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Hello,
It’s a great post to encourage everybody to start their owns sketches
I’m embarrased, but I hope this help to the beginners. Here is my first scketch. It was M67 on March 2007. I attach my last version as well:
The second one was Saturn...
I’m sorry
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Celestron Nexstar 5i
Celestron Skymaster 15x70
My Gallery
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Erix
Toad Lily
Reged: 12/25/04
Posts: 22337
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Almaach, that's a superb comparison.
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Erika
Automatic doors make me feel like a Jedi.
Zhumell 16", 10" LX200 Classic,Orion ED80, ETX70-AT, DS Maxscope 60mm
My CN Gallery * 2007 July - tracking NOAA10963
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WadeVC
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/02/05
Posts: 2831
Loc: Lodi, California,
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Almaach,
Nothing to be embarrassed about in the least. I think one of the greatest aspects of this thread is to share with and show others our first sketches; and to show, visually, that all of us started somewhere.
For myself (and many others here as well); it isn't the finished product that we enjoy per se, but more so just seeing and sharing in the excitement of others as they attempt their own EP sketches of the wonders of the night-sky.
Thanks for sharing your first sketch with others here.
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Orion XTi10 f/4.7
Orion XTi8 f/5.9
Meade NGC 70mm f/10
Orion UltraView 10x50 Wide-Angle Binoculars
My Sketch Gallery
My Astronomy Blog
A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top.
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Dee
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/12/06
Posts: 738
Loc: Ireland
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I have always had an interest in the beauty of the night sky. I have sketched and painted for as long as I can remember.
For whatever reason these two passions remained separate until 2005. That was the year these two huge loves in my life came together and exploded. I was encouraged by a friend who sketched astronomical objects , so I began with the moon.
Moon phase sketches December 6th ,10th 12th 2005
Pencil EXT 70 12mm eyepiece,29X
At least this telescope had tracking, it was the only thing I liked about it. I started my lunar adventure with this small scope until I bought an 8 inch dob with no tracking , the larger views more than made up for the lack of tracking.
Dee
Edited by Dee (11/09/08 11:00 AM)
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Dee
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/12/06
Posts: 738
Loc: Ireland
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My interest in lunar sketching developed further when I decided to use pastels and conte to do my drawings. Here is a full phase sketch from earlier this year.
January 28th 2008 Waning Gibbous Moon
Lunation 19.60 days 01:35 - 03:42
Pastels and conte on black paper
8 inch dob/ FL 1,200mm/25mm eyepiece /48X
I enjoy full phase sketching
Dee
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