Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums
Privacy Policy |
Please read our Terms
of Service | Signup and
Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User
James Pierce
member
Reged: 08/11/09
Posts: 10
|
|
I must confess to feeling rather nervous about even posting this - I've never been interested in astro imaging (why bother when you can't beat the Hubble, plus it's super expensive and time consuming). But sketching does appeal, some of the sketches I've seen in books have me a little inspired. Anyway, here's my first attempt, just a little northern part of the moon, near the terminator tonight. The large mare is Crisium.
Curious what people think and how I can improve ? Something I've already realized is quite hard is keeping the relative scale of craters etc correct. Plus every time I looked back at the eyepiece I felt like there was a new detail I'd somehow completely missed.
|
vennard
member
Reged: 12/29/08
Posts: 47
Loc: Montana
|
|
James,
You have done exactly what sketching is all about, and , as you mention in your comments, already realized the difficulty of drawing a dynamic system. The moon is ever changing and the more you look the more you see.
You can improve by doing more. As you continue to draw you will continue to figure out what is important to show and what isn’t. Your ability to put marks where you want, and those lines you draw will mechanically improve. You already demonstrate a style that is free and easy, something a lot of artists do only after many years of sketching (or never). There are so many techniques that one can become obsessed with trying, that the art of sketching becomes lost in the rush to draw. Keep what you have and make it yours. I would like to do what you can do I am a bit envious.
You need to concentrate on a smaller or a specific area, to help you pick up more detail in your drawings and the drawing will start to look more finished, but I would advise against it, for your style , right now, is delightful and will please you later on as you look back on what you have done. Keep up the good work and keep posting.
Mike
|
JanisR
newbie
Reged: 06/26/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Pennsylvania
|
|
Looks like a great start to me!
--------------------
JanR
My CN Gallery
|
perfessor
sage
Reged: 12/30/07
Posts: 499
Loc: Northern Illinois
|
|
James, that is a great sketch. Not only have you captured a piece of rugged beauty, but you have described the sketching process, and the problems involved, very well. I could really identify with your frustration (if that is the right word) over relative scale, and level of detail. I wrestle with these problems every single time I sketch.
It helps me if I think of each sketch as a study, a practice piece. I can forgive myself for any “mistakes”, because the next one will be better!
For the relative scale and placement of objects, don’t be afraid to erase and redraw a line. Gradually you will become better at judging these things, it’s all part of the learning curve.
You speak of details emerging as you draw – this is exactly why I love it! As you train your eye to pay attention to the tiny details, you see more and more of them. Ask any sketcher, they will say that it improves their observing skills. So, welcome to the club!
I look forward to seeing more of your sketches in the future.
--------------------
Tom
"Don't always know what I'm talkin about"
8" f/7
|
kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4551
Loc: Jacumba, California
|
|
Wonderful first sketch James! 
Great advice from Mike and Tom. I might add that the more you sketch, the better your control of the medium. That linked to the more intense concentration on the details as a result of being compelled to render what you observe will improve your sketching abilities over time. As Mike said, you already display a wonderful "free and easy" style, and that will undoubtably become more refined as you gain more experience. You're off the a great start with this view of Mare Crisium and environs. 
--------------------
Rich
My CN Gallery
|
frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4087
Loc: Illinois
|
|
James,
You have received much good advice above. I think your sketch is wonderful and your style is too.
Some of the folks here do take astro images but most here rather sketch every chance they get.
You can look at the moon through a telescope but you will begin to see the moon when you try to sketch it as you so aptly pointed out in your last sentence. You will begin to see how good this sketch really is as you continue sketching. And please do continue and bring them here for us to see. This is a great start.
Frank 
--------------------
my gallery
|
markseibold
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/19/08
Posts: 1084
Loc: Portland Oregon
|
|
Quote:
... I've never been interested in astro imaging (why bother when you can't beat the Hubble, plus it's super expensive and time consuming). But sketching does appeal, some of the sketches I've seen in books have me a little inspired. Anyway, here's my first attempt, just a little northern part of the moon, near the terminator tonight. The large mare is Crisium.
James-
Excellent sketch and excellent text to tell the process.  It's as if you are trying to teach in your first post and in your final lines, that is the very thing which you did when you stated the following >
Quote:
... Plus every time I looked back at the eyepiece I felt like there was a new detail I'd somehow completely missed.
Many will never try sketching because they do not literally 'see' the process and/or fear their own expectations. Further, many others 'think' that the photographic process is doing the same. You transcended that right from the beginning.
It is not necessarily the final product but the process you saw "every time you looked back" while working on the sketch, as you said. Your words here today should be sent to every education system, art class and teacher across the world as this is the artistic process that is so dearly missed and misunderstood by many educators. Human kind would sooner perish without exercising this process yet many across the world do not know it.
Well done; I look forward to seeing your progress, and next sketch work.
Mark
www.markseibold.com
My CN Gallery
|
James Pierce
member
Reged: 08/11/09
Posts: 10
|
|
Thank you all for the positive comments, society has lost something very important with it's 'need for speed'. I work professionally as a photographer and see this all the time, make it digital, make it fast and make it convenient... Perhaps rather than making it good, or letting images have a little soul.
Another clearish night tonight and another few attempts. I am enjoying a new challenge for sure.
Edited by James Pierce (09/24/09 07:28 AM)
|
frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 4087
Loc: Illinois
|
|
James,
These are excellent additional sketches. You have the light/dark/intermediate shading down pat.
Your words are so true.
What kind of telescope and magnification (eyepiece) are you using?
Frank
--------------------
my gallery
|
CarlosEH
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 4140
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
|
|
James,
Welcome to the Cloudy Nights Sketching Forum. Your initial observations/renderings of the Moon are excellent, even by experienced observer standards. You have correctly placed the craters relative to each other and used proper shading as well. These are two things that many new observers/artists fail to do. You have received excellent advice above. The main thing is to continue practicing making observations/. You will see an improvement in little time. Thank you for sharing them with us all.
Carlos
--------------------
|
Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Posts: 1821
Loc: Chicagoland
|
|
Very nice lunar sketches, keep up the good work, thanks for sharing.
|
|
0 registered and 1 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: Charlie Hein, cildarith
Print Thread
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Thread views: 232
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
