I have 1 page left in my sketch and note book!

[Alan White]

After being convinced by fellow SGLers to start noting my observations and sketching in January this year.
I have been busy making notes and sketching, many of which have been posted here.

Well having just written up my rough notes from a solar session to go with the sketches, I note I have 1 full page left before I hit the back of my A5 pad.

This brought a big smile to my face, not because its nearly full and I am done, oh no,
but because its nearly full and I have:

1. Had great fun.
2. Improved my observing skills by a large factor.
3. Managed to move from badly sketched to not too badly sketched through the pads life.
4. Realise just how much I have been out with a scope, when I thought I had not done so.
5. Realised I need to work on my Lunar sketches, they are dire!

I have now bought 2 further pads, one A5 and the same as the one I have used (i like sets) and one A4 because I think I need more space.
Now the quandary is which pad next?

So thanks to MikeDnight, Moonshane, DRT and others for the encouragement at the start, thank you all so much   Alan
 

I can only encourage others to try the same.

[Moonshane]

I have never produced anything I would dare put on SGL in terms of lunar sketches mine are dire too.

Keep enjoying your sketches  and I agree with all you say ?

[Charic]

I bought some Derwent  graphic products in order to sketch something, not necessarily astro, but their still boxed at present!
Roll on full retirement! A few Years yet, but hopefully a swing in the weather patterns by then to allow more nights under the stars. 

[Alan White]

21 minutes ago, Charic said:

I bought some Derwent  graphic products in order to sketch something, not necessarily astro, but their still boxed at present!
Roll on full retirement! A few Years yet, but hopefully a swing in the weather patterns by then to allow more nights under the stars. 

Charic,
you don't need to wait for retirement!
Pencil and paper is all that is needed to get going, go on give it a go.
Derwent pencils, very nice, were once made in Keswick in Borrowdale.

[Moonshane]

Agreed.  This page took about 30 minutes. Just do it!

[Pete Presland]

I wish i could draw as well as the images sketched on here, sketching seems so much more personal/individual than imaging. I do keep records, but being very "heavy handed" me and art pencils..... 

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, Pete Presland said:

I wish i could draw as well as the images sketched on here, sketching seems so much more personal/individual than imaging. I do keep records, but being very "heavy handed" me and art pencils..... 

Pete, I am very heavy handed as well, but don't care as it's another bit of fun and adds to my observing record.

[Moonshane]

I am nothing special but have a process.

I might try a do a little vid to show my method.  Compared with some of the real artists on here my efforts are mire functional than artistic but make my notes more interesting. ?

[Charic]

So many of us state were not the best when it comes to drawing , whereas others were born gifted to draw, but unless your viewing the Planets or our Moon, there's really nothing to 'draw' that requires any great skill, and after all, any drawing you produce is your own interpretation, your own artistic licence. If the drawing looked pant's, you would not display it.

When I said "nothing to Draw"  one tutorial I saw basically covered the Stars?   the  simple task of just adding  graphite dots on a piece of white paper,  inside a circle, bordering the field of view, some dots larger than others, spaced and scaled accordingly, but very little artistic skill/detail if any, is required to draw a Star!

However, their full beauty is only realised by scanning your drawing  into software of your choice and using the colour inversion tool? 
Your left with  White Stars on a Black background! Yeah! a further smudge here and there with your blending tool, maybe a touch of colouration (not all Stars are pure white) there you have it, but too date, I have not tried to draw any of the Planets? A bigger image from my scope would help/encourage, as would being able to see the Planets in the first place from my observatory!

[mikeDnight]

On 10/08/2017 at 21:02, Alan White said:

Charic,
you don't need to wait for retirement!
Pencil and paper is all that is needed to get going, go on give it a go.
Derwent pencils, very nice, were once made in Keswick in Borrowdale.

There's a Derwent Pencil Museum in Keswick, or at least there used to be. I took my kids there in 2001 for what I thought was a fascinating experience. The lady who sold us our entry tickets refunded our money after seeing the disappointment on the faces of my boys. It was a win win for me, as I was thrilled to see a giant Derwent pencil and then to get my money back just added to a memorable day. I'm easy suited! There was even a Derwent Pencil van parked outside that looked like something off Wallace and Grommet. Gosh I'm boring!!!

[mikeDnight]

That's a nice write-up with excellent results Alan. I'm so glad you're enjoying sketching so much. 

[Alan White]

3 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

There's a Derwent Pencil Museum in Keswick, or at least there used to be. I took my kids there in 2001 for what I thought was a fascinating experience. The lady who sold us our entry tickets refunded our money after seeing the disappointment on the faces of my boys. It was a win win for me, as I was thrilled to see a giant Derwent pencil and then to get my money back just added to a memorable day. I'm easy suited! There was even a Derwent Pencil van parked outside that looked like something off Wallace and Grommet. Gosh I'm boring!!!

Mike

You are quite correct, the museum is on the old pencil factory site, used to be across the road years ago,

I remember the giant pencil as a child and then showing my own children a number of years ago.

The whole area was badly flooded a while back, the museum was as well I believe.

The site was being refurbished this Easter when I was last in Keswick, which for me is much like home having spent so much time in the place over the years.

To be really sad, Derwent used to have a small pencil shop near the Moot Hall run by Mum and Daughter, loved the place, always got a pencil with my initials embossed in gold leaf each summer as a kid.

The pencil shop is now further up the road and round to the left, sadly Mum and Daughter have both passed away.

and you thought you were being sad Mike! 

[Moonshane]

Not all sketches are good ?

[Beulah]

On 8/10/2017 at 20:39, Charic said:

I bought some Derwent  graphic products in order to sketch something, not necessarily astro, but their still boxed at present!

Gordon Bennett, I thought I was the only one.

I also same same Derwent products plus a ton of arty goodies a friend gave me to encourage me to get back into what I was professionally trained for.

@Alan White, my hat is off to you for getting out there and recording stuff in a way that enhances your observational skills - I tend to sloppily bash out a Word document over breakfast but you have challenged me to blow the dust off the art stuff.

[Alan White]

Beulah glad you are picking up the challenge, enjoy because that's what it's about.

[Charic]

I'm sure this was the original YTV that inspired my initial interest, and discussed the issue of converting the image from the negative drawn to the positive finished  article.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDC3R39AcSA

I've also just had a flashback  memory of Benidorn where street artists drew some spectacular 'Space' images using car spray paint. 

[Moonshane]

I can do the inversion on my phone now too ?

[Richard Hather]

There's no doubt sketching is one of the best ways to become a much more observant visual observer and get a beautiful memory on paper that is very personal to each observer.

Im so happy you've finished your sketch book I've got a long way to go my 1 sketch a session approach is truly making it last ?

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, Richard Hather said:

There's no doubt sketching is one of the best ways to become a much more observant visual observer and get a beautiful memory on paper that is very personal to each observer.

Im so happy you've finished your sketch book I've got a long way to go my 1 sketch a session approach is truly making it last ?

I think you will find my book was quite a small A5 one Richard.

[Richard Hather]

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

I think you will find my book was quite a small A5 one Richard.

I've just checked and mine has 140 pages I think I'm over halfway though but I reckon it will see me through winter... probably ?

[Alan White]

On 13/08/2017 at 19:34, Richard Hather said:

I've just checked and mine has 140 pages I think I'm over halfway though but I reckon it will see me through winter... probably ?

Richard, 

based on the past years weather, it may last longer than you expect!

[Richard Hather]

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

Richard, 

based on the past years weather, it may last longer than you expect!

Good point Alan, last years winter was atrocious but I'm hoping it was a one off ?

[Alan White]

9 minutes ago, Richard Hather said:

Good point Alan, last years winter was atrocious but I'm hoping it was a one off ?

So are all the members of SGL I would think.