Really really........really dumb question (sketching)

[keef_uk]

Hi,

Is sketching technique simple just jotting down on paper what you can see through the eye piece?

I am no good at drawing without looking at the paper and when I keep looking away to draw I'm getting terrible shake.

Am I being a bit thick or just clumsy?

[Andrew*]

A lot of folk say "I'm no good at drawing". It isn't really drawing - it's more copying. Basically you are using a pencil and paper to record what you see in the eyepiece as objectively as possible.

When I sketch I use a red head torch, and I look in teh EP, check one or two details, then record them on the paper. Look, draw, look, draw etc. As time goes by it gets more and more detailed. Generally a sketch takes 20-40 minutes, depending on its complexity.

Andrew

[Milamber]

You are only using one eye at the EP as well, it's a knack but you can draw and look at the same time.

Arthur

[MartinB]

So how do you represent the bright parts of a lunar crater ie the white bits cos that's what I struggle with.

[Greg]

I had a go a while ago using black card and chalk pencils..

Another facet to the hobby

[Milamber]

Me too, Derwent Pastels on black paper. Makes life easier!

Arthur

[Nightjar]

Representing the white parts of a lunar crater is quite difficult. As Milamber and Greg pointed out, white on black paper would work great but never tried this myself. One method I use is to concentrating on drawing what's not there rather than what's there. In other words, fill in all the dark shadows and grey surface and leave everything else untouched - you let the white paper show through.

And yes, one eye to the eyepiece and the other on the paper, with a lot of winking and blinking in between.

Don't know about you, but don't you find that your sketches look great in the middle of the night under a dim red light, and turn to rubbish in the cold grey light of dawn ?

Keep practising ...

[MrEd]

So how do you represent the bright parts of a lunar crater ie the white bits cos that's what I struggle with.

If i remember, i think a dotted line to represent bright white bits may have sufficed.

Ed

[MartinB]

Some interesting ideas thanks

[Talitha]

Hi Keith, keep looking back and forth like Andrew said. If you're sketching DSOs under a red light, it might help to keep your viewing eye closed while using the other one to sketch but you lose depth perception as a trade-off. Doing this might not bother you, but I find it annoying and always use both eyes even though it takes a bit for the viewing eye to re-adjust to the darkness of the eyepiece again. Doesn't take long, though.

Martin (and anyone else interested), there's a Lunar Sketching Tutorial included in the sketches link in my signature... hope it helps. It's really not as difficult as it might seem, but you do need to practice in order to improve. I've used other techniques but the graphite technique described in the tutorial is the simplest and easiest to learn. (Btw, I gave the white-on-black method a try but found it to be a bit messy.)

Ed, the only time I've ever seen the dotted line technique used is on Mars sketches. Maybe the diffuseness of the lighter albedo areas require an outline to show where the boundaries are... not really sure.

[MartinB]

Thanks Talitha I'll have a look at that tutorial