New to Sketching

[keef_uk]

Hello,

I have actually been lurking on these forums for just over a year - I don't post much but enjoy reading them.

For reasons that are too long and numerous to go into right now I have given up on scoping and astrophotography and going to turn to exploring the night skies with binoculars.

At the moment I have a pair of 10x50 which do a good job and I am pleased with them - however as with everything in this hobby there is always room for improvement so for Christmas my g/f is getting me a pair of 15x70s while Ill go and hunt out a sturdy tripod.

Recently I have been turned on to the field of sketching and going to give it a shot. So I just though I would come and say hello and warn everyone that come 1st Jan 2009 I will be posting my plees for help.

Of course any hints and tips that anyone has now about equipment, techniques etc.. will be greatly received

[The Warthog]

Our own Carol (Talitha) wrote an excellent article on Cloudy Nights, which I cannot find at the moment. Maybe someone would be good enough to post the URL so I can find it again? It was the basis of my own lunar sketching attempts.

[supernova]

Our own Carol (Talitha) wrote an excellent article on Cloudy Nights, which I cannot find at the moment. Maybe someone would be good enough to post the URL so I can find it again? It was the basis of my own lunar sketching attempts.

WH try a pm and ask her

[mik]

Here it is

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=518228&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=all&fpart=1&vc=&PHPSESSID=

Mick

[phillc]

Hello Keef the November issue of Astronomy Now has a Focus Section on sketching, might be worth you having a look, if you have'nt already.

phillc :wave:

[stefski]

Hey Keef,

Always lovely to hear from a fellow (or soon to be) sketcher. I haven't read Carol's article, but if her sketches on this forum are anything to go by than you've gotta read it!

Myself, I have a set of pencils ranging from 2H to 6B, sharpener, red light head torch (yes, I know I look like an id*ot with it on), smudging stick (essential) and a book of sketching paper.

I've picked up a few tricks of the trade here and there. I won't bore you with them here, but PM me if you want!

Stef

[Talitha]

Hi Keith (sorry I missed this somehow :oops: ), it's great to have another sketcher onboard!

From what I understand the 'B' pencils have more graphite in them, and the 'H' pencils have more clay, which is why the 'H' pencils are lighter and harder. The middle of the road (as it were) is the HB. Going lighter from the HB, we have H, 1H, 2H, 3H, 4H etc with the higher numbers having more and more clay, thus getting harder and lighter toned. Going darker from HB, we have B, 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B etc.. each getting darker and softer as the number gets higher.

When I first started out I used a plain school pencil (2B?) and computer paper (still do), and it was more than sufficient till I got curious and wanted to see what 'real' sketching pencils were like. If you decide to get some, practice and see the different results you get with each pencil when using various pressure. After a while you'll decide what works best for you and you might settle on 3 or 4 favorites.

The erasers which work best are hard white ones and kneadable grey ones. The kneadable ones are great for lifting dark layers off of the paper before attempting to use the white one for a clean erasure. The kneadable one can also be worked to a point or knife-like edge, which comes in handy on galaxies, nebulae, the Moon, planets.. anywhere that you might want to 'lift' some graphite off the paper to create a highlight.

There are products called blending stumps and tortillons which you might want to try. They work the graphite into the 'tooth' of the paper and create a softening effect. Depending on the target though, sometimes a thumb does just as well.

An 'eraser shield' is a wonderful device. It's a credit card sized piece of metal with lots of pre-punched openings of various shapes and sizes. If you need to erase a certain area without touching something adjoining it, the shield is placed on the sketch so one of the openings is on the part you want to erase, and the metal covers the part you don't want erased. It might be in the drafting section if it's not in with the art supplies.

Two more things.. an exacto knife to keep a nice straight edge on the hard erasers, and strips of medium sandpaper to keep the blending stumps and tortillons clean. That's about all I can think of for now. Good luck and do let us know if there's any more questions.

WH, thanks for remembering about the thread and Mick, thanks for posting the link. A condensed version of the lunar tutorial has been in my sketches (UK Astronomers) for a while but I've amended my signature line to include a direct link to it.

[keef_uk]

Hello,

Thanks for all your replies - very helpful.

I hope soon to be sketching and to display my results. As I said at the moment I am just going to be using a pair 15x17, but soon I am sure this will be upgraded!

Cheers

Keith