Moon, Rupes Recta (straight wall) area

[Mike JW]

Hi, two nights ago it was a very clear, steady night which lent itself to a lunar sketch in twilight, to then switch to observing doubles in a moonlit sky. I do the rough outline at the eyepiece to then complete it at my leisure later. Scanning the sketch, never makes black truly black so I blacken it in photoshop.  I love the "straight wall" area for sketching - so much going on that I don't know where to stop - find myself sketching the dark side of the moon????? The straight wall is always easy to spot but on this occasion the nearby fault running from crater Birt was easily spotted. Careful inspection of the surface at the end of the fault line showed what looked like a dome structure (totally failed to be able to sketch it) - possible volcano? At the eyepiece various hints of submerged craters/swamped craters by lava flows could be seen. Wonderful area to wander around. Mike

 

 

Edited May 14, 2019 by Mike JW

[CraigT82]

Lovely sketch! I like the way you've done the rough ground around the outsides of the craters 

[des anderson]

Amazing sketch!!! Not overcrowded with detail but just right. Des

[Trikeflyer]

Great sketch.  I also did a sketch of this area the other night but compared to yours, mine looks like a 3 year old did it!🤣

Thanks for sharing,

Steve

[Mike JW]

Hi Steve, my sketches are an hour at the eyepiece followed by a couple of hours afterwards. No doubt yours are a good representation but in a different style. I enjoy seeing folk's different approaches, so no need to hide your skills. Thanks for your comment. Mike

[mark81]

Very nice sketch Mike. Great detail 

[maw lod qan]

Very nice! I'm in awe with those that can sketch so nice.

I feel lucky to sign my name the same twice. 

[Trikeflyer]

5 hours ago, Mike JW said:

Hi Steve, my sketches are an hour at the eyepiece followed by a couple of hours afterwards. No doubt yours are a good representation but in a different style. I enjoy seeing folk's different approaches, so no need to hide your skills. Thanks for your comment. Mike

Thanks Mike for your supportive comments  I decided to share this. It’s my first ever sketch of anything really, let alone anything lunar. I did this the other night. Probably took me half an hour, 15 mins at the eyepiece and 15 mins afterwards. Hopefully with practice there will be some positive development of my sketching skills! 

Steve 

[Mike JW]

Hi Steve, Glad you have posted your sketch. Easily recognized and I would be proud of it. Keep it and as you do others in this style you will build up a lovely record of your "visits to the moon" My first lunar sketch was pathetic - long thrown away. I keep meaning to teach myself other techniques. My technique takes too long as I fiddle over detail but at the eyepiece it does force me to really look hard and see the detail. Have fun and post more sketches. Mike

[Lurcher]

Brilliant sketch Mike. Is that Charcoal you've used? I keep meaning to have a go with those again. Nice crazing effect between the craters as CraigT82 has said. How do you achieve that? Looks like a special paint effect.

Looks like a good area. I stupidly keep drawing the same areas! (I'll show you what I mean later). Thanks for posting. Can you remember what magnification were you using?

And if you don't mind me taking this opportunity to also say . . . . 

11 hours ago, Trikeflyer said:

I decided to share this.

Yeahhhh! Thanks for posting Steve. Nothing wrong with that at all. A nice clean and crisp sketch.

[Mike JW]

Hi Lurcher?  I use a mix of 6b,4b,2b, pencils or what ever is to hand. For the the very dark areas I use 6b graphite pencils. I am also experimenting with small dark areas by going over with black ink or felt. I have used charcoal and for me it is one big mess. Crazing effect - pencil ( HB or H) - a series of squiggle marks to give the impression of crags/rocks. To achieve the smooth effect I use blending stumps, to smooth/soften the shading. You may not believe this but I am not an artist (thrown out of art at school). It was sheer dogged determination that I taught myself this style for lunar drawing, ask me draw anything else and I have little idea.

As to keep drawing the same area - so do I. Below are my previous visits to the straight wall. Never see the same thing twice?  Magnification was about x 100. Sometimes I might up the magnification just to be sure of some detail. Mike