sketching equipment

[lepus]

I've been thinking about which imaging route to go down and I've decided to go give myself a bit of a challenge (a challenge because I'm no artist!) and go down the sketching route.

So this a question for all you sketchers out there what equipment do you recommend for a newbie sketcher?

Kelly

[yeti monster]

Hi Kelly,

I certainly don't consider myself to be an artist either.

What I use is anything that comes to hand to make a prliminary sketch at the EP or of the view if I'm just using MKI eyeball.

I try to get as much detail, with annotation, as possible. I'll use pen/pencil & paper, if possible a clipboard too.

A red lamp to retain night adjustment is a good idea too.

Once I have made the preliminary sketch, I can then make an e-skectck using Gimp at my lesiure, although th sooner the better to get it while it's fresh.

I did buy a small sketching set whilst I was looking at Lidls 10x50 binoculars the other week, which will become part of my observing kit.

[Andrew*]

You don't need much tbh.

I use a ring-bound plain A5 notebook from WHSmith as my observing/sketching book and just use that - don't need fancy drawing paper I don't think. I use graphite pencils in a range of hardnesses, and a plastic rubber and a putty rubber. I just use an eyepiece cap or similar to make FOV circles, and an ordinary pencil sharpener.

Other useful things are a blending stick/stump/tortillon for smoothing and blending the pencil marks, and a stanley knife for sharpening a corner on your eraser to rub out finer things. Also, a can of hairspray or artist's fixative to seal the work afterwards and avoid smudging.

You can also experiment with other media - chalk on black paper, pastels etc., but I find graphite easiest to work with.

HTH

Andrew

[Bizibilder]

Hi lepus

I use an A5 clipboard (Tesco's sell 'em) and an HB pencil for my sketching. I fold a piece of A4 paper in two and, for planets, draw several 2" circles on it. I then put "bits" of my drawing in each of the circles (if that makes sense!!) along with notes around the outside. As soon as I get in I redraw the sketch with pencils (H to 6B and coloured if required). I may then do a "refined" sketch with either pencils or GIMP (software).

For the Moon I go prepared with an outline sketch of the feature of interest that I trace from an image taken from virtual Moon Atlas (free software). This takes into account most of the libration effects on crater shape for example. I sketch with HB pencil and lots of (very scrappy!) notes around the drawing. Again I redraw as soon as I can while the image is still fresh in my mind.

So I can see what I'm doing I bought a musicians light and superglued a bit of red filter over the bulb - It works well. I'm no graet artist but the methods here work for me - all I've got to do now is practice, practice..........

Hope this helps.

[yeti monster]

I think the best part about astro-sketching is that you are physically in touch with the subject, even more so than whilst visually observing. As you make your sketch at the EP, you are studying the FOV, imprinting into your memory.

[part timer]

I use a random selection of soft and hard pencils and whatever pad of paper is cheapest when the last one gets full up. I also have a red covered head torch to keep my hands free.

I have zero artistic ability so my sketches are never very good but they do focus the mind so well that you really see so much more.

Like Andrew I use an eyepiece cap to sketch out the field of view. I also draw round the bottom of an eyepiece to get a blank disc for planets.

I've tried the moon but I have to admit that there is too much detail for my very limited skills and so now I tend to stick to the planets and deep sky.

[DarkerSky]

I think the best part about astro-sketching is that you are physically in touch with the subject, even more so than whilst visually observing. As you make your sketch at the EP, you are studying the FOV, imprinting into your memory.

Definately agree with that. It can be a very personal jouney among the stars...and you really don't need to be an artist

I use a range of 12 sketch pencils from WHS, eraser and standard inkjet printer paper. The sketch circle I use is a standard printout of the asteroid observing form off the SPA forum!! I have used 130gsm Daler Cartridge paper before, but found it too difficult to work with as the fibre of the paper deformed when the eraser was used too much. Plus I was using a compass to plot the circle, which left a star-like hole at the centre of the image!

The other thing I find is that it is easier to sketch in dim white light rather than red. I preserve my night vision in my observing eye (left) and sketch by my right eye.

As Yeti says translating the FOV to sketch imprints the view in your brain. You get very good at judging distances and angles between stars in the EP.

Drawing galaxies I find the trickiest as you're looknig to try and duplicate graduated light. Always good to start off with the lightest pencil you can and build up layers using progressively darker pencils

For final effect, scan your sketch in to your computer and invert it to negative using some photo software. That gets you the white on black background, so making it a truer representation of what you see at the EP

[Andrew*]

The musician's light is a very good idea. I have a book light lying around doing nothing - why have I never thought to use it???

I've tried the moon but I have to admit that there is too much detail for my very limited skills and so now I tend to stick to the planets and deep sky.

I know that feeling very well. My approach was to go high power and pick a small, fairly simple object, and if I have time, expand outwards. Only if you have a motorised mount of course...

[Paul G. Abel]

Hi Kelly,

Don't worry about having no artistic talent; I haven't any either! The main way to think about about drawing at the telescope is draftsmanship- it's no more art than a circuit diagram is art! The main thing to be concerned about is objectivity and accuracy!

It is important to remember that learning to see what is there is as important recording it accurately. For the moon & planets I find it best to scan the object layer by layer; the more you ask your eyes 'what you can see' the more they will respond!

Equipment wise, a clipboard and redlight is useful. A selection of hard pencils and a smudge stick as mentioned above is useful for making features blurred and indestinct. You should also invest in a couple of notebooks; one to record your rough observations in at the telescope and another for final neat observations. You'll find visual observing very rewarding indeed; there is nothing like becoming familiar with another world!

Best wishes,

-Paul.

[Talitha]

Hi Kelly, i use computer paper cut into 5x7 sheets, and secure them onto a small clipboard. The three inch circles are drawn onto the sheets by tracing a hole cut into a sturdy index card. By aligning the card onto the upper end of the cut paper, the circles are always in exactly the same place... looks neater that way.

Btw, be careful when using pre-printed circles. A number of years ago, a small trickle of dew ran onto a sketch and liquified the printed ink, completely ruining a 2 hour Posidonius sketch.

The pencils i use are 3H, H, HB, B, and 3B. The H, HB, and B are used the most.. it's amazing how many different shades of grey can be accomplished by varying the pressure. The 3H is used for very dim stars in complex open clusters, and the 3B is used for deep lunar shadows. A 9B was used for a while, but being so soft, it gave off 'dust crumbles' which smeared quite readily if accidentally touched.

Standard blending tools and erasers are used, and illumination is from a red headlamp covered with a few layers of white 'sports tape'. The tape diffuses the light and eliminates the spotlight effect. It also dims the intensity.. the more layers, the dimmer the output is.

Part Timer, don't let lunar sketching intimidate you. Whether drawing a simple study or a complex sketch (see below), it's the basic information that counts. There's no right or wrong, just relax and do whatever you feel comfortable with.

[lepus]

Thanks for the good advice everyone it is very much appreciated. I think a trip into good old Smiths is needed at some point this week!

Bizibilder and Talitha thanks for sharing your sketches they are certainly something to aspire too. Hopefully some day soon I can share my sketches with you.

Clear skies

Kelly