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Hi michaellxv,
I find the Moon one of the hardest objects to sketch. Such strong contrast along the terminator, and then such subtlety of shading. It really can be the stuff of where Angels fear to tread!
I find that to get a good representation you need to be just a subtle as a wrecking ball. But gradually. And with a selection of tools.
The trick, I find, is getting the balance between the greyness of our pencils with the blackness of the terminator. Good thing is that this can be done away from the eyepiece.
All I find to improve on your sketch is the strength of the Black. The details are there, but it is disjointed, just like my efforts have been.
Two suggestions:
1: Copy your sketch and, with a charcoal pencil, add the blackness of the terminator and the emptiness of space. The whiteness of the Moon should then really leap out. It really needs this punch. Even photo copy the sketch as this will make the copy more 'black' than grey- then add the charcoal.
The reason I suggest charoal is that it is black, not grey like graphite. Even a decent quality black colouring pencil to start with. Again, it is not grey, nor has that sheen.
2: Now, this one is really out there- Black Indian Ink. It will demand special paper selection so not to run and deform the paper, and a bit of practice to handle Black Indian Ink. You can try a black biro first, but these leave tracks on the paper and as a result of swaging the paper, also leaves a sheen. You can use 'watercolour' paper as it resists running and is prestretched to prevent warping from the water. You might like to also try black acrylic paint too, the stuff that comes in the white tubes in art and some stationery stores, called 'Chromacryl'. Not as runny, but has its own demands, but also best used on water colour paper for its water content.
The added blackness is what is needed to the sketches. The subtlety is there, but you need the brute. The subtle shades needs the graphite touch. The terminator needs its name's sake.
I'll copy some photo to show you what I mean. Will take a couple of days, though.
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