Lunar Sketch, Craters Catharina, Cyrillus, Theophilus

[markseibold]

I concentrated first on the craters Catharina, Cyrillus, and Theophilus with strained conditions of wind at the drawing table but the shadowed effects were spectacular so I had to persevere. Then Mare Serenitatis with it shadowed ridges. I just learned from checking my moon charts that Apollo 17 landed there in 1972 at the eastern most corner of the mare.
The whole moon image was sketched in as naked eye rather than inverted through the telescope.

Other surrounding details were roughly added. A close-up landscape was decided lastly today.
Telescope used: 10.1" Coulter f/4.5 Newtonian with 32mm plossl and 9.7mm plossl
Seeing was at first medium 6~7/10 with light wind at 10PM PDT June 27th improving to 8~ 9/10 by midnight June 28th.
Stonehenge black pastel paper 22" X 30" with various pastels and Conte hard white chalk.
Mark
www.markseibold.com (http://www.markseibold.com)
My CN Gallery (http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?ppuser=37924&cat=500)

*Edited- I re-photographed the image a few days ago to elliminate the over color caused from north daylight- Mark

[iceman]

Beautiful sketches, Mark.

Do you hang the best ones on your wall?

[astro_south]

Great stuff Mark - I like the different way you present them

[Lumen Miner]

That is REALLY awesome!! I envy your talent.

[markseibold]

Thanks Lumen, Astro, and Iceman

Mike, I really only developed this format a few months ago although I started sketching the moon seriously about a year ago. Posting these works in the Cloudy Nights Forums here in the states really encouraged me when they began to win the monthly contest with participants from around the world. When mine even won the special monthly contest over the astro-photography, I began to wonder where I am going with this. I will entertain any advice from any of you here at Ice In Space. I have lectured about my art works many times. I would hope to find invitations to lecture and possible stipends and hornorariums to travel and lecture to inspire others to sketch and entertain them with a large display to show while I lecture- They are lose and unframed while I lecture with them >


I have only had one matted and framed behind glass to display in a local restaurant called The Observatory- it has historical astronomy photos decorating the walls.

Currently, I do not have a wall space where I stay. The home I designed and built 20 years ago, I just lost in foreclosre last year. You can see that at >
www.myspace.com/marksolarprophet (http://www.myspace.com/marksolarprophet)

(upper right column area)

I am working on a gallery display here in Portland but it will take about $100 per each work to have them all matted and framed.

Mark

[White Rabbit]

very nice, I envy any one with the skill to draw. I myself struggle with stick figures lol.

Sandy

[markseibold]

Sandy

Thanks for the kind words. Actually, contrary to my past response here to Mike, I started sketching when I maybe four or five years age watching my father who was an art major.

However, many will be surprised that with a little patience and practice they to can do exactly what I am doing. It is easy to start as a child because we have no inhibitions early in life. As adults we have built up so many excuses, judgments, political beliefs, reasons that the enjoyment of this over much time spent may not produce an income at it, that we will never see the point of why some do it for just say sheer relaxation and enjoyment.

I would encourage you to try though. Just start by observing and maybe use a graphite pencil to carefully make light scratches onto paper. Do not be concerned about mistakes. Believe me, I have made errors in the first images but you will learn from those errors. Or they can become abstract art. A thought for another discussion later.

Mark

When you go to do art, you must think like a child.
-Pablo Picasso

Do not fear mistakes; there are none -Miles Davis