Hello People!
I am back in the New Year, which is already three months old, with a bunch of drawings and a new sketching technique.
In the past, I used to do pencil sketches right at the telescope, scan them, invert them, process them digitally and then post them. While there were some interesting results possible, I was looking for a more natural way of presenting my sketches and I ended up with a combination of white/grey pastel pencils and an ink-pen on black drawing cardboard.
I am still sketching right at the telescope, pencil sketches in my sketchbook, at the same time, I write annotations and observing notes, every detail I see and recognize is in one way or the other put down, either in the pencil sketch or the notes.
Immediately after I come home, I reproduce the sketch with the above mentioned means in a more or less old-fashioned way as accurately as possible - I simply love the results, so much more subtle detail is possible. The only problem is scanning - the sketches simply don't come out as great as in the original - so when you view the presented sketches here, please keep in mind that in reality, the background is not as light, but a lot darker, and that all those white smears and dots are also completely invisible, the objects, however, look very accurate, just as I have drawn and observed them.
Now for the sketches:
1.NGC 2261, Hubbles Variable Nebula:
03/10/2007, Erbendorf (Kegelhaus), Dobsonian 8" f/6, Seeing III, Transparency III, NELM 5m6, Magnification 80x
I couldn't locate this one some time back in December with my 4.5", in the 8", it was clearly visible as a small, bright blur at a low magnification and soon gaining more and more structure and detail, as I was (visually) closing in on it.
2.Messier 64 - Blackeye Galaxy:
03/10/2007, Erbendorf (Kegelhaus), Dobsonian 8" f/6, Seeing III, Transparency III, NELM 5m6, Magnification 80x and 133x
Very interesting object, the black eye was flickering in and out of view, as I was observing it, still, the position and shape was more or less accurately fixable. The white smears are scanning artifacts and not visible in the original drawing.
3.Messier 51 - Whirlpool Galaxy:
03/15/2007, Erbendorf (Steinwald), Dobsonian 8" f/6, Seeing II, Transparency II, NELM 6m2, Magnification 133x
The conditions on this one were very good, even slightly better than noted, I think. Still, a lot of work went into this one, one hour of dark adaption, one hour of solely observing the object and another hour in working up all those details into an accurate pencil sketch and description that could be re-worked at home properly. No additional information was added afterwards, the sketch contains exactly what I had seen. Still, the "bridge" between the Galaxies was flickering in and out of view, same goes for the spiral structure, nevertheless, they were clearly visible. In analogy to a photograph, call the drawing a summary of the impressions of two hours of observing on that particular night and many more hours over the course of several months.
A drawing, I am really proud of, if I may flatter myself that far.
I hope you enjoy my drawings, amongst all those fantastic photographs of yours they are just minor things, nonetheless a lot of work went into them, too.
Well done, Sebastian. The Whirlpool is excellent. I don't know how you can be so patient, but then I feel the same way about the astrophotoimagers too.
I have been sketching occasionally, mainly because it is nice to have something to show for all the time spent outside, and also it helps hone my observing skills. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks a lot to the both of you!
I know the sketch of Lord Rosse, it's fantastic, how accurate he managed to render this galaxy and all of this with equipment, far inferior to most of the stuff we use today!
As for the patience thing: I love visual observing and working on the details - you begin with a blurry white smudge and you end up with a rich, layered and detailed galaxy, the things literally start appearing from nowhere. Time flies, when I do this, two hours feels like nothing, you only realize that you've been sitting for over two hours, when you try to get up!
I echo the others sentiments also, I think your sketches are superb, so much so that I am going to give it a try myself, thank you, you have inspired me
Nice work and it's good to see the art and skill of sketching being promoted. It's a very worthwhile addition to "just observing", it forces you to take notice of minute details, so the experience can be much more rewarding.
Thanks to all of you!
Sketching is indeed a very fine discipline within the field of amateur astronomy, in my opinion.
It's great that people here appreciate it and if someone feels inspired to try for themselves, I guess, I can only be as happy as I can be!
