Hi all,
A couple of nights ago the Moon was just shy of being
full. Such a phase means that the
terminator is very close to the Moon’s limb, and all the craters are therefore
very foreshortened. It is a situation
that can provide some stunning drama to the scenery, and presents some
challenges to depict that a more square crater doesn’t have.
Seeing this night was pretty good. A brief scan of the terminator showed some
wonderful sketch candidates. What I
settled on was Pythagoras and the surrounding Moonscape.
For me, the biggest technical challenge I have with these
foreshortened craters is the foreshortening itself. Get the proportions too wrong, and the rest
of the sketch balloons out of proportion.
Too deep, and all the craters become bloated. Too thin, and everything becomes overly
stumpy.
Another interesting aspect about sketching features close to
the limb is that details are much, much finer due to the foreshortening. The tiny craters are all still there. So to the terraced inner and outer walls of
large craters. As are the riles and
valleys. But these tend to hide at first
from view due to the additional glare.
But with time, these features slowly become more apparent, and a once
seemingly bland Moonscape is littered with as much detail as a face on
crater. And then you need to foreshorten
these too!...
This sketch I started with some trepidation. But as it progressed I eased into
foreshortening mode. And now, when I
look back onto this sketch, the drama and stark features make me pause for a
moment and think to myself – “Geeze, did I really lay that sketch down! WOW!”
I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do. I don’t sketch much features close to the
limb. I’m going to have to rectify this.
Alex.
Object: Crater
Pythagoras and surrounds
Scope: C8, 8” SCT
Gear: 8mm LVW, 250X
Date: 20th
April, 2016
Location: Sydney,
Australia
Media: White and grey
soft pastel, charcoal and white ink on A4 size black paper.
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