Poor transparency started the session and I was standing there next to the Big Fella
with disbelief showing across my face…no doubt the Big Fella’s face too, but the
dew shield was hiding his expressions from me. I took another swig of my tea and
said to heck with it, a few thin clouds aren’t going to get the best of me…not
after all that time setting up. So I pulled up my socks, changed the expression on
my face to determination and began my date with the Big Fella. Destination Moon.
I had already printed out VMA’s globe showing ideas for tonight’s session. But
peering the terminator and then working my way East, the Big Fella kept tugging me
to a triplet of craters just south of the border and a stone’s throw from the
terminator. It sure did look familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Rays were streaking the surroundings like a burst of light just itching to break
free from the crust. And inside the main crater a peak so high and creviced that it
looked like a mini mountain reaching up to soak in the sunshine. If I walking in
that crater, I could easily have scaled the terraced walls, as well defined as they
were this night.
But wait…there wasn’t that much detail at first! I pulled free of the Big Fella
and looked up. The clouds were gone!
At this stage, I’ll end the actual tour to fill you in on what really excited me.
After I walked the Big Fella to his door (ok, so that door happens to be downstairs
from my door) I checked out on VMA what the mystery craters were. Of course…it
was Bullialdus and his two sisters A & B. Quickly flipping through my journal, I
came across this sketch I did with the Little Fella 6 months ago!
With that burning mystery put out, I was free to eat my supper, realizing that I had
forgotten all about the Enchiladas I cooked earlier. Big Fella was too cheap to
take me out for a meal…guess I can’t complain though, he gave me a grand tour on
the moon.
Erika Rix
Zanesville Ohio
Extra image from url:
Rite in Rain sketching paper, blending stump, stick of charcoal, charcoal stick in a
wooden holder.
Sketch Image courtesy Springer Science and Business Media, LLC from “Astronomical Sketching: A Step-by-Step Introduction” (2007)
Oh- my – God! is it a sketch??? or a photo!??
Congratulations! sensational.
Well, I’m gonna say something, as soon as I have my jaw back, it just dropped WAYS into the distance…
Sebastian
Thank you, Leonor and Sebastian. Charcoal is my favorite medium and although I’ve heard it said before that charcoal can’t realistically be used at the eyepiece, I have to disagree. The dynamic range of charcoal makes it wonderful to work with. And because it isn’t shiny, there is no glare to hinder me at night from the glow of the lamp on my sketchpad.
If anyone is interested in charcoal sketching, the full tutorial for this sketch is found in the Springer Science and Business Media, LLC from “Astronomical Sketching: A Step-by-Step Introduction” (2007) mentioned above. 🙂
With kind regards,
Erika Rix
Erika,
This is truly a great sketch.
Frank