Mars
By Sol Robbins
In describing his sketching technique for recent Mars sketches, Sol noted:
It occurs to me that there is a bit of a change taking place in my sketches. One change is in regard to the paper I am using which is very smooth. It is from Office Depot, Super White Platinum Series. That’s in concert with using just a 2H pencil.
Seems like I can get a range of gray tones that are pretty close to each other. These tones are evident in that last couple of Mars sketches which shows my newer ability to render details in light and dark albedo features with more subtlety. This paper accepts and holds on to graphite in a very controllable way.
It holds up well to rubbing when working up details which helps a lot in allowing a wider range of lifting or erasing graphite quickly. Blends smoothly too. Gray tones can be worked up faster.
I guess all of the above just adds up to being able to have a perceivable/scanable depth or richness when working on computer print out paper with a simple pencil. Blending stumps work very well on this paper too.
Its a 20 lb paper and acid free.
Sol just stunning! It blows everything away I have achieved this opposition with my 14″ Newt. Your rendition is exquisite and your seeing must have bettered anything that I have witnessed in the UK too.
Thanks for sharing, Dale
Sol,
Fantastic sketch of the red planet. You certainly have the right combination of tools.
Frank 🙂
Sol,
Great sketchwork *and* observational eye.
Michael