Astronomical Sketching: A Step-By-Step Introduction

By Richard Handy, David B. Moody, Erika Rix, et al.

2007

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0387262407
• ISBN13: 9780387262406
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: Springer New York
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Solid resource for the astronomical sketch artist

Although I imagine a fair amount of the techniques and approaches in this book are covered in other books on sketching, the focus on astronomical targets is beneficial. The authors go over various targets from the moon to galaxies to star clusters both open and globular, and techniques from graphite pencil sketching to charcoal and colored pencil work. Very solid resource, and one of the only on the subject of astronomical sketching. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to pursue sketching of the moon, planets, and other heavenly subjects.

What choice do you have? It's one of a kind.

Let's face it, not many people are into astronomical sketching. But for those who are this is THE book. I know of no other book quite like it. I've been to most of the web sites on astronomical sketching. They can be very helpful. In fact, I learned later that several of the web sites I found most helpful were by the authors of this book! Websites help, but, even the web sites are incomplete. Sketching is covered regularly in various astronomy magazines. Those articles are also helpful, but it would take years for them to cover the material covered in this book. If you want to try your hand at Astronomical Sketching, you need this book to get you started.

Great starters book on Astro sketching

Approaches to different subjects are well set out. Inclusion of some information on digitizing would be useful but internet web-sites are listed that provide some further discussion and instruction about that by the authors. Tips and techniques are spread throughout different chapters. Perhaps it would have been better to have them presented in one section but it's not a big issue.

Good book for advanced or beginner astronomers

I was already familiar with most of the material in this book. If you have any art training you probably already know the techniques. The strength of this book is the detail given on how to use art techniques to draw astronomical objects! Even if you know little about art it is detailed enough to get you started at a high level of sketching at the eyepiece.