Sketching Out Blog: Sketches of art, watercolor, photos, recipes, books, interviews, Jewish topics, and Highland Park, New Jersey

Drawing: Boy Talks to Fisherman

boy with fisherman
I did a sketch/drawing last Sunday of the boy talking to the fisherman. You can see the first sketch and learn a little about the background of the subject matter: a colored pencil drawing. I keep thinking I should perhaps go back to oils to get more control, especially since I am working on human beings. But oils take a lot of preparation time just to get started painting. Maybe I will try ink and some watercolor. Or some other combination.

Meanwhile, thank you for reading/looking/commenting. If you like, you can take a stab at this question: What the fisherman is thinking?

rutimizrachi says

"I wish I understood what G-d wants from me. Why did He put this kid here now? He looks so much like Mikey. I can see him out of the corner of my eye... but I can't bring myself to look at him. It's too damn soon, G-d, okay?

"He's asking questions just like Mikey used to ask. 'Why does the fish like worms? How long do you have to wait before you catch a fish? Does it scare you when the fish fights?'

"I really can't take this, G-d. Why today? What can I say to this kid? What do you want from me???"

Reply
Leora says

Ruti, enjoying your inventive comments! Who really knows ...

Reply
Laura says

I like the composition, the way that we can see the boy's face and its animation, but the man is turned away so that we just see his back, and not even what his hands are doing. It really captures the feeling of what it is like when an excited and curious child comes up to an adult that is fully absorbed in a task. What does the adult think about? The task they are engaged in? The child's questions? The picture captures the tension between focusing on a task and engaging fully with a child's interest in what you are doing. Maybe the fisherman is pleased with the child's interest and wants to share his knowledge. Like you said, who knows?

Reply
Leora says

I'm enjoying your commentary. Nice to have good descriptive writers as friends ...

Reply
Lorri says

This is a lovely sketch. It seems to me that the man has stopped his fishing, momentarily, while talking with the boy. I like how we can see the boy's mouth open, giving the impression that he is speaking. The man is holding back on the fishing pole, seemingly explaining something to the boy, such as how to use the pole, or holding back in order to listen to the boy. I like the relaxed looking stance of the man.

Good job, Leora! :)

Reply
Leora says

Thank you, Lorri. I enjoy the two "characters."

Reply
Hannah says

It is difficult to tell whether the man is pleased to see a boy who is interested in his activity or eager to resume fishing.
Very nice though!

Reply
Leora says

Funny, I'm thinking he (the fisherman) might be a bit irritated by the boy's persistence, though flattered at the same time.

Reply
Ramblingwoods says

How lucky he is to be alive to enjoy such a day..

Reply
Leora says

A lovely thought.

Reply

Please leave a comment! I love to hear from you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.