Some last illustrations

This is the illustration I did for the last issue of children magazine "Einayim".

 I did in a bit different technique - gouache background and pencil lines, combined together in Photoshop.

But I think that my favorite technique in illustration is still watercolor&watercolor pencils - technique I use a lot in on-location sketches as well.
Lately I got for the first time to illustrate the gate for the magazine. It was the "leadership" issue and I was asked to illustrate a bunch of leaders from Israel and the world ;)

Can you draw me?

Last week I finally managed to visit my friend's Aurore new studio at Old Jaffa. As usual, sketching together was one of our plans, so we sat down at the Kikar Kedumim square, which was filled by bright rays of the end of the February sun. 

I tried out my new oil pastels:

And did this very quick watercolor sketch of the opposite side of the square:

Groups of tourists were constantly filling and leaving the square: Japanese, Indian, European Christian... One of the groups that came there was a group of local Arab pupils - they approached us and started with the usual questions: What are you drawing? Why? Who's paying you? When it became clear to them that we're doing it for free and for fun, one the boys asked me to draw him. Of course I agreed, and after I finished, he asked me to sketch one of the girls ( the most beautiful, with the pink scarf). I think they both were happy with the results and they wrote their names in Arabic and Hebrew. 

I love interaction with people on the street, these rear moments make me feel like a real urban sketcher :)

Sunny Sketchcrawl at Jaffa

I upload here my sketches from the last Sketchcrawl at Jaffa, done at that sunny Friday after rain period.
We enjoyed a lot as always - the weather and the nice company!

entrance to the Casino San Remo

the square and the sketchers

Jerusalem Boulevard

 We finished as usual with food and... more sketching ;)

The last and the first

Two sketches - the last and the first of the year.

Celebrating the New Year at the great company of friends: 

Celebrating the 17th birthday of my son with the family:

Wishing you all as much as possible reasons to celebrate in the 2015!

Israeli and German sketchers at Tel Aviv beach

Last Friday we had a spontaneous sketchcrawl with a group of German illustration students and illustrators headed by maestro Felix Scheinberger. We met at Charles Clore Beach in Tel Aviv, and had really wonderful time! It amazes me each time again - how people from so different parts of the world can be united by the same passion, having the same sparkle in the eyes, enjoying company of each other as they where old friends.
The group came to Israel for a special week trip, armed by sketchbooks and artistic tools. It was so great to see how people from the outside see our country, to learn and to share.
And as a fan of Felix Scheinberger works for a long time, I was so delighted to meet him and to sketch in his company!
3 hours of the sketchcarwl flew like a one moment, I barely could sketch something, busy by chatting and looking at others sketchbooks.

Nathan is very concentrated

Felix sketching Pei

At the end Felix and me sketched each other - what a fun way of duel! 

I sketched Felix sketching me ;)

portrait of me by Felix  Scheinberger - so great!

portrait duel!

Israeli and German sketchers - final photo

We ended by a common lunch at Yemen Kerem - nothing could be better ending for this terrific day - perfect weather, perfect company and... perfect hummus!
You can see more photos here and here.

Home sweet home

Here are some recent sketches done without getting out of my home with my usual models - my children and their friends. When I'm sketching at home, I can choose any tools, it's easier to experiment and sometimes to try something less familiar. There is nothing like home :)

Hello my friend!

My friend Aurore went with her family to her homeland, France, for the rest of the summer. 

I'm posting here some sketchers from my sketchbook I didn't upload - done during our last meetings.

Aurore sketching in Sarona

our last evening in Puah with Aurore and Irit

Aurore says: "There is nothing better than bread with butter!" and I add: "and good friends :)"

Already miss you, enjoy your vacation!

At home

Some recent sketches of my family at home - the subject that never bore me :)

 

Two friends - digital and "real" (tools)

Here are two recent sketches of my daughter and her friend. First one done on iPad with Procreate:

Second one - with ink on paper:

There is nothing like "real" tools - you get dirty, you make mistakes (there is no "undo"). But still, digital toys are also nice.

Portraits from the Symposium

As you know, I'm not an architecture kind of sketcher. I do sketch urban environment, it serves me as as a stage for my stories, I even enjoy sketching buildings some time, but my main "heroes" usually are people.
During Symposium intensive days, meeting up with other sketchers - with some of them again and with some of them for the first time - was the most exciting and fun part for me! I wish I could spend more time with each one for sketching and chatting together, and there are so many that I didn't manage to be with, so I need to wait for the next opportunity.
So for now I have with me portraits of some of you in my sketchbook. Thank you all for being a part, miss you and waiting for the next time I could capture you in my sketchbook :-)