PINK FLAMINGOS, rachel stoleru, רחל סטולרו

IF - giant

2010-07-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

This illo is part of a personal project I'm working on, inspired by the fairytale The little Goldfish, also known as The Fisherman and The Golden Fish.
The fisherman's wife, once a poor woman, turns herself into an honorable lady, a king and a pope, but her hunger for power can't be satisfied.
Done with acrylic on brown paper. If you feel like it, click to enlarge :)

IF: adrift

2010-02-14T03:56:00.000-08:00

Ten years was Odysseus lost at sea , because of Poseidon's resentment. I drew him sitting on the shore of Calypso's island, wishing for a ship to pass.

Acrylic on cardboard. The colors came out off because of the scan :-(

15.02.10 - update:

The illo felt unfinished to me, so I continued working on it. I think the colors are better here:

IF: focused

2010-02-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Lunch, anyone?

click to enlarge.

IF: clumsy

2010-01-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Not the most original illo, I know, but my son has recently started walking, and I couldn't get this image out of my mind.

I've decided to post the sketch as well, because there's something about the loose line that was lost in the process, especially in the face. Faces are difficult.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Spoiled Princess

2010-01-21T00:22:00.001-08:00

IF: renewal

2010-01-04T12:18:00.000-08:00

click for a larger view

relationship

2009-11-20T13:49:00.000-08:00

Update: I've added translation after each picture

she: Great, I'm done!

she: you're so pretty...

she: I love u!

she: But I must leave u...

she: I have to work on something else

she: What did u say? only one minute?

she: Oh, o.k. ... you're so pretty!

He: She left

He: Did u hear what she said about me?

He: She thinks I'm pretty!

He: She loves me!

He: Oh, when will she come again?

24 hours later:

He: Here she comes! Finally!

He: I'm so happy!

She: hmm

She: -----

She: Oh boy

She: What was I thinking?

She: You really suck!

She: This isn't what I meant at all

She: I can't look at u

She: I never want to see u again

He: I don't understand what happened

He: What have I done wrong

He: I've always wanted the best for her

He: My life is over

One year later:

She: Oh, hello!

She: Haven't seen u for a long time

She: I forgot how u look like

She: Not bad at all

She: Actually, pretty good!

She: You're so pretty...

He: Yeah, yeah, I know all about it

He: Leave me alone, you freak

IF: unbalanced

2009-11-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

I've also updated my previous entry, blur. Your thoughts are most appriciated.

IF - blur

2009-11-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

Finally, after a long absence, I've created something for IF. Good to be back :)

17/11 Update:
I've continued working on the illo, trying a slightly different approach. Here's the finished version, I'ld love to hear your thoughts.

IF: Instinct

2009-02-22T00:41:00.001-08:00

He only wanted to ask for directions, but everyones' instinct was to RUN...
Pencil sketch, digital color

family-trivia

2009-02-18T05:25:00.000-08:00

IF: celebrate

2009-02-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

Pencil & digital.

IF: time

2009-02-08T12:14:00.001-08:00

One of the things that happen once you become a mom is that your time perception changes. This is the new time: sleeping time, crying time, feeding time...

IF: Flawed

2009-02-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

IF: climbing

2009-01-28T08:50:00.001-08:00

Jack is climbing up the beanstalk :)
This was done entirely digital.

IF: pale

2009-01-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

This is an old sketch which I never quite knew what to do with... till this IF's theme came along.
Technique: pencil sketch and digital coloring.

IF: contained

2009-01-16T00:08:00.001-08:00

My loved ones are contained within my heart
Colored pencils.

IF: Resolve no.2

2009-01-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

Life confronts us with such complicated problems.
Colored pencils. Don't forget to click for the bigger version.

IF: resolve

2009-01-02T13:42:00.001-08:00

... Or not?
Once again, colored pencils, and my molsekine.
Click for a bigger image.

IF: Clandestine

2008-12-29T23:57:00.001-08:00

Mid-day, somewhere in the city-park,
a bench, a newspaper, a duck.

Colored pencils in my moleskine. Click to see it bigger (if you feel like it :)).

IF: voices

2008-12-19T13:47:00.001-08:00

I'm a new mom - my son was born a month & a half ago - and since than everyone keeps giving their advice, wanted or not...
My husband ignores them, but for me it's very difficult and I find myself thinking about it over and over again. Sometimes it seems to me as if everyone has gone crazy, and I'm the only logical person left, and sometimes I feel as if I'm the crazy one.

This was done (while breastfeeding) with colored pencils in my moleskine.

IF: similar

2008-12-11T01:02:00.000-08:00

IF: Opinion

2008-11-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is my dog's opinion on our relationship.
Quick digital sketch... no time for more :-(

IF: Wise

2008-11-09T13:30:00.001-08:00

Double entry this week:

This is an old and wise woman. It was inspired by my grandmother, who is a very special lady.

These two come to show that wisdom and old age don't always go hand in hand :)
Or is it the other way around - maybe you need to stay young at hurt in order to be wise?

IF: Vacant

2008-11-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

Digital doodle.

IF: Repair

2008-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Pencil drawing, color added in photoshop.

IF: Late02

2008-10-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

What was the first thing that sleeping beauty said to her prince?
This is my second entry this week. It's just a sketch, I hope someday I'll turn it into a proper illo.
Click to see it BIGGER.

IF: Late

2008-10-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is me. I'm always late.

IF: Strings

2008-10-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

This weeks' theme turned out to be very easy - I had a few illustrations that seemed fitting and I only had to choose. I might upload some of the others later on this week. I did learn from it that strings are something that appears a lot in my work, physically or conceptually. An interesting discovery for me :)
Click to see it BIGGER!

Update - I forgot to explain the technique: I mixed in a plastic plate some acrylic paint with plastic glue and flower.I applied it on simple brown cardboard to create a dark textured surface. I used acrylic to paint over it, with dry brushes and almost without water, so that the texture would be seen through it. Thanks for all the lovevly comments!

IF: Sugary

2008-10-04T04:09:00.001-07:00

This one is entirely digital.
Left woman: "Darling, you look fabulous, have you gained some weight?"
Right woman: "Thank you sugar, you look smashing, glad to see you got rid of that moustache"

IF: Packed

2008-10-02T13:50:00.001-07:00

Another quicky this week - pencil drawing and digital color.

Happy New Year

2008-09-20T23:38:00.000-07:00

These are two of the new year's greeting cards I've made this year. They are all around the theme of pregnancy and birth (since I'm now 7.5 months pregnant and it was natural for me to deal with this subject) . The text sais: "A year of new beginings".

IF: Island

2008-09-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

I had a very stressfull week, with no time to illustrate at all. Today I decided to relax with some colors and ink, and this is what came out. I think that it's more of a sketch than an illo, but it makes me laugh, so I'm happy. Click on the image to enlarge if you can't see the text.

IF: Clutter

2008-09-10T02:15:00.001-07:00

Pencil and digital color - from my new moleskine.

IF: (more) Memories

2008-08-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

Digital illo with some textured layer in the background.

IF: Memories

2008-08-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

"Childhood memory: every morning our way to kindergarden takes us through a field of sunflowers".

This subject is so full of magic. The boy who took me on his bike was my teachers' son, and my first crush ever :) I don't remember how did he look like, I only remember the warm feeling of sitting so close to him on the ride, and all those open fields around us.
Click to see it bigger.

IF: Routine

2008-08-25T07:04:00.001-07:00

This illo was done as an opening assignment in my illustration course last year - we were asked to draw a map that describes our way from our house to the school.

This is how it goes, starting from upper right:
- Going out, Toffi is sad
- Driving
- Waiting for the train to pass
- Bla bla bla (with my husband)
- Final stop: school.

Mixed technique of panda and acrylics. Click on the image to see it larger.

IF: Detached

2008-08-18T23:44:00.001-07:00

Colored pencils and collage.
Click the image to see it bigger.

IF: Sail

2008-08-09T09:48:00.001-07:00

Pencil, oil pastels and colored pencils on old paper.

IF: Poof

2008-08-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

You all know the story... I wonder what did he do to upset her that much ?!

IF: Canned

2008-07-26T06:36:00.001-07:00

Just a doodle this week.

IF: Enough

2008-07-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

This bed isn't big enough for five of us...
This illo is from a project I'm currently working on.

IF: foggy

2008-07-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

This song kept on playing in my head.
Click on the image for a better view.

IF:Sour

2008-07-05T14:08:00.001-07:00

Nothing like a cold refreshing lemonade on a hot summer day... (although my scanned lemonade turned to be more of an orange juice :( my scanner wouldn't give me the correct yellow shade).
I used oil pastels on Duplex cardboard.

IF: Fierce

2008-07-01T05:37:00.001-07:00

I used colored pencils on an old form. I think I should have used plain paper, because the background is too dominant, but other than that I'm happy :)

IF: Hoard

2008-06-23T00:40:00.000-07:00

"Which one shall i wear today to the office?"
A small sketch for IF. Haven't participated for a while and thought I'ld slowly start again :)

IF: Homage

2008-03-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

Homage to Paul Gauguin.

IF: multiple

2008-02-23T04:50:00.001-08:00

This is an old illo, inspired by a fairy tale called: The 12 worn out dancing shoes. It's about a king who has 12 daughters. Every night they are locked in a big bedroom, yet every morning they wake up feeling tired, and their dancing shoes are totally worn out. The king calls for young men to try and solve the mystery, and offers one of his daughters and his kingdom as prize. But if they fail, after 3 nights he cuts off their heads. Many guys try and end up dead, untill a young soldgier arrives. Before he enters the palace he meets an old lady, and she gives him a cloack that turns him invisible, and advises him not to drink the night cup that the ladies will bring him. The king welcomes him and orders him to watch at the bedroom door. At midnight one of the girls offers him a glass of wine. The soldgier spills the wine and pretends to fall asleep. But through his eyelids he peeks and sees the girls put on their party dresses, comb their hair, and wear their dancing shoes. Then they move one of the beds, and open a large door in the floor. They enter this door and disappear. The soldgier wears his cloack, and hurries after them. The door leads to a long staircase, that ends in a giant cave under the ground. They walk through a forest of trees with silver leaves, than gold leaves, and finally diamond leaves. The soldgier picks up a leaf of each kind and hides it under his cloack. Then they reach a big lake, and by the lake there are 12 little boats. In each boat sits a handsome prince. The princesses climb into the boats and the princes sail them to the other side of the lake. The soldgier jumps in the youngest princess' boat. In the other side of the lake there's a palace with music and food. The princes and the princesses enter the palace and dance without stopping all night long...
Well, you can guess how it all ends. Turns out that they were under a spell, the soldgier breaks it and gets the girl and the kingdom. Hurray!

P.S. - Klick on the pictures to enlarge and see all the small details.

IF: Theory

2008-02-17T00:44:00.002-08:00

Although I haven't expereienced it myself (yet), this is what my friends tell me.

IF: choose

2008-02-10T12:28:00.000-08:00

Pour Paris... he had to choose which goddess is the prettiest of all. He chose Afrodita, who promised to give him the lovely Helena of Troja to be his wife, and it started the Trojan war. But I guess that either way he wouldn't have escaped his destiny, after all he is a greek mythology kind of guy.

IF: scale

2007-11-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is. My dog resembles the smaller one (although he isn't that small). He walks around in the neighborhood with his nose up, like he's the doggish version of Elvis.

IF: trick or treat

2007-10-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

This is an old illo which I've decided to re-use for this theme. Here in Israel we don't celebrate Halloween, so it's difficult for me to relate to this subject. Although I do looove whichcraft and ghosts and all that - Buffy is one of my favourite TV series :-)

IF: grow

2007-10-26T04:41:00.000-07:00

I have barely made it this week...
Click on the image to see what each of them is thinking!

IF: extreme

2007-10-13T13:59:00.001-07:00

I hope you like it :-)
click to enlarge.

IF: open

2007-10-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

IF: momentum

2007-09-10T13:09:00.001-07:00

click to enlarge and see what the crowd is saying...

IF: alphabets

2007-08-31T09:24:00.001-07:00

Last week I bought a new notebook, and on the train I sketched this on the first page.
Now I'm very proud of myself, for responding to IF weekly challenge without special effort.
I've uploaded the second page too, they kind of fit together.

IF: visitors

2007-08-25T13:02:00.001-07:00

So... you know how it is: your best friend in the world is coming for a long visit. You have great plans of all the things you want to do together. At first everything is great, you're having the best time. A week later he feels at home and you start finding little gifts around the house: the smelly socks he forgot on the carpet, the dirty dishes he's going to wash later. The food you buy disappears suspiciously, and you start watching every bite he takes.
When he finally leaves you say: "I hope we can do it again next year", but deep down you know that next year you're going to Africa, to the moon, or even to visit your parents, as long as it stops him from coming.

IF: captain no.2

2007-08-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

IF: captain

2007-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

IF: emergency

2007-08-12T06:18:00.001-07:00

"Oh, no!
Danny has lost his head!
Can he find it before his dog will?"
----------------------------------------------------
I've got a new peel-off pencil, I wanted to try it and this is how it came out :-)

IF: missing

2007-08-08T07:48:00.001-07:00

IF: another poem

2007-07-25T01:12:00.001-07:00

IF: discovery

2007-07-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

This little illo is from a book I'm currently working on. The penguins are looking at some coins they've discovered on the beach: "What the hell are those yellow round things? Can we eat them???"

IF: Twist... in the plot.

2007-07-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I didn't have time to create a proper, finished illo, but I had this idea stuck in mind and I really wanted to post something... I kind of got used to it. It's nice to be part of something, isn't it?
I'm currently working on a book, and I've posted some sketches on the publisher's blog. You're welcome to check it out and of course comment! It's right here:
Book in progress.

IF: rejection

2007-06-21T13:39:00.001-07:00

This young woman has decided to start on a diet, and she rejects her grandmother's home made cake. How long do you think she'll last? I think that life without cakes are terrible.

IF: suit

2007-06-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

A quick computer sketch, of a very short man and a very tall penguin.

IF: paradise

2007-06-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Oh boy... that's a heavy topic. I think the idea of paradise is to be totally unaware and unconscious. It's all about senses, like an animal or a baby - smelling, hearing, tasting. Once self-awareness interfers, paradise is damaged. I don't think it's a matter of good or bad - we are what we are.

IF: cars

2007-05-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

I wish I had the time to color this illo with acrylics, it seems fitting, but I could do only a quick digital version. Better than nothing :-)

IF: signs

2007-05-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is just a silly fun sketch done instead of me going to sleep. It clears my mind. Don't tell anyone.

IF: neighbor

2007-05-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

"Get to know your neighbors".
This illo was created with water color and colored pencils.

IF: polar

2007-04-21T01:45:00.000-07:00

This illustration is from a personal project I've recently finished, about two girls: one is extremely good and sweet, the other is extremely bad. Finally they discover one another and merge into one kid, which is both good and bad, happy and sad, tidy and messed up... like we all are.

IF: fortune

2007-04-14T04:39:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, this was my idea of fortune: having all the books I wanted to read to myself.
I still think it's not a bad definition.

IF: wired

2007-03-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

That's all, folks!

IF: gravity

2007-02-18T00:27:00.000-08:00

This character was created based on a sci-fi story calles: "Titanium Mike saves the day", by David E. Levine. Titanium Mike is the hero of space workers in future mythology.
Levine's website: www.spiritone.com/~dlevine/sf/

IF: sprout

2007-02-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

IF: invention

2006-11-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

the lady in this illo has an inventive way of using her accesories.

IF: smoke

2006-11-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

i thought that this drawing has a smoked look.

IF: wind

2006-10-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

this is an illo i've done recently for a children song written by Hilel Omer, an Israeli writer.
kind of fits the theme.

IF: trouble

2006-10-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

here i am, digging another oldie... i just couldn't think of anything original to contribute to this weeks' theme! so i looked through my old stuff and there it was - it's an illo i made as an example for someone who wrote a children book about a girl that doesn't like bathing. this person never gave me an answer, and the illo was left, lying around with other stuff, unseen and forgotten, up untill now.

IF: quiet

2006-09-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

another busy week made me dig up an old sketch for this weeks' theme.

IF : P H O B I A

2006-09-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

I've read an article today about people suffering from DENTALPHOBIA, which is a phobia from dentists. sometimes it's caused because of a childhood trauma. others find the situation of being mouth-opened and helpless on the dentists' chair unbearable. these people are willing to suffer great pains and still won't go to see a dentist. some of them faint when they arrive at the clinic.
i didn't plan on participating this week since i have little time, but this article sparkled my imagination.

IF: change

2006-09-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

time changes us.

IF: farm

2006-09-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

what a happy coincidence - this collage was done about two months ago, based on a picture of an Australian sheep farm. easy job (again) for me this week!

IF: safe

2006-09-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

another collage work i've created a few weeks ago, based (loosely) on a picture.

IF: run

2006-08-26T01:38:00.000-07:00

this is an old illo which i found very fitting to this weeks' theme.
i gave it a quick coloring in photoshop.

IF: match

2006-08-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

how come i have a closet full of clothes, and yet almost always i have nothing to wear?
one of life's biggest mysteries.

IF: play

2006-08-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

for this weeks' topic i've dug out an old b&w sketch which i've never finished, and colored it quickly with a mixed technique of paint and collage.

IF: capture

2006-08-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

i'm taking a course in collage, and wanted to try this technique on the theme.
i think the colors turned out a bit too dark and there's not enough contrast, but i have no time to do another one so it'll have to do.

IF: clean

2006-07-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

i never understood those parents who dress their children in fancy, expensive clothes, and than complain that the child has ruined the outfit.

IF: opposites

2006-07-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

you know opposites attract and all that.

a giraffe-groom and a hipo-bride.

a sassy ostrich and her sugar-daddy turtle.

black and white cats and their dalmatian offspring.

IF: sacrifice

2006-07-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

now i have to think how to explain this... i guess it's about those women who feel always obligated to be perfect mothers, housewifes and wifes, or in other words - my mother.

IF: sticky

2006-07-01T01:32:00.000-07:00

young 50's love... isn't it the stickiest thing?
this was fun!

IF: rain

2006-06-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

no time this week, so i've done those quick sketches and colored them with PS.

IF: dance (2)

2006-06-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

here's another illo for this weeks' theme. it's kind of a high-society party. i colored it digitally and it enabled me to try new things that i don't usually do, such as the thick black line. it's always nice to discover something new.

IF: dance

2006-06-17T01:17:00.000-07:00

there's a great topic!
this is an illo i've made 2 months ago. i might post another one later this week.

Doodles

2006-06-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

i've drawn these two during some long lessons, and colored them with photoshop. it was fun.

IF: jungle2

2006-06-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

i gave the theme another try, and decided not to take it so seriously this time. i just had fun.

IF: jungle

2006-06-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

again, two works:

nothing much to say...
i didn't like this theme, i thought it's a bit boring. i hope next week will be more inspiring.

IF: "portrait"

2006-06-04T06:13:00.000-07:00

the first illo i've done for IF.
the second is an old sketch of my dog. i think it's the closest thing to portrait i've ever done.