Gabriella Barouch’s Art of Digital Illustration

“There was an Old Man with a beard,/Who said, ‘It is just as I feared!/Two Owls and a Hen,/Four Larks and a Wren,/Have all built their nests in my beard!’”–(Edward Lear)
(Click to enlarge)

Lately I’ve been featuring quite a few student illustrators or illustrators new to the field, haven’t I? I guess it’s because, as I noted the other day, it’s still January, and I still have a lot of new F&Gs and picture books to go through, and until then, I’ll shine the spotlight on the young ‘uns. Plus, I really enjoy seeing their work.

Today, I welcome Israeli artist and illustrator Gabriella Barouch, who works digitally. I emailed her, after seeing the artwork she shares here today, to clarify: “You mean that you start out with pencil on paper, right? And then you muck around with the art, using your computer?” Nope, she said. It’s all digital. Even her sketches.

“There was an Old Man, who when little,/Fell casually into a kettle;/But, growing too stout,/He could never get out,/So he passed all his life in that kettle.”–(Edward Lear) (Click first image to enlarge)

Gabriella—who loves “vinyl toys, vintage toys, Pez, Paris, children’s books, patterns, nature, amusement parks, and life” and who is inspired by poetry, nonsense, music, and much more—majored in Illustration at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and has been doing editorial work, commissions from folks all over the world, books, and various projects. She showcases her work at the international 3×3 Gallery in New York.

Editorial piece for Revue 21 magazine

In 2012, Barouch won the Hiii International Illustration Competition–2,574 pieces of works from more than sixty countries and regions around the world, she told me. You can see here at her site the other awards and honors she’s received. She was also chosen “Artist of the Season” last year for the Jerusalem Season of Culture.

Gabriella also lists her clients here. Impressive. I don’t see picture books or YA covers on there. YET. I can imagine it, dear Imps. Can’t you?

Let’s take a look at some more of her artwork. The ones with Edward Lear’s nonsense poetry in the captions are from this project of hers.

“There was a Young Lady of Clare,/Who was sadly pursued by a bear;/When she found she was tired,/She abruptly expired,/That unfortunate Lady of Clare.” –(Edward Lear)
(Click to enlarge)

“There was an old man of Dumbree,/Who taught little owls to drink tea;/For he said, ‘To eat mice/Is not very proper or nice,’/That amiable man of Dumbree.”–(Edward Lear)
(Click to enlarge)

Gabriella’s portrait of Edward Lear (Click to enlarge)

Piece for a 2013 calendar from Specialday.dk

Poster illustration for Ume; Rock en Seine in Paris, 2012

Two illustrations inspired by Porcupine Tree (rock band)

All images are © Gabriella Barouch and used with her permission.