Giselle Dekel

10 min reading

CREATIVE PEOPLE

9 October 2021

Sketch Me Up

Illustrator and surface pattern designer @giselle_dekel

Aren’t you in the mood because you’re in a mood? Take a look at this illustrator’s works and travel with your mind in her worlds or find your own representation. 🧿

Giselle is able to draw with few and minimal subjects to perfectly outline emotions and frames of mind.
Belgian illustrator, she is based in Israel and has studied as a textile designer but then life has chosen a different journey for her.

Hello Giselle, very nice to talk with you about your creative path. How long have you been drawing? How did you start?

Thank you to come in touch with me. Oh, I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember – I told my mom to put me in an arts and crafts class at the first opportunity. I think I was 6 years old when I started to go to classes. I really felt at home there and know this was going to be something I do forever.

“I love illustrating everyday feelings and frustrations… We all feel them, we are all the same. Even though I use myself in these illustrations, I feel that I am illustrating everyone.”

Giselle Dekel – illustrator

Did you immediately find your own style, or it took longer to define one? What does inspire you?

My mind is never at rest and I feel stressed very often (no reason, just life). I think that is why my style is quite minimal with an extreme love for stripes, It soothes me. And although I can get lost in abstract art for hours, I’ve always felt the need to draw in a realistic style. I enjoy drawing things as they are…

The way my style has evolved through the years is just by experimenting. A lot of experimenting. There is no other way to “find your own style”. You have to get your hands dirty and try many different techniques and materials. I believe that an artist’s “style” is something that is ever-changing. So to all the creative people out there. Just work. As much as possible.

Your illustrations are extremely relatable and very ironic. Do you think of yourself and your own life when your draw or do you represent someone else?

Yes and yes. I love illustrating everyday feelings and frustrations – we all feel them. That’s the beauty of it, we are all the same. So even though I use myself in these illustrations – I feel that I am illustrating everyone.

Among your beautiful illustrations, can you pick a favourite?

Oh, man… I don’t know. I guess these 3, they all make me feel all kinds of nice and calm…
The last one – the little bed comic is something new that I really enjoyed doing, a little short story. I really hope to do more but they are so time-consuming.

Tell us a fun fact about you or your work.

About me, that I never learned illustration – I studied textile design.
About my work, that I don’t really enjoy the drawing process. I mostly enjoy coming up with ideas for illustrations and seeing the finished illustration as a print coming fresh from the printer.