A Gentle Twist to Perspective

A Gentle Twist to Perspective

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By Eli Ofir

The inspiration that led to my passion – hand drawn property portraits.

I become very emotional and excited when I draw a beautiful old house. The fine detail of the pen work takes me on a magical journey where the history of the house is revealed with every brick and stone that becomes immortalised.

The uneven lines of the roof, walls and beams just deepen this mystery. This is why I slightly enhance these elements to bring out the warmth and personality of the house. This ‘Gentle Twist To Perspective’ is unique to my style and artistic signature. It transforms a house into a piece of art that tells an ancient story. Most properties do not need anything more than the slightest twist, as they are uneven anyway. One thing is certain though, my work is never a Blueprint of a house… that is something an architect would do.

My passion for old and magnificent houses grows by the day. This is why, whenever possible, I visit the house myself to take photos and get a feel for its personality. I love to meet the owners and hear their stories about the house and its history. When a house is too far away for a visit I ask the owners to take lots of photos from as many angles as possible. This gives me a good feel for their house and, just as importantly, the way they feel about it. The majority of properties I work with have lots of interesting angles so many clients commission two or more elevations. Sometimes I draw three, four or even five portraits of the same house. I scan these onto a CD so that, as well as having an original work of art, owners can also print off letterheads, greeting cards, placemats or any other stationary prints they desire.

Inspiration

Drawing has always been my passion for as long as I can remember. It was only when I was twelve that I realised it was also a gift. My literature teacher caught me drawing in her lesson. She took one look at my drawing that apparently was a character from a poem she was reading out, and to my amazement, told me that from then on I didn’t have to write homework or take exams in her literature classes, but only to draw! She was the first person to appreciate and acknowledge this gift of mine. I thank her profoundly for that.

I was greatly inspired by Meir Apelboum, an elderly Russian artist whom I befriended whilst volunteering on a community program at school. He became a grandfather figure to me for over 20 years, until he passed away in 1999. He taught me a huge amount; in particular, a strong awareness for perspective and detail without impinging upon my openness of mind and spirit. Thank you Meir…!

For many years as an IT entrepreneur I channelled my creative energy into Internet and Multimedia design and creative ideas, but the passion for drawing kept nagging at me. Eventually after 15 years, I decided to leave the world of business and follow my heart. I moved with my family to a beautiful village in the Ashdown Forest in Sussex, where I now dedicate myself full time to what I love most - drawing portraits of old English houses and buildings. In recent years I have been blessed with rapidly growing interest and have had the honour of drawing hundreds of beautiful properties, for which I am most grateful.

Thank You, Eli Ofir

Eli Ofir is an artist who specializes in free hand, black and white public building and house portraits.
Ranging from your private home to a public landmark or corporate office complex, Eli's work is alive with detail from roof tile to gatepost.

Find out more about Eli Ofir’s work in the Products Directory

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