Mouses playing Traditional Turkish Music

This will be one of the animal nursery series that I will be illustrating. I thought including my Turkish background will give the chance to the world to notice and learn about our (Turkish) culture. Turkish culture is not very well known and it is hard to see illustrations about it.

In this illustration The horn is called ''Zurna'', the middle mouse is dancing which calls ''Halay'', and the third one is using a Turkish trumpet called ''Davul'' and using ''tokmak'' to hit the trumpet. I have searched and watched some videos about this music and the people who are using it. Usually they go to a house and take the bride from the house with the groom. Also they use it in other celebrations as well. Sometimes they just go to an empty green area with their car and just sing dance and play to have fun as well. So I wanted to show this perspective which was very fun :D

Wedding Invitation for my Lovely Friends

I worked on this for my lovely friends from Turkey but they live in New Zealand. They wanted me to illustrate their wedding invitation which made me so excited because Esra (bride) means so much to me for being a wonderful friend in my hard and good times. We become like sisters in a very short time in Auckland which I never had that kind of closeness in a quick way. Knowing them helped me to decide what to include in this design and it was fun to show their unique features.

Hope you both have a happy and peaceful life together my dear friends...

Charlie's Chocolate Factory_Scene 1

This is a scene from Charlie's Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Every time when Charlie walks to school he stops by a sweet shop and stare with a hope to eat chocolate. He sees other children eating chocolate in front of him which is like a torture to him.
I wanted to capture this moment of him in a way that he is always hopeful and positive even he can't afford it. With a cosy and warm atmosphere and his way of look helped my approach. With so much cold in a winter day without a jacket he didn't complain but only hoped one day he can have some chocolate.

I am working on my children's book portfolio in this period of time and this is my first scene of this story. Hope you enjoy.

Welcome My Sweet Lara

If they asked me what is the deepest and unconditional love is, from my experience its between a child and a parent. This was the first time I held my daughter Lara after the birth and I felt all the emotions at once. I love capturing our moments together by illustrating, because it reminds me the sweet and important times in my life. I have matured and changed so much and understood that raising a child is very tough but also amazing at the same time. Thank you for coming to my life my love bug...

Moments with my daughter Lara-1

Hi everyone! So this is a piece that I have been working for a while. I have done a sketch while back and decided to finish it with painting in digital. This is my daughter's favorite book, since she was around 4 or 5 months I have been reading this children's book called ''Memo ve Ay''. Every time I read this she gets so excited and shows the most amazing smile to me. I wanted to capture this moment and share with you, hope you enjoy!

After having a baby as we know life changes so much. Especially in the beginning it was tough to find the time to draw again. But finally things are getting better and easier. So I decided to illustrate my working space. I want to warm up to drawing because its been a long time since I have painted something so I had a hard time to find something to start with. I always loved Fran Meneses's (illustrator) Youtube Channel and she always inspired me with her motivational speeches. She gave 30 ideas for illustration and I wanted to start with one that you draw your own work space. Actually this working space is not reflecting anything about my illustrations. I always wanted to make a better place like having a bigger table and illustrations on the wall, maybe shelfs that has some plants and small sculpture.... When I achieve the look of the work space I imagine I will paint that work space and share with you as well :)

After a long time I didn't expect to paint a nice one especially with a simple not attractive workspace:) Just need to continue to paint and keep the flow going... I really missed painting! Welcome to me as a illustrator mom :D

A Snowy Day

Finally finished this lovely illustration that I have been working on. I wanted to try out a different style so it was quite challenging to me but i learned a lot and I am happy about the result. I tried to give a paper cut effect which was very fun to me because it gives a natural traditional feeling. Because I want to escape the digital look so I think I am getting there every time I work on a different illustration. 

Also I want to say that i really feel so connected to my culture and I think we have so much things to learn from each other. Turkey has many treasures to be discovered. I realized this after my dad brought us to a cute hidden village. It was like a fairy tale place:) Its like the time has stopped there and they have these colorful creative clothes living in their beautiful designed houses. This place is in Milas (Turkey) and the name of the village is Comakdagi Kizilagac Koyu. If you have the chance to visit Turkey this place should be one of the place they you shouldn't miss. I love exploring different places and their unique culture. I also want to say that there is so much things that we don't know about our country and their people. Maybe thats why we feel so disconnected from each other. I love my people no matter the different lives (perspective) we have. I want to share my love and the beauty of my people with the world as much as possible. Maybe this way we can break those prejudices:) We need to show ourselves that we are more than the things people say about us or sometimes they just judge us very wrong. I want to be one of the people can effect on changing this perseption.

A lovely birthday!

I had a great birthday today even being far away from my family and close friends I am lucky that I have my love and some friends that made me feel special today! :D Thank you for being there for me! This was a quick painting that I worked on today hope you like it! ;)

Turkish Village People's Life

I am working on my next personal illustration and these are the characters (Grand Child and the Grandma) that I have come up with. I have gathered couple of references to make it as close and believable to the people who live in Turkish villages. But these ones with having flowers  and having gold accessories are in a a village called Comakdagi Kizilagac Koyu (Village). Women are very colorful and so friendly. It feels like you know them for a long time. They really act like you are part of them which makes you feel more home in Turkey. I have visited this village couple of years ago and it felt like a hidden magical whimsical place. Its just you can't believe how they be so creative with their outfit. So you think everyone can be an artist right?! I just felt so overwhelmed with emotions when I see this place and the people.... There are so much things that we don't know about our country and their people. Maybe thats why we feel so disconnected from each other. I love my people no matter we have different perspectives we have our common features our history identity. I want to share my love and the beauty of my people with the world as much as possible. We need to show ourselves that we are more than the things people say about as or sometimes they just judge us very wrong and i want to be one of the people can have an effect on changing this perseption.

Coming Soon...

We have a exciting news!!! We are having a baby :) Our life is gonna change so much but I am so happy that even we gonna have hard times it will all be worth it... I wanted to announce this lovely news with an illustration. I thought it will be more interesting and fun way to make people surprise:)