Making people laugh with your art and cartoons is a rare talent. We managed to speak with a master of such skill, Furkan.
Nice to finally meet you Furkan. So, how long have you been an artist?
I started drawing cartoons at a young age. When I was in high school, I used to take my drawings to local cartoon magazines. After an amateur start, I became a professional cartoonist when I was 18 years old. I’m 36 now and still drawing for art.
Are you professionally trained?
No, I am not – I progressed with the mentor-mentee relationship. I don’t find it right to be educated to make cartoons. I think it is a better method to have stories to tell and to draw without getting bored all the time.
What was your first involvement in an NFT project?
Actually, I was not a person who shared my drawings in digital environment. I used to publish my works in the print media and just follow the works in the digital media. NFTs were a good opportunity for this.
“While doing chain research, I started to prepare my first collection “Metamorphosis”. Then I choose to go Avax.”
Why did you choose to use the Avalanche Blockchain for your project and do you have experience with others?
The main factors for me to choose Avax are that the fees are low and it has a very warm environment. In this process, Ata, whom I met on Avax, helped me a lot, we worked together and we still continue to meet. I hope, I can meet my friends in the ecosystem by participating in events like the Avalanche Summit.
Please explain your creative process.
Actually, for me, everything starts and ends at the table.
“Ideas are spinning in my head every hour of the day, but we cannot talk about creating something without sitting at the table.”
Everything starts with a thought and then I start drawing my ideas on paper or digitally. From this, I extract ideas that can be developed after a certain period of time. This sorting process is also about some experience.
Drawing cartoons for many years also develops the intuition of which idea would be good. Then I share my ideas with people close to me and move on to the development process. I don’t need a brief in my own business. Brainstorming is also a useful method, but I usually start from my own imagination.
You’ve created the hilarious Metamorphosis, that recently sold out, can you tell us a little bit about this project?
Thanks a lot for these kind words. I am someone who deals with the problems of our
world.
The depletion of world resources, which is the main theme of the collection, and the transformation of man into a bionic creature, which is becoming more and more uniform day by day, is a situation that scares me and makes me wonder. Maybe we won’t be able to see it, but after a few generations, there will be no such thing as natural resources and we will all turn into different living things. I wanted to explain this situation.
What I draw is also the future, according to me. I actually wanted to unite future art with future us. In the decision-making process, I drew a lot of different types, then I decided on this type over time. A little scary, a little cute, a little human, a little creature- like, parallel to the theory in my head. Always part of the collection 1:1 drawing. I mainly tried to draw popular culture types. It is easier to understand both as an idea and because it contains many unique styles visually.
We’re guessing you’re a full time artist, when did this transition happen?
My NFT journey started in the fall of 2022 with my first collection, Metamorphosis. I also continued with the cartoons. We have a new magazine project and I already draw in a monthly digital magazine called “tarama ucu”.
Do you have a favourite piece of work you’ve made?
If I was painter maybe I could say only one work, but I have drawn more than 1000 caricatures and of course I have loved ones who are special to me. There are some that I can’t even remember. That’s why I can’t choose just one.
“Metamorphosis, which is my first collection as NFT and made me known, has a special place for me right now.”
I notice that you are heavy on lines and detail.
Detail is one of my favorite things to do in drawing. I want the viewers to take their long inspections to find details that are hidden like a puzzle that is left on the sidelines.
It’s like a game. I am interested in detailed works not only in drawing but also in every branch of art. I can say that I am a detail-oriented person in life.
What software do you use when creating your art?
I started this adventure with paper and pen. After going digital, I tried many programs. Graphic tablet and Photoshop duo are the software and equipment I use the most. I also use “adobe fresco” frequently.
Who or what inspires you as an artist, on-chain or IRL?
I love the underground cartoon magazines of the 80s and 90s. I have a good archive, I check it often.
As an illustrator; Basil Wolverton, Édika and Robert Crumb are some of my favorite and inspiring cartoon and comic book artists. Jeff Koons, Rene Magritte, Miyazaki are my other favorite artists. I love the work of Baka arts these days from crypto.
Collaboration is one of our favourite aspects of the Avalanche scene, what is your next exciting project?
Absolutely I agree. This is teamwork.
We met with Will a while ago and we started working. My friend Ata bring us together. We had energy. Will also contributed a lot to the recognition of Metamorphosis. Now I am drawing the Sausagers collection under the leadership of Will. It is a popular collection that people from different chains also show interest in.
I also have some collection projects still in preparation stage.
If you could own any NFT – across any chain, what would it be?
It would be “Claynosaurz” I guess.
If you could own any piece of art, what would it be?
What NFT projects are you a fan of currently, and are you looking forward to anything releasing soon?
I’m fan of “peons” rn. We will release The Sausagers collection soon, I am also looking forward to it.
Finally, do you have any advice for inspiring NFT artists out there?
I advise them to be patient, not in a hurry, to care about their work, to stand behind them and not avoid interacting with people.
This article was kindly translated by Ata.
