Meet Selin Tahtakılıç, a freelance illustrator from Istanbul who enjoys using flat shapes, texture and a 'childish' colour palette throughout her illustrations. Selin gives us her top 5 global design crushes, tells us about how she used to create dresses with her grandmother's scarves, and shares what she hopes to accomplish in the next 5 years—one being seeing her book published!
Any hilarious stories about you as a kid being creative?
I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was a kid. I was creating dresses every time I found my grandmother's scarves. After long studies and searchings, I entered the fashion design department. I studied only one year in fashion design then I decided to study graphic design. I was a graphic design student at heart. The following year I found myself in graphic design. After 5 years I graduated from graphic design. Now I am working as a freelancer.
Who are your top five design crushes globally right now?
Talk us through a typical working day include for you right now.
I usually wake up at 9 am. I make a delicious breakfast with tea. I’m not a coffee person. I always watch something when I eat something. Then I check my to-do list and reply emails and the day begins! I always work in cafes when I don't want to be at home. This is the best part of my job.
Give us the elevator pitch on what you do.
Basically, I’m using flat shapes with texture and colors as well... I have a childish color palette generally. When I draw for myself I like to put some feelings to my illustrations.
Okay, you are working hard but don’t forget yourself!
Where do you see your career in 5 years?
I want to see my book as finished and published. I love to see my improvement day by day. I hope I will never give up as a freelancer.
2019 for you in a sentence.
Okay, you are working hard but don’t forget yourself!
Where to find Selin Tahtakılıç online.
Behance: @selintahtakilic
Instagram: @selintahtakilic
