We were lucky to catch up with Övgü Yeles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Övgü, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

If you have the will to do something, learning comes easy. The first thing that all creatives need to understand is that learning never stops. As a creative, you always have this feeling to push your limits every waking day.

I have started learning this craft from mostly feedback. From my mentors at RUA (Rise Up Animation) to Public Discord channels, I asked many people for feedback. Many young people don’t seem to understand that you should put in the effort. All people you see in this field have put in insane amounts of hours to get their level. I did thousands of studies and work for the possibility of getting to the level of a professional. I didn’t have the chance to go to an Art school but I never told myself that I won’t make it because of it.

I think having a planning attitude toward things is helpful when you are learning something new. It could be for your portfolio work or studies, the same attitude applies. If it’s written down, you have got to do it. Be careful not to over-plan and end up burning out! It’s all about balance.

Övgü, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Like most kids, I grew up watching cartoons and animation. I can say I grew up in the golden age of animation. I remember drawing characters from Disney movies and painting coloring books in the middle of the night with my cousin. As I aged I started to create my characters and make stories for them, there were so childish, but after every single movie, another character popped up. It was till I realize, some people are doing that for a living. After drawing traditionally for a while, I then switched to an iPad, and draw on it for years. Just a few years ago, I switched to working on a computer like a professional. I do not regret learning the professional pipeline beforehand, I believe it gave me more passion to do it just like a kid, careless and free, to see the beauty of the medium.

I’m Övgü Yeles, a Visual Development Artist seeking to break in. My job is to design and ideate, color scripts, set designs, and call-outs and to bring the director’s vision as a concept. I am currently volunteering on a short film called “The Hunt”. I am also working on a personal project based on the Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. In August 2022, I was honored to be picked as the Golden Ticket (Supercell Ticket) Winner by the Trojan Horse was a Unicorn.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I think most of us want to tell our own story at some point, whether something fantastical or true to life. I would like to be a director one day, but my main goal is something else and it serves a greater importance.

Finding affordable resources as a creative was so hard for me. Online classes are cheaper compared to art schools but not all affordable.One day, I want to get to a level where I can sponsor and mentor people. I want to be part of an online art school, that is available to all artists world-wide for finding free resources.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As an artist, one of the first things you will do is to train your eye. After a while, everything starts to look so different and unique. You see everything so detailed, you start feeling the textures with your eyes. See how the colors start to change, and the cracks on a wall start to impress you. Your life becomes full of emotion. You will start to see a story in everyday objects. With being an artist, you feel like no other than a character in a movie that was designed by all.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ovguyeles.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ovguyeles/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ovguyeles/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ovguyeles
• Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/ovguyeles