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\n An art-filled corner with drawings and photographs at At\u00f6lye Bal\u0131k, Istanbul, T\u00fcrkiye, April 27, 2026. (Photo by Ay\u015fe Sena Ayk\u0131n) <\/p>\n
When you step inside, you see sketches on the walls and finished works on crowded tables. The space is not a classroom. It is a place where time moves a little differently. At\u00f6lye Bal\u0131k is a studio where people can learn illustration in various forms, such as watercolor, ink, pencil and scientific botanical drawing. The teaching does not rely on strict rules, but on a more flexible process.<\/p>\n
The story of At\u00f6lye Bal\u0131k begins before this space, in a high school classroom in Kartal. S\u00fcmeyra and Ahmet Demir met in the painting studio of Kartal Imam Hatip High School. Both of them were already interested in art, but the studio meant different things to each of them. For S\u00fcmeyra, it was where she began to take art seriously and found her direction. For Ahmet, the experience was more natural, as he had seen words as images since childhood.<\/p>\n Years later, despite taking different paths, their connection to art never faded. If anything, it grew stronger and eventually they built the studio together. The studio feels like a point where their personal journeys meet. S\u00fcmeyra\u2019s path led her to scientific illustration, which she has been practicing for the past four years. Ahmet developed an intuitive approach shaped by his strong visual memory.<\/p>\n At\u00f6lye Bal\u0131k did not start as a deliberate decision, but as a natural process. S\u00fcmeyra said: \u201cWe did not actually decide to open the studio.\u201d They began by sharing their work on social media, and people started asking if they could learn from them. The requests kept coming, and teaching gradually became part of their practice.<\/p>\n The studio has been in \u00dcsk\u00fcdar since 2017 and has grown beyond its physical location. Today, it collaborates with institutions and holds illustration workshops in different cities. One of the defining aspects of the studio is its approach to learning: All materials are provided so participants can focus on the process, and guidance is shaped around each individual rather than following a fixed plan.<\/p>\n S\u00fcmeyra explains: \u201cArt is not a place for pressure or strict ideas of right and wrong. We try to guide people according to their level.\u201d The studio remains flexible and welcomes people with different motivations. Some come to pursue art seriously, while others simply want to take a break from daily life.<\/p>\n The internal dynamics of the studio are also notable: Ahmet prefers working with children, while S\u00fcmeyra focuses on adults. Among children, there is often a tendency toward perfectionism, while adults tend to carry anxiety and a pressure to \u201cget it right.\u201d In the studio, these feelings are gently eased. Mistakes are seen as part of the process.<\/p>\n At\u00f6lye Bal\u0131k treats art as a way to express emotions and cultivate flexibility. As Ahmet says, the studio welcomes people \u201cfrom seven to seventy,\u201d inviting anyone to engage with the process. Sometimes, what emerges in that process goes beyond technique.<\/p>\n
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\n An artwork by S\u00fcmeyra Demir. (Photo courtesy of S\u00fcmeyra Demir)<\/p>\n
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\n An illustration by Ahmet Demir. (Photo courtesy of Ahmet Demir)<\/p>\n
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\n An illustration by Ahmet Demir. (Photo courtesy of Ahmet Demir) <\/p>\n
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\n An artwork by S\u00fcmeyra Demir. (Photo courtesy of S\u00fcmeyra Demir)<\/p>\n