Hi! I’m Merve, an illustrator and designer based in Cambridge.
Alongside my MSc degree in Education and many years of experience in the field, I graduated with Distinction from the MA Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, UK, in 2025. I am currently undertaking a practice-based doctoral degree in illustration within the field of Graphic.
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I love starting my creative process with hands-on experimentation, playing with inks, making monoprints, and creating my own textures. I enjoy letting the surprises of traditional media guide me, then bringing everything together digitally to shape the final illustrations.
When I’m not drawing, I’m probably binding tiny sketchbooks, reading, strumming my guitar, playing Uno with my son, or trying to beat my own high score in Tetris.
Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 2025
Exhibitions & Events
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Imaginary Friends, Picture Book Illustrations Exhibition, Deqiu Shanghai Illustration Town, Shanghai (28 September-28 November 2025)
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Cambridge School of Art, MA Children's Book Illustration Graduation Show, London Copeland Gallery (Link) (19-23 February 2025)
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Ada Online Exhibition (Link) (21 June-26 July 2023)
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From Blue to Light: Cambrian Scientific Illustration Exhibition, Biodiversity (Biophere) Museum (Link) (June 2, 2023)
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Exhibition of Stamp Design Competition by Hacettepe University & PTT
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Guest Speaker, Art Education in Early Childhood @Ted University (2020)
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Illustration Workshops for Adults in Ankara (August, Sep & Oct, 2019)
Awards and Recognitions​
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Shortlisted for the 12th Hiii Illustration International Awards, Lona (Unpublished Picture Book), (2024)
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Distinction | Master of Arts Children's Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, ARU (2025)
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Longlisted dPictus Picturebook Makers | Unpublished Picturebooks Showcase 6 (2025)
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1st Place, UNDP Turkey Visual Content Competition (Link) (March 2022)
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1st Place, Stamp Design Competition by Hacettepe University & PTT (Link) (Additional Link) (Dec 2021)
Publications
Children’s Books I Have Written & Illustrated
1 The Mysterious Chest | Publisher: Mikado Kids (2018) published in Turkish
2 Superhero | Publisher: Mikado Kids (2018) published in Turkish
3 Orange | Publisher: Mikado Kids (2019) published in Turkish
Children’s Books I Have Illustrated
1 Jakub’s Otter (Chapter Book) | Author: Coral Rumble, Publisher: Troika Books (2025) (illustrated the cover for Turkish edition)
2 Dreamer Shilo (Chapter Book) | Author: Özlem Dilber, Publisher: Redhouse Kidz (2022) published in Turkish
3 Cactus Flowers (Chapter Book) | Author: Zeynep Alpaslan, Publisher: Redhouse Kidz (2021) published in Turkish
4 My Monster Friend (Chapter Book) | Author: Zeynep Alpaslan, Publisher: Final Kultur Sanat (2020) published in Turkish
5 Ada Travels Around Amsterdam (Chapter Book) | Author: Esra Abalı, Publisher: Beyaz Balina Publishing (2019) published in Turkish
6 The Musical City in London (Chapter Book) | Author: Esra Abalı, Publisher: Beyaz Balina Publishing (2021) published in Turkish
7 The Skyscraper City in New York (Chapter Book) | Author: Esra Abalı, Publisher: Beyaz Balina Publishing (2019) published in Turkish
8 Ada and BetüÅŸ in Spain (Chapter Book) | Author: Esra Abalı, Publisher: Beyaz Balina Publishing (2018) published in Turkish
TV Program
TRT EBA TV Primary School Channel — Creator and presenter of the 23-episode program Çiziyorum (Let's Draw!).
Magazine Illustrations
1 TÜBÄ°TAK Meraklı Minik Magazine — “Time to Move/Hareket Zamanı” section illustrations (May 2019 – August 2020)
2 KAFA Minik Magazine — Game Design / Coding Booklet illustrations and designs (August 2020)
3 AraÅŸtırmacı Çocuk Magazine — Illustrations (December 2019 & July 2019)
I’m open to children’s book inquiries and editorial illustrations.
Get in touch, I'd love to hear from you!
