Hi, I’m Merve, an illustrator based between Ankara, and London. 🐜
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.
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 usually binding tiny sketchbooks, getting lost in a good book, playing board games with my son, or chasing a new Tetris high score.
Exhibitions & Events
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Bologna Children's Book Fair, Italian Excellence – Pinocchio’s New Clothes Exhibition, Bologna, Italy (Link) (April 2026)
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Cambridge Arts Festival 2026, CamCreatives Art Show - 09-18 February 2026
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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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Winner | Bologna Children's Book Fair '26 Italian Excellence Exhibition Winner, 2026 - Link
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Shortlisted | Plymouth Illustration Awards (2026) Link
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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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Shortlisted for the 12th Hiii Illustration International Awards, Lona (Unpublished Picture Book), (2024)
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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)
I’m open to children’s book inquiries and editorial illustrations.
Get in touch, I'd love to hear from you!
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