Hello Everyone! This is Tevfik Özan from Ankara, Turkey. I am a watercolour artist, amateur photographer, cat lover, nature enthusiast and a GBS Survivor. I got my degree in French Language and French Literature. I worked for cruise lines, hospitals, and big technology giants however nothing has fulfilled me as painting in watercolour. I have been drawing since I was a child especially after I was diagnosed with GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome) and since after my recovery, drawing and painting have always been a passion for me. My motto is "Learning by Doing."

I took my drawing skills to a next level when I got my iPad and Apple pencil. I painted digital art until my flat in Athens, Greece was robbed. My passport, my computer, two cameras and my iPad; they were all gone. Just a week later I found myself locked down in Athens because of Covid 19 pandemic. I was like a game animal trapped by its hunter, I was bewildered at what was happening to me, to everyone. I was totally lost. This was exactly when I ordered my watercolour set, paper and brushes. I am one of those artists who finally found a way to express himself through art and I believe the healing power of art. Everything happens for a reason.

I combined my traditional painting understanding, which I always preferred, with the magic of paper, brush and colour through watercolour. I am mesmerized by the beauty and the transparency of this enchanted medium.

My paintings are diversified with botanic and animal figures particularly portraits with realistic analyses. When I am painting I enjoy working with layers and I work wet on wet quite often. I love mixing colours and I prefer using a limited pallet. I believe when I have fewer colours available it is easier to choose the best colour. It helps me to understand better how my colours work together. I can achieve a colour harmony and easily recognize and control values and colour temperatures.

I am an amateur photographer as well and I enjoy painting the photos I take in watercolour. If I use a reference photo from another photographer I always get in touch with them personally and ask for their kind permission to study their photographs in watercolour medium.

One of my watercolour paintings ‘Droplets on the Leaves’ was accepted to a competition organized by Japan International Watercolour Institute (JIWI) located in Niigata in Japan and was awarded with online exhibition and partial membership to the same Institute. My paintings were also exhibited in Ankara for the 10th Anniversary Exhibition of International Watercolor Society (“IWS”).

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My Career as a Watercolour Artist

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My artworks got attention of my friends when I began to share them on my personal Facebook page. They encouraged me to take it to a next level. My first studies were on insects like bees and butterflies.

I quit my job in Athens, Greece and moved to Denmark. In Denmark as well as botanicals I began to paint animals and human portraits. The more I paint the more I had the feeling that this is how I want to spend my life. My friends in Denmark supported and encouraged me in every possible way to follow my path. I decided to design a website where I can showcase my studies. My website started with few paintings. Then I focused on my Instagram page. I am very happy with the feedbacks. I would love to hear yours as well.

When I moved back to Turkey I started to build up my art community. Today I am giving one-to-one private watercolour lessons. I am teaching to kids and adult groups in several workshops in Ankara as well. I also started making promotions about the technique and material by giving online watercolour classes in various platforms including YouTube and Patreon. I recently started my online courses on Patreon and I look forward to see how my online teaching skills will evolve in the future. So please be patient and stay with me. I am a lifelong learner.

Any kind of support (following, subscribing etc.) means a lot for an artist. So come and join me and share my "Learning by Doing" journey.

You can find the social media platforms below where you can reach me.

 

Cheers x

Tevfik Özan

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tevfikozan_art

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TevfikOzanArt

Website: https://www.tevfikozan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tevfikozanart

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tevfikozan