Blog-KAN . Okan Arabacioglu's Illustration and Arts Blog

OUCH!

2012-01-21T19:18:00.001-05:00

My solo show opening is on FEB 2ND 2012, 6PM at The Metro Gallery. Be there.

The Water.

2011-11-17T17:24:00.003-05:00

My friend Dan's awesome band The Water is coming up with their new album and they asked me to do the cover for them. Here is just the front of their album cover, tour poster, and the website design.

Michael Fassbender

2011-11-17T17:18:00.002-05:00

Michael Fassbender illustration for Bant Mag. I loved him as Magneto on x-men first class. So I included two x-men references and also references to his german irish heritage in the illustration.

I also posted the full drawing of him that i have done as well, since the face part of the drawing is pretty much the only thing that is visible in the illustration.

John Maus portrait for Bant.

2011-10-13T23:00:00.004-05:00

I got assigned to do a John Maus portrait. He is pretty crazy and awesome. so I had to do a crazy portrait... i did four different versions:

and here is a John Maus music video for you if you do not know who he is..

Lush Farm Cd Cover.

2011-10-13T20:46:00.003-05:00

My friend Craig asked me to do a cover for his album.. I pretty much had less than a day to make it happen.. so here it is..

between the time that this was done and me posting this blog, my computer crashed so i am having hard time finding these files to post them on here.. sorry..

cover assignment.

2011-10-13T20:08:00.009-05:00

The dynamics of an illustrator and the client have been very interesting to me. It is always a great deal of push and pull or give and take. Some clients are awesome, and some not so much.. this on the other hand was definitely a very interesting experience.

The article for this illustration was about life after prison in baltimore city. The article talks about how it is hard for ex-convicts to be rehabilitated back in the society and the laws and regulations make it even tougher on these people. Because of the reasons explained in the article most of them end up going back to the prison, and this circle happens over and over and over. The article finishes on a hopeful note though. So the client wanted me to pretty much push aside the title that they have picked "reaching for freedom" and wanted me to make a very happy picture. whaaattt???

When the subject matter is gloomy it is hard to come up with a happy and SMART imagery. I tried my best in many sketches to make sure that they were not too "dark" either. anyway here is the progress of sketches from the first on the top to the final all the way at the bottom.

At the end i surrendered and went with what they told me to make, with the bird and the cage.. At least i made the table top as the shape of baltimore city and the birdcage is sitting on it, so which means that baltimore and the prison system is on the table for discussion etc etc.. i tried to make it smart, a little bit.. my favorite is the second from the last (the one with the cul de sac sign).

new works

2011-06-13T20:33:00.001-05:00

ECHO / REVERB as an auditory musical phenomenon associated with Summertime.

2011-05-14T21:37:00.004-05:00

For citypaper. how echo and reverb heavy albums/songs reminds people of the summer. My art director said it might be published as b&w so here are the both of the versions.

watermelon lime gazpacho recipe illustration.

2011-04-15T11:15:00.002-05:00

i have been commissioned to do a series of recipe illustrations for the citypaper. Every other week i will be posting a recipe illustration. enj0y.

wire illustration for bant

2011-04-13T07:23:00.002-05:00

box wine as good as the bottled..

2011-03-28T17:52:00.002-05:00

after a horrible computer problem and crashing and loosing all of my work.. here is the final for baltimore citypaper.

jeff bridges final.

2011-02-07T11:46:00.003-05:00

Jeffrey sketch

2011-02-05T13:49:00.001-05:00

Well that was easy. Now on to the final.

too epic?

2010-12-31T10:16:00.001-05:00

no, it is just right..

holiday2010

2010-12-30T19:11:00.001-05:00

joy of new business cards

2010-03-03T17:20:00.002-05:00

vic chesnutt

2010-02-17T12:49:00.002-05:00

many things..some big some small..

2010-02-09T10:40:00.004-05:00

happy holidays!

2009-12-20T11:52:00.001-05:00

best albums of '09

2009-12-18T12:29:00.002-05:00

I can't remember how many years i have been doing this for at this point, but couple of my friends reminded me that they are waiting for this year's list. The more i go through my music library the more i realize it was actually a great year for music. so without much further delay, here is my list of 2009's best albums (not in any particular order):

Girls - Girls
Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship
Bear in Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
tUnE-YaRdS- BiRd-BrAiNs
Baroness - Blue Record
DOOM - Born Like This
The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
Dan Deacon - Bromst
Cass McCombs - Catacombs
Pylon - Chomp
Mastadon - Crack the Skye
The Decemberists- The Hazards of Love
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Why? - Eskimo Snow
The Intelligence - Fake Surfers
Fool’s Gold - Fool’s Gold
The Antlers - Hospice
Afuche - I made dots...
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz!
Micachu and the Shapes - Jewellery
Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans
Pontiak - Maker
Sunn o))) - Monoliths and Dimensions
Double Dagger - More
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T
Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Real Estate - Real Estate
YACHT - I See Mystery Lights
Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Woods - Songs of Shame
Mission of Burma - The Sound The Speed The Light
Vetiver - Tight Knit
The Dodos- Time to Die
Dizzie Rascal - Tongue N’ Cheek
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Mi Ami - Watersports
Karen O and the Kids - Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
The XX - The XX
Karl Blau - Zebra

debra & chowder.

2009-07-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

my bikes.

songs i would like to PUNCH!

2009-07-07T11:20:00.003-05:00

this post was slowing the site upload. so i moved it to a different blog.

http://bant.tv/okan/2009/07/08/songs-that-i-would-like-to-punch/

score this.

2009-06-20T20:25:00.001-05:00

Score this design and help get this printed.

new shirts designs are coming... soon.. really soon.

2009-06-09T07:30:00.001-05:00

rufustival

2009-05-18T22:31:00.001-05:00

poet final.

2008-12-26T19:46:00.003-05:00

it has been pretty crazy over here for the last couple weeks so i totally forgot to publish this.

new works are on the horizon, new shirt designs, and i have decided to move to new york city so i have been looking and doing some research to find a good place for cheap.

best albums of 2008

2008-12-19T13:52:00.000-05:00

2008 albums that i really like (not in any particular order):

No age - Nouns

Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes

Lil' Wayne - Carter III

Dodos- Visiter

Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down In The Light

Nick Cave - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Peter Bjorn and John - Seaside rock (i know, i know.. their previous album was really pop-y but this one is actually pretty freaking good...)

Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual

Stereolab- Chemical Chords

Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Graves

Times New Viking- Rip It Off

Why? - Alopecia

Man Man- Rabbit Habbits

Deerhoof: Offend Maggie

Brightblack Morning Light: Motion to Rejoin

Deerhunter: Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.

Titus Andronicus: The Airing of Grievances

Fucked Up: The Chemistry of Common Life

honorable mention - tv on the radio.. i dig it and i think it is good but i still think it has a really pop-like sound.. so yeah....

bbq chicken

2008-12-04T09:56:00.001-05:00

COME TO THIS.. if you live in Baltimore

2008-12-04T04:12:00.002-05:00

it is going to be crazy and a lot of fun.

and yeah this is the shit that i come up with at 4 am in the morning.
it is awesome!

also working on this as well..

2008-12-02T00:01:00.003-05:00

just a sketch..

new poster design.

2008-12-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

a bit crazy today

2008-12-01T23:59:00.001-05:00

I have been getting all sorts of crazy emails and phone calls today.
kinda tired of it all, but gotta do work. more and more and more work.
so in order to take a break and entertain myself i did this.

Claire Hux

2008-11-17T12:43:00.007-05:00

Even though i am really interested in music and considered a big snob amongst my friends when it comes to music i do not post that much stuff about music on here at all.

But i actually want to tell you about my good friend DLAKE and his awesome project called titled Claire Hux.
They just finished their latest project/mixtape/CD called "Jammin on the One Mixtape". It was mixed/compiled with the skillfull help of Baltimore Club Godfather, Legend "DJ Scottie B." It will be officially released on "tuesday" (street date) as far as the blogs, and everyone on the internet getting a copy of it so you guys get the jump!!! I'm really proud of what they have done with this and I KNOW for sure you will like it. It really is a throwback to the early 90's hip hop/r+b days but with a 2008 twist (aka lots of fun skits). Here is the link (it's free).

http://www.clairehux.com/mixtape

Their live performances are amazing. You can check out how crazy they are and how crazy their shows are in their latest Press Video "Meet Claire Hux" (Marissa Benner did this video)

http://www.clairehux.com/video

And here is an E-Review of one of their shows

http://www.tgrionline.com/2008/10/claire-hux-and-blaqstarr-ottobar-101708.html

So what i am telling you to do is download their new album and then go out to see them when they come to a town near you.

---
i love dlake's work here are some videos of dlake's personal stuff:

vote for obama

2008-11-04T01:27:00.001-05:00

please do.

terps.

2008-09-08T08:44:00.002-05:00

another portrait illust.
: retired lt. gen. becton :

coloring.

2008-08-19T10:18:00.002-05:00

i am working on a comic book coloring gig. Here is a panel that i am currently working on...

busy busy busy...

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Now playing: Stereolab - Excursions Into 'oh, a-oh'
via FoxyTunes

free kitten. - - - going back to the basics.

2008-08-18T07:01:00.004-05:00

with this one, i tried to continue the experimenting with flattening of the imagery with the use of patterns and texture, while actually trying to simplify my painting technique and go back to the basics.

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Now playing: The Tallest Man On Earth - The Blizzard's Never Seen The Desert Sands
via FoxyTunes

the verve.

2008-08-18T04:02:00.003-05:00

been in hiatus for a bit. but things are starting to get exciting for myself personally. I just have been experimenting and hating a lot of my work. We will see where this will go. Definitely interesting.

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Now playing: The Orient Express - Dance for me
via FoxyTunes

SHOP-KAN is here! BUY BUY BUY

2008-07-07T09:05:00.005-05:00

http://okan-art.spreadshirt.com

coming really soon..

2008-06-05T13:38:00.003-05:00

thought you might enjoy this

2008-06-04T16:24:00.002-05:00

after not writing here for a while i decided this might be a good intro back.
sorry for keeping you guys wondering what i have been upto.
been busy doing stuff, running around and just enjoying the beautiful weather.

and i hope you enjoy this too. This is not my typical taste in music but it is definitely interesting:

steve albini illust.

2008-04-15T03:05:00.004-05:00

I am having a hard time adjusting back to doing illustration these days.

Has been a weird 3 weeks where i had the opening, and my birthday and my parents visiting me here for nine days. Good friends got stuck in complicated situations with their loved ones and my best friend Erin moved to atlanta to pursue her passion, while the other best friend Brian Payne is in search of a new place to rent in philly, and move away from good ol baltimore.

have been feeling weird, tired, out of it and trying to adjust constantly. but there are new fresh things, people and opportunities to keep everything excited for me.

spring is here, time for some change anyway.

hope all is well with you good people.

and yeah, i love steve albini!.. such a great assignment.

Ironing - Opening reception photos..

2008-04-07T15:42:00.002-05:00

REMINDER!!! APRIL 4TH 2008 - METRO GALLERY- BALTIMORE, MD

2008-03-31T15:40:00.000-05:00

david bowie.

2008-03-17T16:24:00.006-05:00

for my monthly RS gig. Since i am a little bit too swamped with work, i decided to keep it simple and make it quick.

speaking of bowie:

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Now playing: David Bowie - Cygnet Committee
via FoxyTunes

kind of crazy

2008-03-13T17:34:00.003-05:00

busy over here. sorry i did not get to post new stuff. working on my paintings for my gallery show. and also working on a lettering job for a movie, where i am hand lettering the credits. can not give out too much information but i can say that the movie is going to the tribeca festival. waaa we wuuu wa wa..

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Now playing: Wilco - Either Way
via FoxyTunes

new stuff..

2008-02-25T13:44:00.008-05:00

have been pretty busy, getting ready for the show and many other stuff.
so gonna keep this short.
three chefs for solace mag.:

fois gras for citypaper:

and my new tattoo:

4 more hours to go for completion.

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Now playing: Old Time Relijun - Cold Water

cream (the band) illustration

2008-02-22T01:01:00.002-05:00

for my monthly RS gig.

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Now playing: Magik Markers - Taste
via FoxyTunes

pretty sick but still working..

2008-02-04T19:21:00.000-05:00

for some weird reason i have been feeling pretty shitty this whole weekend. Then i woke up with a pretty bad cold this morning. terrible cough, a bit of upset stomach and puking, fever, basically the works..
i had a citypaper job that i had to finish about old school R&B/Soul singers. i have been busy with some other jobs over the weekend and i needed a confirmation from the art director, and because of that i was just gonna finish the whole thing today. Which i did but it was definitely one of my biggest challenges so far.

I tried my best, and feeling the way i am feeling right now, this is not bad at all. especially happy with the two ladies on both ends of the illustration.

hulk

2008-02-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

well i am a huge fan of the hulk. even though i do not do comic book stuff or super heroes, i have decided to make couple of superhero promo pieces like iron man, the hulk and hellboy before the movies come out in the summer. the first one of the series is the hulk. this is the first stage of the piece, since i have to paint bruce banner into this picture. i like it a lot. hope you enjoy it too.

food poisoning & hallucinations illustration - and also 3x3 illustration annual!

2008-01-28T17:51:00.000-05:00

here is an illustration about food poisoning and hallucinations. the writer of the article was seeing spears thrown at him from a driving vehicle, like a drive-by shooting. kinda funny and weird.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

last week i talked about the 3x3 illustration directory being out, this week i got their illustration annual! IT IS FREAKING AMAZING. So many great illustrators in one book. Really inspiring too.

here are some photos:

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Now playing: Thurston Moore - Fri/Emd
via FoxyTunes

at last...

2008-01-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

3x3 illustration directory is up.

---------------------------------------

johnny greenwood illustration for album review section of rolling stone, for his album titled "there will be blood ost". amazing movie and also an amazing album too.

marc ribot.

2008-01-14T17:25:00.001-05:00

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Now playing: Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Guests - Musicawi Silt
via FoxyTunes

2008's first.

2008-01-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

Last two weeks or so, my best friend Brian Payne and I have been working together on a project for the urbanite magazine, at brian's studio (picture above). The magazine commissioned us, because the issue is about "love".
I know, two dudes working on an issue about love and they are best friends: really cute and really gay.
Everything aside, it was actually fun and a bit challenging. It definitely got us thinking in the right direction, for the show that we are going to have at the Metro Gallery, on April 4th.
The only problem was the whole holiday season stuff that got in the way of working. But that is over too. If you are in the Baltimore area, look out for the Urbanite's February issue:

alternative versions:

_______

and also do not forget:

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Now playing: ZeN - Badi Badi
via FoxyTunes

eureka.

2007-12-30T00:07:00.001-05:00

"people who died"...

2007-12-17T14:54:00.001-05:00

citypaper's 2007 people who died issue:
1-cover, 2-all of the portraits 3- Robert Adler, close-up. 4- Ousmane Sembene, close up 5- Jean-Francois Bizot. i am dead tired now too. so i am going to sleep. enjoy.

APRIL 4TH 2008 - METRO GALLERY- BALTIMORE, MD

2007-12-15T12:13:00.001-05:00

Best albums of 2007

2007-12-14T22:20:00.001-05:00

Well, my good friends at Bant Mag. asked me to send them a list of albums that i like that came out in '07.
Really busy with two big projects, and on Monday i should be done with one and post it here, but till then enjoy this list... in no particular order:

Thurston Moore - Trees Outside The Academy
Justice --†
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
white rabbits - Fort Nightly
Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
seabear - The Ghost That Carried Us Away
Radiohead- in rainbows
the ponys - turn the lights out
pissed jeans - hope for men
pinback- Autumn Of The Seraphs
papercuts - Can't Go Back
panda bear - Person Pitch
no age - Weirdo Rippers
the national - boxer
matthew dear - Asa Breed
M.I.A.- Kala
King Khan & The Shrines - What Is?!
Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Group Inerane - Guitars From Agadez (Music of Niger)
Grinderman - Grinderman
Frog Eyes - Tears of the Valedictorian
Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Bowerbirds - Hymns for a Dark Horse
Bobby Conn - King for a Day
Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
Battles- Mirrored
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Isis EP
Dan Deacon -Spiderman of the Rings
The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse

the amateur spy.

2007-12-06T16:57:00.000-05:00

illustration for urbanite. This is for their fiction section and it is about Dan Fesperman's book, titled 'the amateur spy' and the story takes place in Amman.

lafayette gilchrist poster

2007-12-06T08:49:00.000-05:00

ridiculously busy. so here is something small and quick.

arthur russel.

2007-11-13T01:17:00.000-05:00

pick the best one you like.

at last.

2007-11-12T10:19:00.000-05:00

it has been a tough month for me. I have been really busy with some design work most of time. After that job was done my computer broke down and i could not do anything for a whole week. As if that was not enough I had a small accident the week after, where i had a minor head concussion. You do not really realize how concussions could be until you have one. I bruised my skull and i was all weird and spaced out for a whole week. It makes you feel weak, and sick to your stomach. So that put a damper on my work for a bit too. But i am back now and here is my concussion, broken computer and design work dominant month's work:

frozen pizza box designs:

halloween poster zombie illustration:

poster for an art opening at the metro gallery:

rush 'sex pistols' illustration job:

rush 'gang of four' illustration job; i have to say, finding a good resolution and a good picture of them was really hard, i could not find any at the end, so i did this from a really small pixelated picture. honestly it sucked, and the art director could not find it either and she insisted that we use the younger 'gang of four' pictures for the illustration:

this was a poster that i had to really quick. I love the title type.

in-vest

2007-09-24T12:17:00.001-05:00

i just finished a cd cover project for a non-profit organization called IN-VEST. It is a song written, composed and performed by Ben Edwardsen, he made this just for In-Vest. Currently, more than 400,000 law enforcement officers are not properly protected with bulletproof vests. With the help of people in communities throughout the United States, In-Vest USA, a not-for-profit organization, helps equip officers.

and made the cd cover for it.

Sketch, front panel and full layout:

oxter

2007-09-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

Realized that i did not post this poster on here.

madonna.

2007-09-20T10:31:00.000-05:00

for rolling stone again. i do not like madonna at all but i am really happy with this illustration and this makes me feel like i am back in the groove of doing good work again too.

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Now playing: Django Reinhardt - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
via FoxyTunes

PEELANDER-Z and MAN MAN

2007-09-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

i went to the ottobar last night to see philly based band called 'MAN MAN'. 'Double Dagger' was opening for them so i knew that it was gonna be an awesome night. But what caught me with surprise was PEELANDER-Z. When i get to the Ottobar, my friend Chris, from the band "two if by sea", told me that this japanese band called PEELANDER-Z was playing upstairs. I decided to go upstairs and it was an amazing experience.

this is not from the ottobar performance but this exactly what happened, wait till 1.55 that is where it gets interesting and awesome:

and of course MAN MAN:

check them out and be inspired!!!

trying to...

2007-09-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

... get in the groove of doing work again. It has been a challenge since i have moved. Trying to set my studio and trying to get used to a new environment have been challenging. And i know this piece is not the best work i have done but i am still posting it to so that you know that i am still alive and well.

steve buscemi.

elvis.

2007-08-19T17:08:00.000-05:00

manu chao.

2007-08-17T10:14:00.000-05:00

baltistanmore

2007-08-13T20:06:00.000-05:00

i started a new blog called "baltistanmore".

it is not another art blog.

I am at home mostly drawing or painting,

but there are lots of other stuff that i find amusing.

this new blog is dedicated to all the crap and weird shit that i come across during my daily routine. it is just about the crap that fills my brain other than art.

http://baltistanmore.blogspot.com

check it out if you want to, not if you do not.

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Now playing: The Advantage - Air Fortress-Not Fat Iced Caramel Hazelnut Soy Latte With Extra Whipped Cream
via FoxyTunes

suicide illustration for URB magazine.

2007-07-31T15:42:00.000-05:00

suicide guy

2007-07-31T04:28:00.001-05:00

3x3 Magazine PRO SHOW 4

2007-07-29T01:20:00.000-05:00

Just got the news that i am one of the winners of 3x3 magazine's Pro Show. pretty cool!

here are the winners:

and yes i will be doing the NIKE job . i will post the images when i get done with them, and i have couple more jobs that i am working on.

I will be far away for a little bit...

2007-07-15T22:38:00.001-05:00

I will be here:

santa dads poster.

2007-07-10T13:28:00.001-05:00

Run & Nike

2007-07-10T10:07:00.000-05:00

Just got invited to partake in an exhibition in Istanbul titled "RUN" and it is sponsored by Nike. The cool thing is that it will be published as a dvd and a booklet worldwide. Fuck yeahhh!! I will let you know when i have more details about this project.

this was pretty easy and quick.

2007-07-10T02:51:00.000-05:00

So another one for Rolling Stone. Bob Marley- simple composition and concept. Pretty easy...

Rolling Stone Cover - Beatles

2007-07-09T02:37:00.000-05:00

40th year celebration of the Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club for Rolling Stone as their issue cover. They asked for two different versions. One with a background and one without. I think this is one of the best pieces i have ever done. Enjoy.

QUANTUMOM IS CANCELED!

2007-07-07T01:59:00.001-05:00

My show "Quatumom" is canceled. RTKL put on last minute rules that was not in the agreement, like having a guest list and only inviting certain number of people.

So i decided to pull the plug on this.

sorry everyone.

here is this weeks citypaper illustration about how to cook a steak.

busy.

2007-06-11T21:19:00.000-05:00

I am trying to get ready for my exhibition, but i am swamped with work. I promised my fellow illustrator friend Kevin Sherry that i would do an illustration for his zine CATATAC, so i did this illustration of Thomas Jefferson. Completion time 5 hrs. Felt good, because i was really frustrated with this other piece that i am working on. Anyway here is the illustration of TJ and the other piece that i am still working on.

just for fun.

2007-06-06T23:34:00.001-05:00

i really liked this and decided to share it with you, my friends.

Metro Gallery Opening posters

2007-05-30T14:39:00.000-05:00

my friend Sarah is opening a gallery in Downtown Baltimore, and i designed this poster for her opening show. The white version is chosen for the poster.

The Baltimore Ten

2007-05-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

I am currently working on couple illustrations and two exhibitions. One of the illustration jobs is for Urbanite magazine and it is about Top Ten events that happen in Baltimore. They asked me to do a full page illustration and also illustrate the type.

Here is the type for now. I am sketching the illustration so i will post that when i am done with it.

the who.

2007-05-16T00:23:00.000-05:00

Have not painted in a while, so i was scared a bit but this felt good, real real good.

'The Who' illustration for Rolling Stone.

some small things.

2007-05-04T15:43:00.000-05:00

I have been pretty busy lately with doing my own personal work and also some long term and some small projects.

here is an illustration that i have done for a company that asked me to do an illustration that will reflect Turkey and include Turkish jazz musicians from 1950s and 60s. I picked Ismet Siral for this project. They asked me to do two and this is the first one.

Also did a poster for my friends' show...

who loves the sun?

2007-04-18T03:04:00.000-05:00

I LOVEEE The Velvet Underground. I love them- A LOT!. I feel like this illustration is not good enough in anyway to portray their glory and amazing-ness in any way, shape or form but a job is a job.

now i can rest for a day, take it easy and relax. First day i have been actually feeling good since my sickness, and I will enjoy it! I will enjoy it good! ha!

lets talk about irony.

2007-04-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

As i am trying to recover from my sickness, i have been thinking and questioning my abilities as an illustrator and have been looking for some sort of a verification, to validate what i am doing and my artwork.

Yesterday i got the news about Society of Professional Journalists Maryland Chapter sponsored 'Maryland Excellence in Journalism Contest' announced its winners for this year, and I got this years Illustration award with an illustration that i have done for the article titled, "Original Kings of Cinema."

And today I got the news from Art Directors Club Metropolitan Washington 58th annual show that i got in with an illustration that I have done for the Terps Magazine. Terps magazine have submitted my work to this competition for me and this illustration will be exhibited in DC.

life has its own way to tell you things, in my case it is full of surprises and irony. and i celebrate the awesome irony with some awesome pictures, YEAH! :

Blonde Redhead Illustration.

2007-04-16T10:24:00.000-05:00

Even though i am a fan of older Blonde Redhead, this illustration, that i have done for Bant Mag about their new album titled "23", kicks ass.

and unfortunately i am still kind of sick. But trying work and be productive.

102 Degrees and still rising...

2007-04-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

So i am really painfully sick. I took bunch of stuff but no use. It is still rising. If it hits 104 i am going to the ER.

But still, I managed to finish this. It is a book review for baltimore citypaper. The book is called "cultural amnesia" by Clive James.

Culture vulture Clive James riffs on and off 20th century intellectual pugilists and bete noirs. So i picked G.K Chesterton and Walter Benjamin getting a headlock from Clive James, himself.

It was fun to draw and ink but absolutely painful to do so when you are really really terribly sick.

geist (im glas) Final and couple other projects.

2007-03-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

My friend wanted me to do a show poster and a CD cover for his band "Geist (Im Glas)". I started working on it right away. Here is the final poster and the CD cover designs ideas i have presented.

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also i have finished an illustration for rolling stone tr. They said that they started this article series titled "my heroes", where a musician talks about their musical heroes and i will do the illustrations for it every month. This month Chris Martin talks about U2. It was a
rush job, completed in 2 days (it was hard to squeeze this work in because of all the other freelance work i have to do this week).

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in other news:
-My valentine's day turkish wrestler 2007 illustration is going to be published in "The Station North Arts and Entertainment District News" and will be presented to Mayor of Baltimore, Sheila Dixon.

-I have sent in my application to the Communication Arts illustration competition last week and this week 3x3 illustration competition. Wish me luck!

-Tomorrow i will see "Battles" at the Ottobar. Amazing amazing band!

cheers!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

illustrator frustration

2007-02-14T11:56:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you come across a point in your life where you are filled with frustration with both personally and professionally . And this weekend was one of those weekends where my personal frustration with my ex-girlfriend at the Yo La Tengo Show on friday night combined with my professional illustration work frustration did not combine well.

So on Friday morning, i got a phone call from a magazine in regards to a rush job . The client asked me to do an illustration of an article that is about courtroom and jury duty. They asked me to do the illustration in courtroom illustration style (which is not my regular style). I send in my sketches on friday afternoon and they loved it and ask me to send in the finish by monday. I work and work , do bunch of sketches and studies (since it is not in my original style) and send in the finish on Monday 12pm. They call me back and said that they think my final is too cartoony (?!!??) and they said that they would like to publish the sketch version. I gave them the ok without putting my heart into it.

i think you should be the judge:

and also got another rush job on sunday night from citypaper. After finishing the other job around 5 i started working on the citypaper. finished around 5 hours.

Yeah, it was a really intense weekend. slept till 12 on tuesday to recover from it.

january 25th @5.30 pm

2007-01-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

On January 25th, I will be talking/lecturing at Maryland Institute College of Art, in Allan Comport's 'Conversation in Illustration' class. Brown Center, Room 320 @5.30 PM . Hope to see some of you there for some good time fun and illustration talk.

The Letting Go- Bonnie Prince Billy

2007-01-12T17:16:00.000-05:00

I have not been able to post anything here for a while but since the whole holiday season craziness is over, i can get back to my old routine of posting stuff on here every couple days. I hope everyone had a christmas and new years. Got a lot of cooking related gifts this year, so i know what people expect me to do.

Since new years, i had couple projects that i have been working on. One of them is a portrait of Bonnie Prince Billy and also two other projects that i have been busy with. One of them is big a project and the other one is a regular freelance job that i will post here when i am done.

Also, I would suggest everyone to get their hands on Bonnie Prince Billy's latest album, titled 'The Letting Go'. It is one of my favorite Bonnie Prince Billy albums. 'Bant Magazine' asked me to do a portrait illustration of him for an article that is about his latest album and his upcoming movie 'Old Joy'. And so here is the illustration:

I think this might be the new promo postcard. I need to get on that soon.

your beloved turkish illustrator

okan arabacioglu

ian curtis

2006-12-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

I am tired. I might have one more illustration to come in the next couple days. I dont know the details yet.

Happy holidays and stuff to you all.

okan

Oasis/Gallagher brothers Finish for Rolling Stone TR

2006-12-17T19:34:00.000-05:00

Yeap! Now working on Ian Curtis.

Also I miss my beloved friend Brian Daniel Mead who left us behind in Baltimore and moved to Chicago for better things. Good luck B-!

gallagher brothers and ian curtis.

2006-12-12T17:18:00.000-05:00

This week to come. Gallagher brothers for Rolling Stone Mag. for Saturday and Ian Curtis for Bant Mag. for Monday.

Yeah! YEAH YEAAAAH!

Sketch of Gallagher Brothers.

Cheers and Rock 'n Roll!

okan

Instant Istanbul Update!

2006-12-11T03:16:00.000-05:00

So today is the last day to submit my ideas to Sweden for Instant Istanbul. So here is what i submitted. hope you like them, i am going to sleep!

-okan

Bant magazine calender 2007

2006-12-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

So Bant magazine contacted me this Friday and told me that they are gonna give away 2007 calenders so they asked me to do an illustration for their calender and it has to be done by Monday.
They asked four illustrators to do one and every illustrator is going to illustrate three months in one illustration.
They gave me January, February and March. Only limitations that they had for this assignment is that it has to be 45 cm by 9 cm, and asked me to only use red black and white.

So here is the finish:

Also Bant sent me a finished version of how the poster/calender looks. Names of the other featured illustrators are, Bora Baskan, Hayal Pozanti and Sadi Guran. It looks great.

Also if you like this illustration, now you can have it as your desktop wallpaper. Pick your screen resolution size, click on the image and put it on your background!

Enjoy! Cheers!

-okan

800 x 600

1024 x 768

1600 x 1200

Cure for sickness!

2006-12-05T18:08:00.000-05:00

Nothing is better than drawing while you are a bit sick and depressed. Push aside all the crap and draw. Life is that simple and beautiful.

Stay warm and safe,

o.