Whimsy isn't immature @sooanekmek

Dear Diary,

My name is Sooan. I'm a 21-year-old Turkish artist.

Art used to be a form of escapism for me when I was younger. I’ve always had an active imagination, but I started drawing more seriously when things got rough in my life and issues arose within the family. I was living with a family member who had serious health problems, so I kind of got into art and comics to escape from reality.

Many years have passed since then, and now art is more of a hobby, but still the occasional escape when life gets tough.

Credit: Sooan (Instagram @sooanekmek)

Social media has taught me little tips and tricks I never knew before; or at least I like to think so. It’s also introduced me to specific aesthetics that I really enjoy, and to artists I genuinely look up to. Without those artists, I fear I would’ve just ended up drawing random things I stumbled upon online, trying to replicate them in some way. Hahaha.

Likes used to mess with my mindset. I used to feel a little bummed when my art didn’t get the attention I felt it deserved. I always wanted to be some big shot on Instagram, idolizing the popular artists on there.

But nowadays, I’m mostly happy with where I am. Because honestly, if I had become a big artist like the ones I idolized when I was 13 to 16, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to handle the pressure or the risk of saying something wrong. It’s dangerous to give that kind of power to someone so young.

Right now, it’s like I’m rambling and raving into the void and my mutuals are absolutely eating it up. It still gets to me sometimes, especially when bigger, higher-effort pieces go unnoticed. But it’s not like before.

Credit: Sooan (Instagram @sooanekmek)

These days, what sparks my creativity is the outside world; art from other artists, music, people, and just... pretty people I see. Honestly, it changes from time to time.

If my art had a message? Oh god, I never made art to spread a message, since I mostly draw what I like. But if there was a message in it, I think it would be: don’t lose your "whimsy," as one might say. Don’t feel pressured to make your interests more "grown-up" just because you’ve hit a certain age. I mean, I’m 21 and I still draw emo, red-eyed, fanged bunny girls! A regular person in their late teens or adulthood would probably find that childish, hahahaha.

That's it for now,

Sooan

Featured image credit: Sooan (Instagram @sooanekmek)