Artist Research: Elif Aydın — Character Design Inspired by Turkish Mythology

While working on my Asena project, I wanted to research artists who design characters inspired by myths and legends. During this research, I came across Elif Aydın, an artist who creates unique concept designs based on Turkish mythology.

https://elfaydnn.artstation.com/projects/bK1Xmr?utm_source

One of her works, called “Bükrek”, shows a dragon character from ancient Turkic stories. I really liked how she combined modern digital painting techniques with cultural elements, like the character’s detailed armor and mystical atmosphere. Her design style fits well with the type of characters I am working on, like Asena, Kara Yel, and Kutay Boruhan.

This artist’s approach gave me ideas about using strong poses, mood lighting, and cultural symbols to make my characters more believable and expressive. I think her work is a great example, and it could be useful for anyone working on myth-based character design.

Project Reflection: Asena Character Design & Story Development

 Working on the Asena project has been a really exciting and meaningful experience for me. This project allowed me to explore my interest in mythology, culture, and character-driven storytelling.

Throughout the process, I focused on designing both the visual identity and personality of the characters  especially Asena, the legendary wolf spirit, and Kutay Boruhan, the chosen warrior. I wanted every design choice to reflect their background, emotions, and roles within the story.

This project taught me how to connect visual storytelling with emotion and world-building. It also helped me improve my workflow from initial sketches to final concept art, and gave me a better understanding of how to develop a consistent and believable art style.

I’m proud of how this project is shaping up, and I look forward to expanding the Asena universe with new ideas, illustrations, and storylines!

Updating Portfolio Page - Concept Characters

I’ve just updated my portfolio page on my Wix website with some of my latest concept character designs! Recently, I’ve been focusing on creating unique and detailed characters that reflect different personalities, styles, and stories.

 

In this update, you’ll find characters I designed for various projects from warriors to fantasy creatures. I worked on improving my skills in anatomy, poses, and expressions to make each character look more alive and believable.

I’ve really enjoyed working on these characters, exploring new ideas, and developing their look step by step  from rough sketches to the final designs. This update shows the progress I’ve made and the creative direction I’m aiming for.

Updating My Home Page - baliartistry

 Hey everyone!

I just updated the homepage of my website and I wanted to share the changes with you. I also uploaded a short video to show what it looks like now.

The first thing I changed was the background images. Before, I was using some random pictures, but now I used my own drawings. I wanted the website to feel more personal and match my style. So I created sketches and placed them as the new background. I think it looks much better now and shows more of my artistic side.

I made all these updates by using Wix. Wix has a very easy system to edit your website. You can change images, icons, text and layouts without knowing any coding. I just uploaded my sketches as image files and placed them as backgrounds. I also went to the icon settings and uploaded my new design for the channel icon.

That’s all for now. If you want to see how it looks, check out the video I posted. Let me know what you think!

Concept Character - Kara Yel 🌑

 When I was designing Kara Yel, I imagined a dark and scary spirit from Turkish mythology. I wanted it to look like the wind  with no real body, just shadows and broken robes floating in the air.

While drawing, I thought about how Kara Yel would feel if you saw it. I wanted people to feel cold, like something evil is coming. Its face is like a skull, and the shape is thin and ghost-like.

I also imagined Kara Yel as a silent hunter. It doesn't make noise, it doesn't speak. It just watches and waits for the right moment. I tried to show that in the design with empty eyes and a body that looks like smoke.

For me, Kara Yel is not just a monster  it’s the fear of the unknown, something you feel but can’t touch. I wanted the design to give the same cold and creepy feeling, like an old nightmare you never really forget.

Kara Yel "Black Wind" meaning: In mythology, it means an unlucky wind that brings evil.

Concept Character - Kutay Börühan 💨

 

In my comic project Asena, I created a brave warrior character inspired by Turkic mythology and ancient nomadic aesthetics. His name is Kutay Börühan  a young man chosen by spirit guardian Asena to protect his village from dark, soul creatures.

The first sketch shows Kutay in his base form simple yet firm. His stance speaks of calmness but also hidden strength, a young man ready to rise against supernatural threats.

This second design focuses on a clean and sharp silhouette. I added a rigging on his shoulder, symbolizing both protection and loyalty to his ancestors, while his belt hints at nomadic roots.

In this version, I integrated Turkic ornamental motifs into his outfit. Traditional elements like the "hands on hips" and the "dulvar at otu" motif.

Kutay Börühan is shown in a powerful stance, fully embracing his warrior spirit. His posture and appearance reflect the moment he accepts the responsibility given by Asena. His look carries both determination and the pride of his heritage.

A close-up portrait capturing Kutay’s essence: proud, fearless, yet deeply connected to his heritage. His facial expression reflects the heavy responsibility of being chosen by Asena.

Concept Character - ASENA The Powerful Wolf Spirit

 In my concept design of Asena, I aimed to portray her as a mystical and powerful wolf spirit. Asena is a key character in my story, where she serves as a divine protector of a village under attack by malicious spirits.

Her design features striking white fur, symbolizing purity and strength, while her glowing blue eyes reflect her mystical powers. The intensity in her gaze conveys the responsibility she holds, as she is not just a physical protector, but a spiritual guide. The close-up portrait of Asena captures her essence: proud, fearless, and deeply connected to her heritage.

I wanted to emphasize her strength, wisdom, and the powerful bond she shares with the warrior she chooses to defend the village. Asena’s design is a visual representation of her role as a guardian spirit, one who stands firm in the face of danger to protect those she cares for.

🐺 The Spirit Guardian: ASENA — Comic Book Cover Development 🐺

 This is my first idea for the cover. I only wanted to test the title and the blank space. I tried to imagine how the name "ASENA" would look on the page without any extra elements. I did not focus on details or drawing in this step, I just wanted to see the balance of text and empty space on the cover.

In this step I started to draw the wolf and the background. I did not add too much detail because I was trying to understand the atmosphere. I wanted the viewer to feel something mysterious and calm, like something will happen soon. This is also the part where I started to connect the wolf and the village in my mind.

In this sketch I worked more on the wolf and the village background. I wanted to show the wolf walking carefully and the village looking small and quiet behind it. This was the moment I started to imagine the story world, where the spirit guardian Asena protects the place. The sketch helped me to feel the mood of my comic.

This is the final cover design idea for the "Watching" concept. I used dark blue and brown colours to give the feeling of a quiet but dangerous night. The wolf is standing strong and the village looks silent but ready for something to happen. 

I wanted the viewer to understand that the wolf is the guardian and the story is about protection and power. This design shows the emotion and the world of my comic.

I decided to choose the Watching concept as my final cover because I feel it shows the real spirit of the story. The wolf is not attacking or running, it is watching the village like a real guardian.

 The dark blue and orange colours make the mood strong and interesting. I believe this design tells the viewer that the story is not only about action, but also about protection, connection and the calm before the storm. The Watching cover gives the right emotional start for my comic.

💥 Alternative Cover Idea: ROAR! 💥

 

This was my first idea for the "Roar" cover concept. I wanted to use the wolf teeth shape as a frame around the main character. The idea was to show the connection between the human and the wolf in a more symbolic way. This drawing is very simple but it helped me to think about a different style for the cover.

In this second version of the Roar concept, I made the shapes and the character more clear and detailed. The wolf teeth are still like a frame and the hero is standing inside them. I wanted this sketch to show danger, power and the wild side of the story. I believe this idea gives a strong action feeling and also shows the spirit connection between the wolf and the warrior.

This is the final version of the "Roar" cover idea. I used red colours to create an action feeling and show the dangerous side of the story. The character stands strong in the middle and the wolf teeth are around like a warning or a symbol of the spirit power. This design shows that the hero is brave and ready to fight for the village. The red colour makes the energy more powerful and eye-catching.

The Roar cover idea is also very strong and I liked the symbolic design with the wolf teeth. The red colour and the standing hero give a lot of action and power to the page. This cover shows the wild side of the story and the courage of the warrior.

 Even though I did not choose this one as my final cover, I think this idea helped me to understand the energy and the dangerous world of the comic. The Roar concept was useful for creating strong emotions and a brave feeling for the character.

Who is Asena? The Wolf Mother of Turks!

Asena is one of the most famous legends in Turkic mythology. Many people call her the "Wolf Mother" of the Turks. Her story is very old and was told for many centuries from father to son.

A long time ago, after a big war, only one boy was alive. He was hurt and lost in the wild lands. A wolf, Asena, found him and saved him. She take care of him like a real mother. She gave him food and protection in her secret cave. Later, Asena and the boy had children. One of these children become the leader of the Ashina clan.

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The Ashina (Aşina) clan is very important because they started the Göktürk Empire. The Göktürks are the first Turks who used the name “Turk” officially in the history. They build big cities, strong armies and created the first Turkish written alphabet, called Orkhon script.

Gods and Monsters

Asena is not just a story. She shows many important things about old Turkic people. The wolf is a strong animal and a smart survivor in the wild. For old Turks, the wolf was not only an animal, it was also a symbol of  leadership and freedom. Asena is also a female hero, which is rare in old myths. She is not a queen, not a goddess, but a protector and a mother.

Today, many Turkic people still respect Asena. You can see her name and her image in books, songs, tattoos, flags and logos. For example, the grey wolf hand sign is still popular for many Turkish groups and people.

So, Asena is not only a legend, she is a part of the identity of Turks.
She teach us about surviving hard times, staying strong, and never forget where we come from.

Small facts about Asena:

• She is a wolf but also like a mother.

• She helped to start the Turkic royal family.

• Her story shows hope, power and rebirth after bad times.

• Wolf is not only an animal, but a guide and friend for the ancient Turks.

Further Research – Concept Artist Evan Amundsen Related to My Project (Fantasy Art)

 For my comic project about Asena, a powerful wolf spirit who gives strength to a young warrior, I wanted to look at a concept artist who creates fantasy-style characters.

 I found a really inspiring artist on ArtStation named *Evan Amundsen*. 

His artwork fits very well with my project because he draws many warriors, magical characters, and people from old, mythical times. When I looked at his characters, I felt like they all had their own stories. They are not just cool-looking, but you can also feel emotion and power in them.

 This is something I want to show in my own comic too. Even Amundsen’s use of color, costume design, and light effects helped me think about how my main character should look after receiving Asena’s powers. He shows both strength and mystery in his art, which is the same feeling I want to create with the connection between Asena and the warrior in my story.

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/gRBDDm

 Also, his background details like villages, nature, and weather made me think about how to draw the environment in my comic. I want my village to look quiet but a little dark and scary, just like the moment before the spirits attack.

Concept Drawings

 His art gave me ideas about how to make the comic more magical and full of atmosphere. Looking at his work also helped me decide how to plan my comic pages. He makes scenes feel dramatic but still clear. 

This gave me confidence in using big panels for important moments, like Asena’s arrival or the first fight. In the end, Even Amundsen’s art really helped me think more deeply about fantasy style and how to bring emotion and story into character design. 

I want to use this inspiration to make my comic stronger and more exciting. 

Artist link:

https://www.artstation.com/mischeviouslittleelf

www.artstation.com/Even Amundsen

https://www.artstation.com/