My name is Ülker (but call me just Lyra) and I'm an illustrator based in Istanbul, Turkey. I work as a full-time child and adolescent psychiatrist. After work, I shapeshift into an artist!

There are three things I do to relax: drawing, cooking, and eating. So on the verge of an art block, I decided to challenge myself with character design. Combining two things I love the most seemed like a project I'd have the most fun with. And I did!

I had to do a little research about the specific food or snack's origin, production process, and discovered so much more when people started commenting and telling me about their homeland's most popular food! Overall, it was a very fun and sometimes mouth-watering experience (when searching for reference photos on Pinterest).

As a mental healthcare professional, I can't stress enough how important art is to our souls and minds. It doesn't have to be perfect - creating even the smallest thing can make our day more meaningful.

I plan to add more characters to the collection, so if you're on a diet - beware!

More info: Instagram | Facebook | lyracomission.carrd.co