Introducing Our New Book ...

Courtsey CITIX60 Istanbul

"Istanbul Walks - Neighborhoods, People, Cats"

Introducing our new illustrated book (a work in progress)

– a unique visual travelogue of Istanbul organized by

the neighborhoods we’ve come to know in our own wanderings in the city.

It's not the Istanbul of glossy tours, but a more down-to-earth, maybe grittier,

yet always vibrant place, full of ordinary people (and street cats)

going about their daily lives, a place that never fails to hold a little magic for us.

Each chapter of the book opens with a hand-drawn guide map and "best-of" lists,

but what really define the neighborhoods are the moments that caught our eyes

and inspired our artist's distinctive, lively, expressive drawings

– warm, funny, endearing, visually rich and always entertaining.

With wit, a sense of humor, and our pens, we're trying to capture the Istanbul as it feels to us.

This project begins with writing, but is ultimately visual.
Each piece is developed with illustration in mind and is typically adapted into

multi-panel drawings, focusing on moments, details, or scenes the artist chooses to depict,

sometimes zooming in on a particular object, gesture, or small detail.

The text may then appear as short captions alongside the images,

or as slightly longer passages woven through the visuals.

Writing that includes concrete, visual details, places, textures, and small observations, helps shape how the story is translated on the page.

Reference photos are always welcome and often very helpful.

While most pieces are developed with visual adaptation in mind, there are times

when the writing itself feels complete, when a piece is lyrical, reflective, or a poem.

In those cases, it may make sense to preserve and present the text on its own,

with illustration adding atmosphere rather than narrative.

The project is intentionally flexible, allowing the balance between

text and image to shift from piece to piece.

One consistent thread throughout the book is point of view.

All pieces are rooted in first-person experience.

These are personal encounters, observations, or moments lived and remembered

told from an I or we perspective.

This shared point of view acts as a connective tissue,

allowing the different voices, styles, and neighborhoods

to come together as a cohesive book.