Q: Originally from Turkey, what are some of your favorite things about living and working in California?

A: Originally from Istanbul, I live and work in Los Angeles. I love LA for there is more to explore than what meets the eye at first read. There are all sorts of stories hidden everywhere, perhaps under the surface of a dingy local bar, or a bodega around the corner that sells ethnic food.

Q: Do you keep a sketchbook? What is the balance between the art you create on paper versus in the computer?

A: I find the concept of sketchbooks too restricting. I used to keep really tidy sketchbooks, but now I sit down with 30-x-60-inch sheets of paper and just go at it. There’s less pressure or anxiety when the drawing is only as important as itself, just a scribble on a paper, as opposed to some magnum opus of a collection. I draw on paper as well as on a tablet, every single day.

Q: What are the most important items in your studio?

A: Memorabilia from friends and from my childhood. They’re often small tokens but prove to be extremely comforting when I’m stressed out.

Q: What do you like best about your workspace?

A: The fact that I share a loft with a handful of wonderful friends/coworkers, yet having my own station in a separate room so I can focus when I need to. The location itself is pretty special, it seems like everything comes together in the Arts District.

Q: How do you know when the art is finished?

A: You run out of time or money! I’m probably more inclined to leave things a little unfinished than most artists. Heavy rendering is not as exciting as problem solving for me. So the minute I solved the puzzle of a particular piece, my mind moves on to the next challenge rather than hanging out with me while I render the current piece.

Q: What was your favorite book as a child?

A: Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Q: What is the best book you’ve recently read?

A: I recently re-read The Little Prince. I fall in love with it again with every read.

Q: If you had to choose one medium to work in for an entire year, eliminating all others, what medium would you choose?

A: I’d probably work digitally, as I tend to want change and you can emulate different styles with Photoshop (if you count that as a single tool). If I were commissioned for a year-long period, I would love to devote it to oil painting.

Q: If you could time travel to any era, any place, where would you go?

A: There are many tempting options, but it depends: do I have to live there once I go or do I get to return when I’m done? My guess is I’d probably be very underwhelmed by human rights if I traveled back at all.

Q: What is preoccupying you at the moment?

A: I’m wrapping up on Pearl over at Google (left and above), I’m working on some new personal series, and I’m prepping to teach for the first time. I’m also in the middle of designing furniture for my new place, which is a silly and fun project for me.

Q: What are some of your favorite places/books/blogs/websites for inspiration?

A: I actually lean on music and photography/film more often than not. Being challenged to contemplate necessary themes further, instead of looking at solutions to copy from other very talented artists usually results in more satisfying pieces. So I try to get the heart and my stance in the right place first. I look for reference for specific design details once I figured out what I want to say.

Q: What was the [Thunderbolt] painting or drawing or film or otherwise that most affected your approach to art?

A: For me it’s waves of bigger and smaller jolts, rather than a singular moment. One day I feel like I have a lot to draw, and the other day I don’t want to draw at all, so I pick up a camera instead. I’ve learned to listen to those voices instead of resisting them.

A lot of big shifts happen for me when I go through retrospectives or large scale exhibitions of other artists and photographers’ work. Trying to wrap my mind around someone else’s thoughts is a very liberating feeling.

Q: What would be your last supper?

A: The Salmon Shioyaki lunch at Oomasa

Tuna Bora is a Turkish-born, LA-based illustrator/art director who specializes in playful, sincere, and often humorous illustrations. Her goal is to create layered narratives, with a personal voice and idea driven visuals. She specializes in finding different techniques to tell each story as effectively as possible.

Some of her recognitions/clients include: SOI Illustrators 58: Uncommissioned Series Gold; Communication Arts 54 & Award Of Excellence, Creative Quarterly 31, Spectrum 21, 3x3 2014, IdN, Cartoon Brew, Rolling Stones IT, The Fox Is Black, Refinery29, Sony Pictures Animation, Nickelodeon, Google, Buck, Nike, Toyota, and Coca Cola. 
I will part of the Society of Illustrators/Illustration 58 show in NY, opening on January 6th.
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