SHOWCASE SUNDAY - BTSGRAPHICA

By

Shinara Hussain

This Showcase Sunday the focus is on artist BTSGraphica. Many of you may have seen their beautiful pieces on Twitter already. I myself had been a fan of their work anyway, but what caught my eye was their Patronus series which they uploaded recently. As a Potterhead myself it was a collision of two of my favourite worlds, so how could INOTreach out and ask them to grant me an audience! 

Thank you so much to agreeing to do this. There may be those who aren't familiar with you and your work, so tell us a little bit about yourself, please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Büşra, I'm 25. I am an architect from Turkey but as of right now I'm not working due to some health issues so I have plenty of time to do what I want.  When did you realise you had an interest in art and design?

I have loved designing and creating ever since I could remember. I like editing and 3D modeling. I can sit in front of my laptop for hours and be immersed in it. Besides that, I am also interested in traditional drawing, mostly I enjoy doing realistic portraits. 

When did you discover BTS, what attracted you to them? 

I had already been into k-pop before I became an army, I've loved k-pop since I was in high school. I've stanned so many groups here and there over the years and I am a huge fan of SNSD.  I started stanning BTS around DNA era. So it's been nearly two years. A friend of mine always talked about them so I began watching their MVs, performances, random videos and learning more about them. Then I realised that, these seven precious boys really got me with their personalities. They captured my heart and I became an army. Like I said, it has been about two years since I fell in love with them. At first I was attracted by their excellent stage presence. It was mind blowing! As I watched their variety shows, I knew more of their personalities. They made me feel like I'm their friend and thanks to them, I met so many good friends too. Now their existence brightens up my everyday and that's more than enough.

What is your favourite thing about them? 

I’m always in awe of people who work hard and are dedicated to impact the lives of others; BTS is one of the most dedicated and passionate artists that I’ve ever seen. The amount of effort they put into everything they do is so inspirational. I'm so proud I stan BTS.

What is it about their music that you like? 

I love how their songs are so comforting with powerful lyrics that hold a great meaning. I learned a lot from them and it made me appreciate their songs even more that I know the meanings behind the lyrics. They speak to me on so many levels. Their lyrics were so deep it hit me right in my chest and I could have never expected it to have such a impact on me.

Which is your favourite song?

I'm the type of person that would say this is my favorite song to almost any song actually but before stanning BTS, I already knew some of their songs. I remember when I Need U was released, I lost my mind listening to it nonstop for days. It holds a special spot in my heart and my favorite song would be I Need U, because of that.

Moving onto your artwork, how long have you been doing art, what makes you passionate about it? 

I’ve always been very fond of drawing, ever since I could hold a pencil really. It's something I really enjoy since I was a kid but I started using photoshop when I was 13, I think, so I could make graphics for my young self on a fan forum. I just ended up teaching myself over the years. It was really fun for me and all the designs I've made for internet, have helped me with university too. I was always helping my fellow students with photoshop.

After graduating last year, I went back to drawing and editing again and have mainly been doing fan art. It's been approximately 8 months since I opened my BTS edit account and now the members became my muses.

Designing is my passion and it's the thing in life I enjoy doing the most. I love the feeling of being really proud of a piece of art I've created.

Have you studied art or are you self-taught? 

Although I studied design at university, I started my journey as a self-taught.

What kind of material/software do you use? 

I use Adobe Photoshop to make my edits.

Judging by this series can we assume you are a Potterhead? 

Although I'm a huge fan of fantasy genre, I am not a hardcore Harry Potter fan actually. But I like the Harry Potter world. The way the story is told and world building in HP is amazing. I love that it’s such a timeless story. It’s magical and amazing.

What made you think of doing a BTS/Harry Potter crossover?

It was a request from a very close friend of mine and I liked the idea of it. I really enjoyed the time I spent making this crossover.

How long does it take to complete a piece?

It totally depends on what I'm working on. Generally, it takes me at least 3-4 hours to complete a piece. But if I'm not in the right mood, sometimes a single piece can take a few days to complete.

How long did the series take?

It took me a little more than two weeks to complete my Harry Potter series but it was four months for my snow globe series. Like I said, it depends.

How difficult was it from start to finish? 

I think the most difficult part of editing is finding the right stock photos to use. You know since there is no drawing in my works, I have to find everything that fits with what I have in mind but sometimes it seems impossible to find. Another difficult thing about editing is adding the shadowing. This one is a little bit challenging for me but I am trying to improve myself. I'm still learning new things in photoshop despite using it for so long.

Which member was the most difficult to do and who was the easiest?

I don't have a member that I think is the hardest to work with, but there is a member that every time I work on him, everything goes perfectly well. Whenever I work on RM, I find everything easily and finish it quickly without any problems. I have no idea why. There is even a joke among my friends and I about me opening an account called rmgraphica.

Do you have any other series planned? 

I have a few ideas in mind but I don't know if I will do them or not for now.

What advice would you give to up and coming artists? 

If you want to do it, just do it. If you love it, don’t give up! Watch lots of tutorials, it will definitely help you. Practice makes perfect. The more you do it, the better and better you get. Never compare your work to someone else’s. Don't burn yourself out trying to keep up with others. I'll admit there were days where I did it and I assure you that this is the worst thing you can do to yourself. Focus on your journey and enjoy it!

Have you ever done or considered doing video tutorials? 

I’ve thought about it before but I don't know if I can do it. I’m not the best person to make tutorials and I can't promise anything right now.

What made you choose that particular patronus for that specific member, could you give us an explanation?

Actually, I don't usually like to explain my works. Because people make their own stories behind it and explain it for themselves. It's totally up to the viewer's interpretation and I do love to see that. And you know not everything needs an explanation, sometimes I did it because I was feeling it but if I need to explain my own interpretation of my HP series, I'll explain a few. I chose the members' patronuses I feel fit their personality well.

For RM's case I think his way with words and his thoughts are admirable. His personality is rare, he is a gem in this industry. He is a truly caring, smart and such an elegant man like a swan. So, why not choose it? Swans are known for their grace and elegance. I think it fits perfectly well beside him.

Some people are confused why I chose butterfly for Taehyung. His butterfly patronus represents his free spirit and creativity. Taehyung has such a creative and artistic soul. He is doing what he loves and express himself in different forms of art like photography, drawing, acting etc. and that's why I choose butterfly for him.

Even though I didn't want to use stereotypes like Jungkook is a bunny but.. He is a bunny! Let's not argue about this. There's no choice for him other than a cute bunny. Sorry not sorry.

I'll leave the rest of the members' patronuses and houses with your own interpretation. Thank you once again Büşra, and I look forward to seeing your new works; I am sure they will be just as wonderful as these. To view Büşra's other works and follow their Twitter account click on the following link: @btsgraphica Are you amazed as well as I am at these artworks? What interpretation would you put to the member and the patronus? Leave a comment below and let us know. Alternatively you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram: @BTSRadioUK If you do art, music, or films and are an army who would like their work featured on our blog let us know. You can dm us or email at shinara.btsradiouk@gmail.com