Meet Selin Kilinc | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Selin Kilinc and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Selin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We spend so much of our adult life working — I wanted all of that time to be spent doing something I’m passionate about. Starting my own art and illustration business has allowed me to make a living doing what I love, so much so that it rarely even feels like work. Plus, I’ve met so many lovely, creative people through networking in the artistic community. Working from home and setting my own hours is also wonderful because I’m totally a night owl. I never stood a chance working a 9-5! Of course, when drawing and painting as a hobby turns into your livelihood, there are lots of new skills that you have to learn to be successful. I schedule clients, have meetings, and handle my own branding, advertising and accounting. While starting a business is definitely a lot of work and it’s not for everyone, I knew it was perfect for me. I’m very happy with the career path I’m on and I hope to expand my business in the coming years.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a toddler, but I started to get serious about art in middle school. I took fine arts and figure drawing classes, did internships at art museums and studios, and had an overflowing mixed media portfolio by the time I graduated high school. In college, I shifted over into digital art by learning how to use programs like Adobe Illustrator and Procreate. I went from making little digital illustrations for my friends for $15 a pop to building up my portfolio enough to get signed to an illustration agency in my junior year. This jumpstarted my business and helped me find clients from all over the world. In the past two years, I’ve worked with both individuals and huge companies all over the United States, Turkey, England, Ireland, Brazil, Australia, Poland, Germany and India — all while still in college. The biggest lesson I learned along the way is that it is actually possible to make a living doing something creative, despite what many people will tell you. When I graduate later this year, I plan to freelance full-time and expand my clientele.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
You should eat and drink at the Dior Cafe, Vice City Bean, Planta (vegan restaurant), and Babylon (Turkish restaurant). Then, do some shopping at Brandy Melville, KITH, BASE and all over the Design District and Lincoln Road. If you have any money left, head to Club Space, Basement, LIV, E11even or Do Not Sit on the Furniture. If not, just rollerblade around South Beach! Other places worth mentioning are the Fillmore Miami Beach (lovely concert venue) and the Perez Art Museum.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family, my best friend Shelby, supermodel Bella Hadid, author Albert Camus, Northern Renaissance painters Pieter Bruegel and Hieronymus Bosch, musicians Matty Healy and Future, Seths Rogen and McFarlane, the movie Trainspotting, Larry David, and jasmine dragon phoenix pearls green tea. Nothing in my life would be possible without them.

Website: selinkilinc.com

Instagram: sln.klnc