Game of Thrones' 'White Walkers' send their creator to Turkey

We don?t know whether you?ve heard the name Onur Çayl?, but you have probably watched at least one of the movies or TV shows he has worked on as a designer.

Çayl??s long educational career started in the illustration and arts department of Ankara?s Hacettepe University, before proceeding onto the U.K. and then San Francisco?s Academy of Art. 

He is one of the most successful artists in the field in Turkey, working with Sony Pictures and Dreamworks on animation for movies such as The Amazing Spider Man and Men in Black 3.

Çayl? has also worked on Avengers: Age of Ultron, Terminator Genesis, The Hunger Games and Unbroken, but today he is more commonly known for creating the ?White Walkers? in the smash hit TV show, Game of Thrones. 

Çayl? spoke to Hürriyet about his experiences at the zenith of the digital art industry.

Did you plan your career in design during your education in digital arts? 

I tried to develop myself in all fields of art. In high school and university I received an education in the arts. Improving general drawing skills is very important to developing a foundation. I started planning my career after I was done with my education. After finishing my degree in the graphic design department, I opted to embrace 3D. 

Do you believe there are enough educational opportunities to be a successful graphic designer in Turkey?

We have schools that provide distinguished education. But school can only give you education to a certain degree. The rest is down to ambition for success and love for your profession. After their graduation, people need to keep up with this constantly changing field and monitor the trends. 

Academic arts education is essential to developing a foundation as a...