Berat Pekmezci - LTAA Personas / LTAA Spotlights #3

Berat Pekmezci is an Istanbul-born, London-based freelance illustrator known for his vibrant and dynamic style, working across a wide spectrum of personal and commercial projects. His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with global premium brands such as DC Comics, Aston Martin F1, Peroni, Asahi, and many more.

The London Turkish Architects Association is thrilled to spotlight his work in our latest feature, celebrating his unique creative approach and international success.

We are especially proud to announce our very first artist collaboration with him, an exciting project in which Berat Pekmezci brought the LTAA personas to life through his signature illustration style. 

1- Could you share your career journey with us, from studying graphic design in Istanbul to becoming a freelance illustrator in London?

After graduating from the Graphic Design Department at Marmara University, I worked as an art director for about ten years at agencies such as TBWA, DDB&Co, and Alametifarika. While working in advertising, I continued to pursue illustration and comic art on the side. In 2016, I decided to leave advertising and focus entirely on illustration. A year later, I moved to the UK through the Turkish Businessperson visa. For the past seven years, I have been working as a freelance illustrator based in London.

2- How has your background in the advertising industry shaped your identity as an illustrator?

As an illustrator, you get the opportunity to work across various fields such as publishing, animation, and gaming. Coming from an advertising background, the network I built has led me to focus more on advertising illustration. When working on posters or book covers, I tend to approach them with an advertising mindset, thinking about compositions that grab attention. Additionally, drawing my own storyboards while working at an agency helped me develop my skills in comic art. Storyboarding and comics are closely related disciplines that both require strong sequential drawing abilities.

3- As one of the few Turkish artists who had the opportunity to illustrate iconic DC Comics characters such as Superman, Batman, and The Flash, how did your career intersect with the world of comic books?

While I was in Turkey, I illustrated the graphic novels Emanet Şehir and Uzak Şehir, written by Levent Cantek. After moving to the UK, creating comics was not initially one of my goals; I had other priorities at the time. By coincidence, I met editors from DC Comics through one of the managers at Bright Agency, who happened to be a former DC employee and is now my representative. After illustrating a few short stories for Superman and The Flash titles, I began working on Bruce Wayne: Not Super, a graphic novel that tells the story of Batman’s youth. I completed the book in one year, and it was published in March 2023 by DC Kids, an imprint of DC Comics.

4- You have designed numerous Formula 1 race posters for global brands like Aston Martin F1, Asahi, and Peroni. Could you tell us a bit about those experiences?

Previously, we had worked with the same advertising agency on the Manchester City x Asahi animated commercial. So when they offered me the opportunity to illustrate the 2023 season posters for the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, I was both excited and nervous, mainly because I had not followed Formula 1 for nearly 20 years. I quickly caught up by binge-watching the seasons of the Netflix documentary series and got back into the spirit of it.

In modern F1, the personalities of the drivers and the unique character of each race location have become just as important as the cars themselves in shaping how the sport is consumed. Throughout the year, we tried to highlight these aspects in the posters. Since the sponsor was an alcohol brand, I had to work within some restrictions. For example, although the sponsor was Peroni (which also has a non-alcoholic product), I was not allowed to illustrate Lance Stroll holding a bottle because he was under 23 at the time.

5- When working across different industries and regions, what are some key considerations you keep in mind to ensure your artistic style and voice remain consistent?

Putting comics aside, in advertising illustration, brands usually choose you because of your specific drawing style. They try to find the illustrator whose work best matches the content and tone of the project. For that reason, it’s important to have a consistent portfolio. In my case, I was selected for both the Aston Martin and Asahi projects because I already had previous works that aligned well with the planned campaigns.

It is somewhat similar in the comic book world; editors also look for artists whose style suits the story. However, there is generally more flexibility in comic illustration styles than in advertising work. I would say I have pushed the boundaries of my stylistic flexibility the most in comic projects. For example, my work in Turkey tended to have a darker tone aimed at adults; for Superman and The Flash issues, I adopted a more mainstream American comic style; and in Bruce Wayne: Not Super, I adapted my style to suit a younger audience. But when you look at all these works side by side, you can still tell they were drawn by the same hand.

6- Could you walk us through the creative process behind the LTAA Personas? What were the core elements you focused on when designing each character?

Based on the brief you provided, I visualized an abstract representation of the world your members live in. My aim was to make elements that many professionals are tired of seeing or experiencing repeatedly in their daily lives feel more exciting and enjoyable. I wanted viewers to be able to connect the illustrations to their own lives.

7- Could you share some of the people or sources that inspire you and influence your design work?

Since childhood, I have been most influenced by comic book artists. I have looked up to illustrators from around the world and across different styles, Massimiliano Frezzato, Frederik Peeters, Greg Capullo, Adrian Tomine, and Naoki Urasawa, to name a few. As a result, my drawing style is a bit of a blend. Americans find it European, while Europeans often see it as American.

We sincerely thank Berat Pekmezci for sharing his inspiring journey, creative process, and unique perspective with us. 

We are especially grateful for his collaboration on the LTAA Personas. This creative partnership marks a new chapter for LTAA, blending architecture, design and visual storytelling in a way that highlights the diverse identities and voices within our community.

Interview: Kaan Öncüoğlu

Illustrations: Berat Pekmezci