From Law Books to Album Art:
Kutlay's Screen Printing Success Story
For Kutlay, art has always been a constant companion. From teenage doodles to creating striking album covers, his passion burned brightly even as he pursued a prestigious law degree. Now, working in the Netherlands, he balances the demands of corporate law with his artistic pursuits, using screen printing to connect with his community and champion important causes.
A Creative Spark Ignited
Kutlay's artistic journey began in his youth, fueled by a desire to express himself. This passion only grew as he matured, leading him to experiment with various techniques, including screen printing. While excelling academically, he found time to hone his craft, creating unique designs and making limited editions that sold-out quickly. Painting by hand led him to explore more structured techniques, a deep dive in the art world.
Art as Advocacy
Kutlay's commitment continued beyond personal projects. Recognizing the power of art to raise awareness, he partnered with non-profit organizations to combat domestic violence. By creating meaningful designs, he amplified the voices of survivors and promoted critical conversations.
He also volunteered with a program that brings arts education to rural schools. For multiple years, he and his university friends travelled to the hard to reach places and built libraries, gave workshops and inspired the children with their their creativity.
Beyond the Courtroom
Upon graduating first from law school, then completing a Masters in Law and Technology in the Netherlands, Kutlay secured a prestigious position in a top tech company. However, the transition into the corporate world didn't diminish his artistic drive. Instead, he saw an opportunity to integrate his passions.
He continues to create screen-printed t-shirts and album art for his musician friends, adding a handcrafted touch to their creative endeavors. He is also invited to conferences and events, where he does live screen printing.
The Bitti Gitti Advantage
Before moving to the Netherlands, Kutlay invested in Bitti Gitti screen printing equipment. He recognized the value of a reliable and user-friendly system, especially as he juggled a demanding career with his artistic pursuits. Bitti Gitti's equipment, known for its ease of maintenance and German Design Award-winning quality, proved to be the perfect fit.
He also was relieved to see that wooden equipment was much lighter when transporting, which lowered the customs and shipping costs significantly. He was even able to fit some frames in his luggage - a sign of how much screen printing equipment is evolving beyond the industrial and academic settings!
Why Bitti Gitti?
For Kutlay, Bitti Gitti provided:
Reliability: With a busy schedule, he needed equipment he could count on. Bitti Gitti's intuitive design allowed him to focus on his art, not troubleshooting complicated machinery.
Ease of Use: Thanks to the simply engineered Exposure Unit and unibody wooden frames, Bitti Gitti tools consistently delivered professional-grade prints.
Quality Results: Water based inks require more focus but vastly outperform other inks in terms of quality. Bitti Gitti's system is designed to work with water based inks, and easily replace the rare clogged screen.
Portability: Equipment can be transported through airports, and everything fits in his apartment, meaning he doesn't need a dedicated art studio. Water based inks are sustainably and easily washed away.
The European Apartment Challenge
Moving to a busy city as a young professional presented Kutlay with the typical urban challenge: maximizing creativity in compact living spaces for DIY screen printing at home. His apartment, while charming, offered limited space for artistic endeavors. This constraint made his choice of affordable screen printing equipment particularly crucial.
The stackable and compact design of their beginner-friendly screen printing equipment was one of the deciding factors in choosing Bitti Gitti. The modular design of their portable screen printing setup means Kutlay can disassemble his workspace after each printing session, storing components vertically on shelves or sliding the slimmer pieces beneath furniture when guests arrive.
The equipment can be stacked when not in use or even stored under his couch, making it more practical than previous generations of frames which use aluminium instead of unibody wood.
Balancing Professional Life with Creative Passion
Kutlay's colleagues at the tech company have become some of his biggest supporters in his small batch printing endeavors. What started as a curious conversation about his weekend activities has evolved into impromptu lunch-hour conversations where he shows basic screen printing techniques to interested coworkers.
The legal world can be very structured and text-heavy, but custom t-shirt printing offers a tactile, visual counterbalance that helps him think more creatively about legal challenges too. His unique perspective has brought an artistic dimension to his professional environment, enriching both his legal work and creative pursuits.
A Creative Force
Kutlay's story is a testament to the power of passion and the versatility of DIY screen printing. By combining his legal expertise with his screen printing business knowledge, he's making a difference in his community and beyond. He has shown that one does not have to choose between the professional world and the art world. Even though nurturing both require more thoughtfulness and dedication - the rewards are extraordinary.
Everywhere Kutlay goes, his dual passions for law and printmaking are recognized with respect and admiration.
Looking Ahead
As Kutlay continues to navigate the worlds of law and art, his Bitti Gitti screen printing equipment remains a vital tool for small batch printing and custom designs. It empowers him to express his creativity, support his friends, and advocate for causes he believes in, all while pursuing his professional goals. His screen printing story proves that with the right beginner-friendly equipment and a passion for design, you can achieve success in both your career and your creative pursuits.
For Parents of High Performing Creatives
Thanks to our growing screen printing business, we meet a lot of parents that are proud of their creative children, but worried that their artistic pursuits could hijack a promising career in a more prestigious field. If you're in a similar position, or just want to be prepared to guide your child when the time comes - you've come to the right place.
Screen printing is the perfect gift to give your child (or teenager) to help their art career become more time-efficient and also community based. The benefit of making multiple prints quickly allows screen printers to become generous with their gifts, and also efficient with their order fulfillment.
For Corporate Professionals Seeking Artistic Projects
We also meet a lot of people in the corporate world thanks to our screen printing and design workshops. On a wide spectrum ranging from intern to CEO, individuals with a strong passion to make things with their hands are much more common than we previously believed. This applies to single professionals who want to make their free time useful, or newly married couples wanting to find outlets to manage the growing responsibilities in their lives.
Or even members of the silver tsunami, getting ready to retire but worried that they will fall into a lazy lifestyle. For all of them, screen printing might be the most user-friendly and productive art technique currently available.
Screen Printing for a Multi Layered Life
Kutlay's story shows us that you can handcraft while having other interests that you value just as much as art. In today's world, where it is much too easy to fall into patterns and live a consuming heavy life with no energy left to give back - screen printing is a way to make sure you're connected to your artistic side. It can be a hobby, that makes you shine as a professional. It can be used on the weekends, but also in the office. It can inspire children and adults alike.
If you have a design you like, let's start small and send you a print ready DIY Screen Printing Kit. If you like the experience, you can invest in more sustainable equipment just as Kutlay did. Hope to share your story too one day!
*Visit Kutlay's art on Instagram to see him in action.
