Today I'm excited to kick off a fun and unique blog tour for Dare to Disappoint, a new graphic novel from Ozge Samanci. This tour is going to focus on Ozge's creative process and the unusual materials she used in the creation of her book, with each blog highlighting one material in particular. I always love getting behind the scenes information on how a novel comes to life, so I hope you guys follow the tour to see more of Ozge's work!
The first unconventional material on the tour is stamps, complete with an image of the stamps she uses as well as how they look in the context of Dare to Disappoint!
STAMPS
I combine comics and collage. Sometimes three-dimensional objects from real life become part of my images. I used ten different kinds of stamps in Dare to Disappoint. I found some of the stamps at thrift stores, I bought some of them from a stamp store, I made some of them myself by carving an eraser-like plastic material. I repetitively stamp the paper with the stamp and create backgrounds, landscapes that contribute the atmosphere of the image.
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DARE TO DISAPPOINT
Growing up on the Aegean Coast, Ozge loved the sea and imagined a life of adventure while her parents and society demanded predictability. Her dad expected Ozge, like her sister, to become an engineer. She tried to hear her own voice over his and the religious and militaristic tensions of Turkey and the conflicts between secularism and fundamentalism. Could she be a scuba diver like Jacques Cousteau? A stage actress? Would it be possible to please everyone including herself?
In her unpredictable and funny graphic memoir, Ozge recounts her story using inventive collages, weaving together images of the sea, politics, science, and friendship.
Ozge Samanci is an artist and an associate professor. She was born in Izmir, Turkey, and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. Dare to Disappoint is her debut graphic novel.
Find Ozge:
