Original applications of mythological creatures using with the technique of burning paintings

Mythology, like heroic tales, has been passed down from language to language across cultures, and mythological creatures are also referred to as legendary. In addition to plant, animal, or object-based decorations, mythological creatures are also seen as decorative elements in works of art. In Turkish and world art, mythological and legendary elements, which are unreal and imaginary, occupy an important place in artistic works, both as a narrative language and as a complementary element. This study focuses on mythological creatures of animal origin. When examining artistic works and examples related to wood, no study has been found that focuses on animal-origin mythological creatures. Based on this deficiency, original applications have been made using the pyrography technique on wooden surfaces. In the pyrography technique, sepia tones have been used by obtaining light and dark color scales through the combination of fire and wood. In some parts of the visual works, coloring has been used. Animal-based motifs selected from Turkish and world mythology have been stylized and interpreted together with botanical and geometric motifs, resulting in original artistic applications. The mythological characteristics of legendary creatures in mythology have been researched, and care has been taken to select animal-based creatures with different meanings. Sixteen animal-based mythological creatures were selected as the subject of the study: Griffin, Garuda, Minotaur, Pegasus, Harpy, Scylla, Dragon, Sphinx, Chimera, Unicorn, Burak, Shahmeran, Dabbetü'l Arz, Zümrüdüanka, Manticore, and Triton. When creating these designs, sketches of the 16 selected mythological creatures were drawn first. During the drawing process, books, visual sources, and visual materials found in digital media were used. These images were then rearranged to develop an original interpretation. Thus, the mythological creatures, redesigned with original interpretations, were used together with motifs found in Turkish and Western art using the pyrography technique. The applications were presented to art lovers in a personal exhibition and featured in the local press.