Turkish graphic designer and electrical engineer Tolga Girgin takes the art of calligraphy one step further by transforming gorgeously scripted letters into three dimensional form. At first glance, his words appear as though they have been sliced out of colorful paper and then lifted up off of the page. In reality, though, each work is a hand-drawn optical illusion.
Relying on perspective and shadows, Girgin uses a Pilot ParallelPen and pencil to draw the forms in vibrant colors that pop out against the white backgrounds. He features simple words that describe his process, including “form,” “lettering, and “broken,” as well as his own name “Tolga.”
Girgin’s strong technical skills result in curling words that have an amazing depth of field. Some of the letters seem to actually weave in and out of the page and viewers might feel the urge to reach out and touch what appear to be thin strips of paper. His minimalist style and eye-catching, bold colors give the ancient art of calligraphy a bit of a modern twist.
