Application of Anatolian Motifs on Designer Toys

Designer or art toys are unique designs produced in limited quantities using a specific mold. They are then painted with various stories and concepts, showcasing their artistic originality. These toys are typically developed for collection purposes. These toys are mainly featured in art galleries, museums, and design fairs. These toys are evaluated as art objects and offer an important form of expression that reflects their period’s cultural meanings and social dynamics. This study uses Anatolian motifs to transfer cultural values to students through designer toys. In this context, it is planned to contribute to students’ learning of cultural values and help them create their artistic creations. Students are given examples of motifs, characters, phenomena, and events containing cultural values and are asked to produce designer toys that reflect contemporary designs. The study also aims to examine existing examples in this field, identify problems, and develop suggestions. The reinterpretation and transfer of designer toys as a form of expression through cultural motifs are important for preserving these values. The limited number of studies on using traditional Anatolian motifs in designer toys emphasizes the significance of this topic. In this research, the literature review method was adopted. In the data collection process, the observation method, one of the qualitative research techniques, and the pretest-posttest method, one of the quantitative research techniques, were applied. Between the two tests, an 8-hour training was provided to the students, and they were asked to apply what they had learned. The population of the study consists of students studying in design departments or those who have taken courses in design-related fields. The sample is limited to students studying in design-related departments or those who have taken courses in design-related fields at Istanbul Kültür University (IKU). SPSS software was used to analyze the collected data. This study is likely to contribute to academic research in this field.