01: What is Sevensheaven?
Sevensheaven (or Seven's Heaven) is the one-man company of the freelance Dutch designer and illustrator Metin Seven.

02: What does Sevensheaven do?
Seven's Heaven offers various visual communication services, such as graphic illustrations, realistic illustrations, visualizations, cartoons, comics, characters, logo design, icons, product design, presentations and animation. In the Images menu you can find different categories with Sevensheaven imagery.

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03: Does Sevensheaven only create 3D graphics?
Sevensheaven is experienced in the creation of both 3D and 2D graphics. In 2D Sevensheaven creates stylized vector illustrations, graphic logos, icons/pictograms and pixel art, among other things. And with extensive Photoshop knowledge Sevensheaven also takes care of photo editing and photo retouching.

04: Why would I choose for Sevensheaven?
Seven's Heaven is proficient in several visual disciplines, works fast and efficient due to many years of professional experience, is proof against the pressure of tight deadlines and is flexible if the customer wishes to see adjustments. Recommendations by several customers can be found in Sevensheaven's LinkedIn profile.

05: Is Sevensheaven expensive?
As an independent professional Sevensheaven employs a sharp hourly rate (feel free to contact us without engagement for more info) and agreeing on a fixed price per project is no problem. The style can be adapted to the available budget: a stylized 2D execution generally takes less time than a realistic 3D execution.

06: Can I entrust Sevensheaven with an important/elaborate project?
With a clear heart. Seven's Heaven is registered at the Dutch Chamber Of Commerce [number 32081789], a Professional Relation Statement [Dutch: VAR] is available, and recommendations by several customers can be found in Sevensheaven's LinkedIn profile.

07: What customers did Sevensheaven serve?
Among Sevensheaven's contentedly smiling customers are: Adidas, Aktiesport, Albert Heijn, Autodesk, AVRO television, Beerens Business Press, Belastingdienst, Beta Publishers, Bite, Canon, Carvan Cevitam, Column Productions, Comic House, Editions Gallimard (Folio Science-Fiction), EGM Architecten, Endemol, FAN TV productions, FHV BBDO, FNV Bouw, Giarte, Greenpeace, IDG Communications, Ilse Media, John de Mol Productions, K-Swiss, Malmberg publishing, Minoc Business Press, Miss Etam, MT Media Group, Navteq, Nederlandse Onderwijs Televisie, New Balance, Ogilvy & Mather, Ordina, PCM Publishers, Pearson Education Benelux, Planet Internet, Reed Business, Rhinocreations, RTL Televisie, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sanoma Publishers, SDU Uitgevers, Sevensteps, SNS Bank, Sogeti, Staat, Storms Factory (Pieter Storms), Technical University Eindhoven, Telegraaf Tijdschriften Groep, Tenfold TV productions, ThiemeMeulenhoff, Trust, Unga toys, Unive, VARA television, VNU, VPRO television, VvAA and Wegener.

08: Does Sevensheaven also offer other services besides image creation and training?
Sevensheaven is closely working together with Artylicious web & print design, also responsible for the design of the Sevensheaven website. Together with Artylicious we can offer a complete online solution, including webdesign, programming and hosting. Sevensheaven also works together with specialized partners able to turn designs for tangible purposes such as toy figures into actual products. The development of complete applications and games for the mobile market is also possible, through a cooperation with programmers for the Apple iPhone/iPad, Google Android and Windows Mobile. Finally, Seven's Heaven also likes to teach visual expertise to others, by offering training on a personal level.

09: Can I use a Sevensheaven image?
Of course, we'd like that, but against a modest consideration. All of the Sevensheaven imagery and designs displayed therein are properties protected by international copyright law. Unsolicited use is not permitted, not even for non-public purposes such as internal presentations. An image or print can be ordered by clicking on the buttons in most of the Sevensheaven image pages. Sevensheaven can modify images for you if desired.

10: How can I see what's new in Sevensheaven?
In the thumbnail overview pages of a category or search result you can sort by date in the column at the left side. You can also subscribe to the Sevensheaven feed.

11: Did this Metin create all the work in the Sevensheaven site by himself?
Yes. Metin started with his work at a young age in 1989, and through the years that has resulted in chronic sleep deprivation and a truckload of diverse imagery.

12: Do I already know Metin's work from somewhere?
Maybe. Metins illustrations, cartoons, comics, columns, articles and reviews have been published in various media, such as Nu.nl, NRC.next, NRC Handelsblad, Rails, Interactiondesign.tv, Intermediair, Volkskrant Banen, De Volkskrant, Elsevier weekblad, Esquire, Society Quarterly, Webwereld, Lifehacker, Boing Boing, Technabob, the magazines of FNV Bouw, Kidsweek, PC Magazine, ComputerTotaal, PC-Active, Computable, Technisch Weekblad, PC Plus, Taptoe, Twinkle, Memory Magazine, Nu Wij Weer, Zo Zit Dat, Property NL, RealIT, Amiga Magazine, Call-Sheet en AV & Stage Magazine. Metin is also the man behind the Seamour Sheep comics and toy figures, and he worked on the animated television series Jones & Jones (Mannetje & Mannetje) and Tattletoons. Metin is also responsible for the graphics of several commercial computer games, including the titles Hoi (Amiga), Clockwiser (Amiga, CD32, MS-DOS, Windows, Java), Moon Child (Windows) and Yin Hung (Symbian). See the Sevensheaven bio written below for more information.

13: Can Sevensheaven be found elsewhere on the Web as well?
Sure, you can find Sevensheaven here as well: Blip, Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube.

14: I am in search of an internship or a job, is Sevensheaven the place to be for me?
No, sorry. The Sevensheaven company cat is so big that he completely occupies the only remaining office chair.

Sevensheaven biography

Metin Seven is born on the 23rd of july 1971 in Brussels, Belgium. During his childhood in the Netherlands Metin develops a predilection for expressive media, such as movies, music and comics. Metin's love for the written word soon becomes clear, when he's able to read his first words at the age of three.

During his schooldays in the late Eighties, Metin already works on game graphics for the Commodore Amiga computer range, together with programmer Reinier van Vliet and music composer Ramon Braumuller. While Metin is attending school during weekdays, he and his partners repeatedly travel to Great Britain and Germany in the weekends, to present their computer games to potential publishers. They visit the Personal Computer World Show and the European Computer Entertainment Show in London, and travel to game publishers such as Psygnosis in Liverpool and Rainbow Arts in Germany.

In 1990, the publication of the game Venomwing by the UK publisher Thalamus turns Metin and his creative partners into some of the very first Dutch game developers who ever saw a commercial computer game enter the international games market.

Cover of the Venomwing Commodore Amiga game, published by Thalamus (1990).

During that time Metin also writes reviews and articles for the Dutch computer magazine Amiga Magazine. After finishing his education the publisher of Amiga Magazine (later the publisher of the Dutch MacFan magazine) offers Metin to become an editor of the magazine.

Mannetje & Mannetje

After working as an editor for a short while the Dutch Comic House agency offers Metin to work on Mannetje & Mannetje (Jones & Jones), a computer-animated children's series for Dutch national television, featuring the two well-known Dutch comic artists Hanco Kolk (Single, Gilles de Geus, Meccano) and Peter de Wit (Sigmund, Single). Metin learns a lot from the experienced visual professionals at the Comic House studio in Amsterdam.

Footage of Mannetje & Mannetje would later be used in media-related education, workshops and lectures, as one of the very first completely computer-animated television series. Mannetje & Mannetje also earned a place in the Dutch national broadcast museum.

Scene from the animated television series Mannetje & Mannetje (copyright 1989 Comic House).

From Hoi to Telekids

In the early Nineties Metin earns his income as a freelance illustrator and animator, while in his spare time he creates all graphics for the two commercial Amiga game titles Hoi and Clockwiser. Both games are internationally published and praised by the press, but in the end the American respectively British publishers do not pay Metin and his partners for their work.

In 1992 Metin co-created the first custom-made computer game to appear in a (Dutch) television commercial, for Calve peanut-butter. It was also the first Dutch commercial with a length of one minute, and the live-action part featured the debut of the Dutch actress Lieke van Lexmond. After the commercial aired on television, the Calve Peanut-Butter Power Game was played by kids in the popular RTL 4 children's matinee Telekids, where they could win their length in stacked peanut-butter jars.

Hoi sAGA

In early 1993 Metin took care of the graphics for the first and second demonstration in the world for the new generation of Amiga computers (Advanced Graphic Architecture), before Commodore's official hardware specifications were published. The widespread demos were titled Planet Groove and Mindwarp, forming part 1 and 2 of the Hoi sAGA demo trilogy.

Further on during the Nineties Metin works together with comic strip creator Martin Lodewijk in order to create computer graphics for the Storm comic album The Genesis Formula and he also creates graphics for various television productions, such as the game Zoek het Setje for RTL television's Telekids and the gameshow Stop de Strop, produced by the well-known Dutch television mogul John de Mol and presented by the Dutch presenter Robert ten Brink.

Moon Child

From autumn 1995 up to and including the spring of 1997 Metin creates all graphics for the commercial computer game Moon Child, by assignment of the Dutch multimedia company Valkieser. The game is released for Microsoft Windows in the spring of 1997 and earns a nomination for the yearly EMMA multimedia award at the international MIPTV/MILIA multimedia and television congress in Cannes. In July 2004 Moon Child is rereleased in a Windows Mobile edition for Pocket PCs.

Gameography

Below is a summary of all computer games that contain Metin's graphics and game design. Click on the titles for more info.

Seminar and workshop

In June 1997 Metin and games programmer Reinier van Vliet give a seminar about computer games and the creation of games to about 150 students of the University of Arts Utrecht, annex Image and Media Technology in the city of Hilversum. In the weeks that follow, Metin and Reinier van Vliet guide a group of students in their development of a small-scale computer game. In October of the same year Metin and Reinier take care of a games workshop during the yearly Dutch Cinekid festival in Amsterdam.

Paid employment excursions

In 1998 Metin sets up the Jaytown division for Spin Multimedia in town of Weesp, together with Reinier. In the period that follows, Metin and Reinier create several computer games for the advertisement industry and multimedia software products, such as the Syntrax audio editor.

Syntrax title illustration (1998).

After a year of paid employment Metin leaves to return to the varied world of freelancing, and changes his one-man company name from Metin Seven Digital Art Productions into Seven's Heaven for a fresh start.

Although Metin is content with his freelance career, after a meeting with Van Dijk Multimedia in Amsterdam he agrees to commence a new period of paid employment there, because of the fun projects. He guides two apprentice designers through a small year of several multimedia design projects, until Metin finally knows for sure that he wants to stay an independent professional once and for all.

Tattletoons

In 2000 Metin makes his definitive comeback as a freelance illustrator and designer, and works as lead 3D modeler and animator on the interactive animation production TattleToons, broadcast by VPRO television. In 2001 the production is covered by Time Magazine as a pioneering project in interactive television and wins the yearly EMMA television and multimedia award at the MIPTV/MILIA festival in Cannes.

Scene from the award-winning interactive animation series TattleToons (copyright 2000-2001 IJsfontein).

Alpha and beta tester

Starting in 2000 Metin is an active participant in various alpha and beta testing teams for new software, such as the 3ds Max plug-in renderers Illustrate, finalToon, finalRender and V-Ray. In 2001 Metin becomes the first Dutch alpha and beta tester of the 3ds Max package for the U.S. publisher Autodesk.

Peace Signs

In 2003 one of Metins anti-war pictures named Pumping Irony is published in the picturebook Peace Signs (and on the cover), worldwide published by the German Edition Olms. In February 2004 the book wins the prestigious Spanish prize Premio Ciutat de Barcelona de Diseno, awarded by the Spanish Minister of Culture. In early 2004 Peace Signs is covered by The New York Times and the well-known German magazine Der Spiegel.

Pumping Irony, an anti-Bush statement (2003).

In 2003 Metin also starts a training service with regard to 3D computer graphics, sharing his gathered knowledge with architects and other interested people.

Among Metins further activities in 2003 is the creation of all graphics voor the computer game Yin Hung, published by Overloaded for the Nokia N-Gage mobile phone, among other mobile platforms with the Symbian operating system.

Scene from the mobile game Yin Hung (2003).

Illustrations for magazines

In 2004 Metin decides to spend more time on character design and he extends his activities with design and visualisation of tangible matter, such as product design. Metin also regularly conceives and creates illustrations for various well-known magazines, such as Esquire, the Dutch ComputerTotaal and FNV Bouw Magazine.

Also in 2004, Metins image "Unpleasant Company" wins the 3rd prize at the yearly international Animago awards, in the category "Professional / Still - Creatures". 1125 creatives from around 50 countries participated in the Animago competition.

Unpleasant company (2004)

2 voor 12, Webwereld and NRC.next

In 2005 Metin's work includes creating animations for the junior version of VARA television's quiz 2 voor 12 and various (cover) illustrations for the thematic special PDF editions of Webwereld magazine. In early 2006 Metin is asked to contribute illustrations and a weekly cartoon to the new morning edition of the Dutch national newspaper NRC Handelsblad, named NRC.next. Furthermore Metin developes an animated owl character for the SBS 6 television magazine Thuis in Nederland and he gives lectures to around 90 persons during the EUE 3D computer graphics event in the Netherlands.

Metin lectures about advanced usage of the V-Ray 3D renderer (2006).

For the legendary American science fiction writer James Blish Metin is given the honor of creating a cover for the French translation of his novel The Seedling Stars.

Comics and designer toys

In the second half of 2006 Metin is turned into one of the very first Dutch designer toy creators after he is approached by the Hong Kong toy producer Crazy Label to become one of their artists. Around the same time Metin starts a comic strip series about the character Seamour Sheep and its sidekicks. The Seamour Sheep comic figure becomes Metins first designer toy and is released in the summer of 2007.

Toyography

Below is a summary of all designer vinyl figures designed by Metin and internationally distributed by Crazy Label.

Elsevier and Nu.nl

In September 2006 Metin starts to illustrate for the magazines Elsevier weekly and Computable, and October 2006 marks the start of a daily series of Sevensheaven cartoons for the most popular Dutch news website Nu.nl: the first daily cartoon series in the world fully created in 3D. Thanks to the very high visitor rate of Nu.nl the cartoons rapidly become nationally known and much-discussed at popular forums.

In December 2006 Metin is asked to take care of the cover for the renowned Dutch student magazine Propria Cures.

In 2007 Sevensheaven is mainly occupied with the concept and creation of the daily Nu.nl cartoons, weekly NRC.next cartoons and new designer toys derived from the Seamour Sheep comic series.

In Oktober 2007 a Sevensheaven cartoon for Nu.nl is used without permission in BNN's satirical television program De Nieuwste Show. After approaching the editors they are willing to pay a reuse compensation.

A Sevensheaven cartoon in BNN's De Nieuwste Show (2007).

In November 2007 a Sevensheaven image is used without permission in the television program RTL Boulevard. After approaching them they are also willing to pay for the reuse.

A Sevensheaven image in RTL Boulevard (2007).

In December 2007 Metin creates a leader for the AVRO television programme Russische Sprookjes.

Cartoon for the Nu.nl news website (2008).

2008

Starting in January 2008 the Seamour Sheep comic strip series is published weekly in the daily Dutch newspaper NRC.next, and in February 2008 Metin and the Dutch journalist Dennis Rijnvis start a weekly scientific column, centered around a crash test dummy character designed by Metin. The column appears in the monthly magazine Zo Zit Dat, the weekly magazine Kidsweek and the daily newspaper NRC.next.

Proto the scientific test dummy (2008).

Also in February 2008, the controversial, satirical Uncle Abdul character from the Seamour Sheep comic series is released as a designer vinyl figure.

In July 2008 Metin and the programmer Peter Schaap release an online version of their old puzzle game Clockwiser. The game can be played at playclockwiser.com.

Also in July 2008, the Seamour Sheep Radioactive Edition is released by Crazy Label: an exclusive variation upon the successful Seamour Sheep Illuminative Edition.

In september 2008 the daily frequency of the Nu.nl cartoons turns to a weekly appearance, which gives Metin the opportunity to restore services that had been stalled due to time shortage, such as logo design, character design and realistic 3D visualizations.

2009

In January 2009 the Seamour Sheep comic is nominated out of 150 submissions as a finalist at a national comic competition, by a jury from the Dutch daily newspaper De Pers.

In February 2009 another Sevensheaven image is used without permission in the television program RTL Boulevard, this time as a video transition element. They are approached for the neglected reuse fee again.

Another Sevensheaven image used in RTL Boulevard (2009).

In june 2009 the Dutch television channel Veronica plagiarizes a 3D smiley character by Sevensheaven, for their Summer Of Comedy promos. After SBS is approached by Metins agent SBS admits the plagiarism, pays for the use of the character and replaces it in their campaign.

Sevensheaven-smiley plagiarized by the Dutch Veronica television (SBS Broadcasting), june 2009.

Early 2009 Metin develops his voxel style: images built with 3D pixels. Among Metins voxel work is a series of 3D tributes to classic computer and video games from the 1980s, which he grew up with. The voxel style is gradually publicly noticed and featured in various publications, including Lifehacker and the online version of the well-known German magazine Der Spiegel.

2010

In the spring of 2010 the Uncle Abdul toy figure, Metin's satirical suicide bomber figure, appears as an attribute in the VARA television series Deadline.

Uncle Abdul in the VARA television series Deadline.

In March 2010 Metin produces an animated realistic catapult for bumpers and screen transitions in the AVRO television program Wie wordt Kruimeltje?

And finally

From time to time Metin spends his spare time on an other cherished activity: writing. Metins articles and reviews can be found at metinseven.com, and short Dutch scribbles at Twitter.

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