Born on 8 December 1977 in Üsküdar, Nurcan Toprak Ayal graduated from Üsküdar Imam Hatip High School, followed by Marmara University Divinity School and Istanbul University Department of Librarianship. She completed her master's degree at Marmara University, Department of Islamic History and Arts with her thesis titled "Calligrapher Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi and His Works" (Hattat Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi ve Eserleri).

Her stories were published by Dergâh Publications in 2016 under the title "Cardigan for Depression" ("Depresyon Hırkası"). She started her illumination studies in 1998 with the Illumination-Miniature course organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and received training from Arzu Uzunosman and Yelda Tezölçer for two years. Between 2008-2012, she continued her works in Salbek Art Group under the direction of Fatma Özçay within the Classical Turkish Arts Foundation.

Since 2000, Nurcan Toprak Ayal has been working at IRCICA and continues her proficiency in art programme at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, Department of Traditional Turkish Arts.