Artyom Kozhevnikov

How did you first come to digital painting as your primary medium of expression?

I fell in love with digital painting for its convenience: it’s easy to make changes, you can work anywhere, there’s no need to spend money on materials, and your favorite T-shirt never gets stained with paint. However, I don’t exclusively prefer digital art. I express myself in different ways — and that’s what makes it interesting both for the viewer and for the artist himself.

Artyom Kozhevnikov | Double Portrait

Your works convey deep emotional states — solitude, empathy, and inner reflection. Do you begin with a specific emotion or allow it to emerge during the process?

I don’t make sketches or drafts, nor do I search for compositional options. The idea for a work comes to me immediately and as a whole, so when I start painting, I already know what the result should be. Where this knowledge comes from, I do not know. But perhaps the inner emotions come first — they anticipate the emergence of the story.

The figures in your paintings often appear introspective, with subtle gestures and minimal backgrounds. What draws you to this visual language of simplicity and restraint?

As an artist, I am egocentric. My works know nothing beyond my own impressions. I am inclined toward reflection and self-analysis — a state in which the gaze turns inward, and the surroundings cease to be part of contemplation. That is why information about the environment is often excluded from my paintings — it is unnecessary.

Artyom Kozhevnikov | In Line For Happiness

Do you see your digital works as a continuation of traditional painting, or do you treat them as something entirely new?

While working on a painting in a digital editor, I intentionally try to recreate the behavior of real paint. Out of all the available tools, I use only one — the “brush” — to make the process as close as possible to traditional painting. I would call myself a digital traditional artist, if such a thing is possible.

Artyom Kozhevnikov | Portrait

How do you achieve such a sense of softness and emotional intimacy through digital tools, which are often considered “cold” or “mechanical”?

I work in a digital medium, yet I still consider it true painting. That’s why I treat the workspace on my monitor as a real canvas, and the stylus of my graphic tablet as an actual brush. Perhaps that’s why my works don’t feel digital — they seem alive.

Artyom Kozhevnikov | Soul

Has your background in design and advertising influenced the way you compose or conceptualize your digital paintings?

On the contrary, I came to design from painting and graphic art. In my advertising work, I try to bring in what I know from drawing. The artist in me comes before the designer.

Artyom Kozhevnikov | Yellow Portrait

What emotions or reflections do you hope the viewer experiences when looking at your work?

In my paintings, I share personal emotions, the complexity of my inner world, and the feeling of loneliness. I hope that through my works, people can find comfort in realizing that their emotions and experiences are part of the shared human condition. For me, art is a way to express myself, to find inner peace, and to share it with the world. I believe that by overcoming loneliness through self-compassion, we can create a more harmonious and understanding society.