Aiko - Making Good Art Comes From the Artist's Skills, Their Hard Work (Artist from Kazakhstan)

I loved creating characters and telling stories about them. And I just wanted to follow my heart and invest my time into something I loved. But I must admit I became more consistent with making digital art during my years in university.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I have loved drawing and crafting since childhood. I didn’t go to an art school or major in art in university. It was just a hobby that I enjoyed doing in my spare time. But with social media, I opened a whole new world of wonderful artists and the stories they shared through their art.

I was amazed by the things people created. They encouraged me to improve and widen my knowledge about art. I also had a huge collection of VHS cassettes with movies from different animation studios on them. My favorites were made by Disney. Their creations touched my heart and influenced me for sure.

2. How and when did you decide to become a digital illustrator?

I don’t think there was a particular moment when I decided to be an artist. It’s always been a part of my personality. I remember always carrying a stack of pencils and a notebook with me everywhere I went as a kid.

I loved creating characters and telling stories about them. And I just wanted to follow my heart and invest my time into something I loved. But I must admit I became more consistent with making digital art during my years in university.

3. Why do you prefer digital illustrations over traditional handmade illustrations?

For me personally, there’s more freedom to it. The variety of colors and tools you can use is incredible. It’s easy to make sketches and then draw clean line art, and if you screw something up, you can fix it right away or start over without any hesitation. In a way, digital art makes me want to experiment more than if I did on paper. I really love that.

Of course, I admire people who work with traditional materials as well. It’s always been fascinating. I can’t say that drawing digitally is much easier than traditionally. Both processes have their own difficulties and benefits. Some people assume when you make digital art, there’s a special “button” to make your drawing beautiful. But it’s nothing like that. Making good art comes from the artist's skills, their hard work.

4. What inspired you to develop your own illustration style?

I see that many people want to find their own style. But I think it’s better not to do it on purpose. I started by learning the basics of anatomy, color theory, etc. I also analyzed drawings from the artists I liked to understand the “logic” behind their brushstrokes if I can say so. And with a lot of practice, with each piece I’ve ever drawn, I’m forming my style the way water pierces rocks.

5. What is that one artwork that is the closest to your heart and why?

I feel like it’s this one called “Self-love”. This topic is close not just to me, but to many people in general. Because we all learn to accept our “flaws”, bodies, and personalities to finally love and be happy with ourselves. It might be hard, but it’s important. Also a friendly reminder: self-love doesn’t mean being narcissistic.
I wanted to create a cozy and comforting atmosphere by using warm colors, and I’m happy with the result.

6. Which artist do you admire the most and why?

There are tons of amazing artists, and it’s really hard to choose just one. Every artist I follow on my social media inspires me to grow and create more. Some period of time there's one artist who might have a bigger impact on me, and then it's another one.

For example, right now my biggest inspiration is @arucelli. By looking at their works, you can see how good their skills are. I love their confident lines, the way they apply colors and shades, and how accurately they capture human anatomy.

Aiko

Hello, I’m Aiko (Aiya). I’m a digital illustrator from Kazakhstan. I see drawing as a way to express myself, my aesthetics, and something that’s close to my heart. I love to experiment with colors and challenge myself by trying new things and techniques. Improvement is a never-ending process: we learn and work every single day to become better versions of ourselves, it’s a life-long adventure.

Interviewed By - Aliza Hussain