Hey everybody, how you all ??
Ok by the title, you guys are probably going to say "What the hell he isn't hidden he has over 2mil pageviews ". Well the title goes to him because many many people know him as an artist not as a person, so should the title be changed to Hidden Person ... That would just break the whole serie So hope you guys understand and learn about moar

Today, we are interviewing one of the finest artist here on DA, his speciality is Digital Painting, but has some awesome other skills such as Photography and Traditional, he is the one and the only ...

Have a nice time reading,
Enjoy !

What is your name ?
Vitaly S Alexius

What is your alias and why you choose it ?
Alexius- my middle name, with a twist.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself Vitaly?
I was born in the year 1984, in the industrial city of Novokuznetsk, located on the Tom River in south central Siberian Russia.
For the first four years of my life, I lived amidst coal mining and aluminum/steel production factories; in a city of European architecture covered with columns and arches, surrounded by Russian Taiga.
Since I was four years old, I have been drawing tiny starships and celestial life fascinated me. At four, I moved to the city of Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, with my parents. There, in a remote, forest covered, 'science community' district of Akademgorodok, at 11 years of age, I studied traditional drawing, watercolor/gauche/oil painting, anatomy, model building, design, art history and illustration at a great high-arts institution for two years, expecting a move to Moscow to further my studies.
On April 11/1998 fate has given me an unexpected twist and by means of aerial transportation I was thrown about 5555 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to Toronto, Canada, where I am currently residing, in my own lovely apartment east of Chinatown. After completing my OAC's at R. H. King Academy, I went on to the Ontario College of Art and Design, where I finished 2 years of “Environmental Design” and 2 years of "Illustration" program. Currently I'm in my Illustration Thesis year.
Since 2000, I’ve been tutoring on the subject of drawing and painting. In 2002, I've learned that magical program called Photoshop and have been using it ever since, to develop an innovative, digital-art style , which I gave a name - "Dreaminism".
Currently I'm working as a photographer and an illustrator, doing various: CD/book/comic covers, posters, concept art and etc.



We also see that you born and raised in Russia, what made you move to Canada ?
My family moved- searching for a new world with the fall of the Soviet Union and so did I.

Do you get loads of support from family/friends ?
You betcha.

Are you well known in your University, as a digital artist ? Do you get the same kind of popularity in real-life too ?
Not really. I’m like batman, leading a double life- in one of which I’m a renowned illustrator with thousands of fans, and travel to Hollywood for work. And in the other I am a humble university student with glasses and simple attire like Clark Kent.



What are your thoughts about DeviantART and its team of staff ?
They’re are made of pure win.

We see that you moved towards "full-time" Photoshop in 2000, have you still got your love and passion for the architectural design which you were in love with before ?
Yes, but humanity isn’t ready for green living, based entirely on geodesic domes just yet.

How long does it take you to get into the feel of creating something new and stunning ?
From an eternity to 12 seconds. It varies.



Do you plan your images before doing them, or make them up on the spot ?
Images evolve a lot while they are created. There’s a sketchy plan before I start on a painting, but it usually changes a lot as I progress on the piece.

Who is your favourite artist at this moment ?
Aivazovsky: [link]
Craig Mullins: [link]

You live in Canada, does any of the beautiful crisp clear landscape affect your vision of art ?
I live in Toronto downtown- the most “crisp clear landscape” I see out my window is a hobo’s box in front of an LCBO store, beneath a skyscraper-filled sky, crisscrossed by beams of light.

We see that you have loads of "Favourite Style of Art" what would you consider your most favourite ?
Romanticism- for it’s awesome portrayal of the power of nature.



You also state that you created the style "Dreaminism", what does it mean ? How did you come up with it ?
I came up with it after realizing that my traditional painting art style is too similar to the group of seven- well known Canadian art.
From the darkest dreams of imagination in my starkly-realistic and highly-detailed style "Dreaminism" I bring to my viewers, visions of the future that will inevitably come to pass if mankind's planet-wide industrial machine isn't adjusted in time.
My vision is that of a late 18th century Romantic artist, with one exception - to showcase not just the destructive power of nature, but also the destructive power of man.
Dreaminism is a sense of shifted reality realized in the split second before the waking, when the mind cannot define what's real and what's not.

How do you respond to change in trends in this "digital" world ?
I follow them very closely and evolve my style accordingly.

So where is your working place, in an office at home ? Once you're finished with your pieces where would you post them ?
I work from home and this is what my workstation looks like: [link]
I post them on deviantART- it’s the most awesome medium of exhibition.

What software do you use to create those stunning paintings?
Photoshop CS2.



What kind of computer do you run and what other tools do you use for your work ?
I assembled my computer with the help of a friend from various parts that were purchased separately- but it’s a PC. I use Wacom Intuos 8x6 for digital painting work.

What kind of camera and other tools do you use to perform your photography ?
Canon 300D with 10-22mm and 75-300 lenses.

Is there any tips for other Digital Painter or Illustrator you would like to share ?
Read all of these: [link]

We see that you're also interested in Traditional Art and Photography. Will these two ever come up to match up with your Digital Painting ?
Photography is getting there. As for traditional art- who knows.
The demand for digital medium work is currently far greater.



You work on commission, is it enough to keep you running in your Uni ?
Enough to cover my living expenses, yes.

We also see that you produced some work for Bands, usually CD Covers. Are these customer local, national or international ?
International. I’m internationally well known, not locally.

What has been your biggest project so far ?
I can’t tell you about it- signed non disclosure forms. Lets just say it was intense and quite awesome and you’ll see results in a month from this interview.

How do you get your customers, through your DeviantART or through your own personal website ?
Both. Sometimes clients just write “I found your work on the internet” and don’t mention where exactly.

Most of your work are kind of dark, destructive and powerful ! Does this represent anything related to your life or to your past life ?
I have stood witness to a fall of a Nation and great noble ideals. I have seen Russian cities ravaged by human carelessness, industrialization, depression, oppression, crime and war. I have seen science fail and unleash death in the dark cases of Chernobyl and the Aral Sea "accidents".



We can see a "following" in your art, each slowly leading to the destruction of the world, does this relate to your views on how this world is currently going at ? Science improving taking over our addiction towards ?
Science is a double edged sword. I’m merely warning humanity of the dark side of science.

We also see that you're married, how do you manage time to do some work, check on DA, and keep up with your social life ?
I don’t sleep

What would be your casual routine like ?
I draw, I eat, I rest, I draw, I eat, I go out, I have a photo-shoot, I draw, I eat, I rest…. Etc.

What are your other hobbies, when you're not drawing or sketching ?
Exploring abandoned buildings, having photo-sessions outside or in the studio and eating my enemies with a spoon of judgment.

What is your ultimate goal in Digital Art ?
To become the very best… and collect them all….just like in that crazy pokemon show, except on deviantART.



Where does your Inspiration source come from ?
Mainly from my travels around the world and my photography and my lovely, beautiful muse- Daria.

What would your top 5 tips be for anyone that is starting to Paint or Illustrate ?
1. draw moar
2. reference moar
3. study anatomy moar
4. post artwork moar to get moar criticism
5. don’t give up

What do you think of today's Digital Arts levels and amount of work ?
There’s certainly lots of digital artists out there right now with various skill levels. Overall, I’d say- there’s great improvements in matte painting.

You have achieved a staggering number of 5 Daily Deviation over DA, how do you feel?
Seven actually- if you count collaborations. DD’s are always pleasantry to receive.

Awrite 7 it is then

What type of music do you listen to ?
Rock or anything with violins in it.

If there was another software you would like to master, which one would it be ?
3D max would be fun to learn, if I had the time.



Your popularity over DA is ever so increasing, I mean how do you feel, from what we can see on your stats we see that you get per average approximately 2000 pageviews per day. Going back to your first day here on DA, how do you feel achieving such impressive stats ?
I feel bloated and jiggly from the amount of deliciousness and certainly didn’t expect such crazy results when I registered here many years ago.

You also recently hit your 2,000,000 pageviews, how do you feel ?
Merrily. Pageviews aren’t that important though- it’s the amount of people that watch you that really counts.

Did you had to go through some very challenging task in your Digital career ?
Every new painting is a new challenge.

You have also been ripped at many occasions, how do you feel ?
Greatly amused. Crushing art thieves is fun.

What are your future plans ?
To build a giant moon laser and hold the world ransom for eleventy billion dollars and then use the said money to save zee world from global warming.
If that doesn’t work out, I keep on drawing things.



If you could, you would …
Eat the sun. That’ll show all the sun under-appreciators out there.
Lets see how you do without precious light, bitches.

What is your favourite piece, that you ever created ?
Seasonscape:


What are your favourite pieces on DA, could you share them ?
Heck, there’s so many. Just browse through my faves, that’s what they’re for: [link]

If you put all your work into one sentence what would it be?
Romantically apocalyptic dreams of the 21st hour at the dawn of the twenty second century.

And to finish it off, What would you like to say to your millions of fans out there ?
“Why aren’t you building mah moon lazer, yet?
Chop chop. This thing won’t construct and hold the world ransom by itself.”



And this brings this Interview down to an end
Hope you learnt something new out of it, I don't think most people would found out about this artist just now But here we have it
I was indeed honoured and privilaged to ask these question, and again thanks to =alexiuss for answering them while giving us jokes



Thank you very much,
Hope You Enjoyed !
Have a great day,

=Sangiev