Dmitry Makonnen Illustrates Portraits

Dmitry, could you share a bit about yourself?

I am an Illustrator, graphic designer, artist, publisher, curator, and teacher. I’m also the founder of the Ein kleines Schwarzes Schwein.com studios.

How did Exactly.ai improve your creative process?

A luxury lifestyle magazine commissioned my studio to produce portraits of heroes for their monthly interviews. The project included a few stages; I began by developing a specific visual language aligned with their brand image and identity and then recreated it into their editorial content. I had to create a series of portraits for the publication. I uploaded fifteen images to exactly.ai and created a model that is based on the magazine’s brand identity. Then, I could generate a series of portraits of the relevant person this month, which falls under their character and interview.

What motivated you to incorporate Exactly.ai into your making methods?

At the end of the day, you, as a creator, want your subject matter to like the portrait. This is my main goal. But it is almost impossible to accommodate their needs as I am always busy with many projects at the same time. I was looking for a tool to help me manage my workload, and then I found exactly.ai.

How has Exactly.ai impacted your projects?

With the model I have created, I drafted a few versions of portraits. With the model, after I draw a sketch similar to my subject matters, I created three final versions. Then, I downloaded them in high-resolution, and sent them to the magazine.

Finally, what is your favourite aspect of working with the Exactly.ai model?

That my client was happy with the option I gave them. It was my idea, my skills, and my language, and I had my exactly.ai assistant on my side.