That I was fortunate enough to be born in conflict-free the Netherlands and live a privileged life became clear to me once again when I spoke with the Ukrainian illustrator Sergii-g on X.com and he explained his precarious situation. Living in a place (unnamed for security reasons) just 20 kilometers from the war front, he told me about his struggle with the current, hopeless situation in which he finds himself, where art is one of the few positive distractions.
Below his unfiltered story and alluring femdom fantasies...
My name is Sergii.
First of all, I should probably disclaim a few things. I am not a native English speaker, and the text below was translated using online services, so I apologize in advance for any typos or errors. Also, I am currently located in a war zone, which could affect both possible errors and the semantic content. Please forgive me if this fact influences what is said below.
I was very pleased to receive your offer and your questions. It is a great honor and joy for me. In a sense, it's like a checkpoint for me that my work and efforts are making some progress and resonating with someone else besides myself. I am especially pleased that interest in my works has come from a person whose interests also fascinates and interests me. I was also once fascinated by erotic art and amassed a considerable collection. I even kept my own blog at one point :)) So, we're pretty much on the same wavelength in terms of interests. And I'm very grateful for your kind feedback and support. It's very motivating and inspiring. Thank you!
Fig.1 "Spin the chair!" (2021) by sergii-g
Fig.1a
Collapse of the USSR
So, how it all began. I was born and raised in a usual family in a village in Ukraine. Since childhood, I've loved illustrations. But, unfortunately, difficult circumstances (my childhood and adolescence coincided with the collapse of the USSR and the subsequent hardships that befell citizens of the countries that were once part of it) prevented me from having any contact with this beautiful world. In the village where I lived, there were no art clubs or schools, and the school (due to the lack of a teacher) didn't offer drawing classes. And circumstances prevented me from even realizing my desire and aspiration for the visual arts. My parents, also having nothing to do with art and busy with various part-time jobs, were unable to notice this aspiration, much less support it. Even if they had noticed, it wouldn't have changed much. There wasn't even enough money for bread. So all my aspirations could only be realized in biology and geometry classes, which I passionately embraced as they were the only subjects where we could draw something. Over time, as life became more difficult, I had to shove my desires deeper into my subconscious.
Fig.2 "Caught!" (2020)
Fig.2a
Great Uncertainty
They were hid there for about 15-20 years, and during this time, I finished school and entered college in the regional center. These were times of great uncertainty. Many people made decisions and acted not on their own desires, but rather on necessity. And my education was one of them. You had to go to college to get a diploma, proving you had a higher education, because without it, you couldn't get a job. And back then, no one cared at all what kind of diploma you had or where you got it from. So, for reasons that remain unclear to me, I enrolled in a college I neither loved nor understood, and wasted five years of my life studying a profession I didn't need and in which I never worked a single day.
Fig.3 "Dessert" (2021)
Fig.3a
Contemplate Such Beauty
After graduating, I worked for about six years in various "office jobs". I handled customs clearance, sales, and all sorts of paperwork, until one day I woke up in tears. I hated what was happening, myself, and the direction it was all heading, so much so that it was clear I was headed in the wrong way. Then - by some miracle, a friend showed me a (then) Photoshop video tutorial CD. I saw the beauty the mentors were creating, and I was immediately ignited by that dormant desire and yearning to learn how to create and contemplate such beauty. But because it was under those circumstances (with the CD), and because I had no understanding whatsoever of what an illustration was or how it was created, I developed the erroneous belief that it was all about the software. That if I mastered it, I would learn how to create "such beauty."
Fig.4 "Hold on!" (2021)
Fig.4a
Fig.4b
Path of Freelancing
From then on, I began spending oceans of time learning software. First it was Photoshop, then Illustrator, Flash, Zbrush, 3DsMax, and a ton-ton of others. I tried this way and that, but it still just wouldn't work. And, funny enough, all this was back when there was no internet. Everything was either on CDs or over a local network - I'd download it from people who had internet access. I wasted several more years of my life in these wanderings. It's sad that back then, there was nobody to even tell me I was headed in the wrong direction.
Thus, my search led me to web page layout programs)) those were the days of my first acquaintance with the World Wide Web. And then I remember putting together my first simple website and hosting it on some free domain, along with the results of my attempts to master the CG programs.
And again, some miracle happened)). I was working as a sales manager at the time, and the branch I was working at was about to be laid off. And then a girl called me. As it turned out, she was from France. And - I have absolutely no idea how))) - but she somehow found my website. She was looking for people to do simple vector tasks. Since I had already mastered Adobe Illustrator quite well by then, I happily accepted her offer, and thus I embarked on the path of freelancing, and in the direction that so interested me.
Fig.5 "We need to hire more relax coaches" (2024)
Fig.5a
Sheer Pleasure
I started working in the evenings - after work - carrying out various commissions for my new acquaintances. The money wasn't much, but the sheer pleasure it brought me more than made up for it. Then came the time when our branch where I worked was about to close, after which it was clear I'd need to look for a new job. I warned my "first clients" that because of this, I probably wouldn't be able to work with them anymore. I immediately received an offer to work for them full-time. It was simply the perfect option for me back then. The money was the same as if I'd been working a "regular job", but I still had plenty of time to learn new things. And these events were coupled with another small but crucial development: my realization that at the root of "creating something beautiful," which I'd been trying to achieve for so long, lay academic knowledge of drawing.
Fig.6 "Sweet Melody" (2023)
Fig.6a
Left-Brain Drawing
This realization, on the one hand, saddened me, as I realized I'd wasted a lot of time in the wrong direction, and also because it was already too late to learn "academic knowledge/ skills" and I had no resources for it. On the other hand, it made me happy, as at least now I had a rough idea of where I needed to go and, thanks to my new "job," I had the opportunity to devote time to it.
During the day, I worked on tasks for my employers, and the rest of my time and weekends I devoted to learning drawing. Of course, here, too, I made a lot of missteps, jumping into lessons/ books/ courses like "Left-Brain Drawing," "How to Draw an Eye," "How to Draw Skin," and other such nonsense, but these were still steps aside, not backward, as had been the case with learning software.
Fig.7 "I'm currently at the meeting with my subordinates. Improving teamwork skills.." (2023)
Fig.7a
Finding a Livelihood
After a couple of years of this collaboration/ practice, my employers discovered freelance sources/ sites. There, they discovered that the services I provided them could, in principle, be easily obtained through these resources, and for much less money. A time came for our paths and interests to gradually diverge. Once again, I faced the challenge of finding a livelihood, as my drawing skills were still very basic, and I needed money "now."
While I was searching for work, I decided to try to cast my line where my former employers had cast them - freelance sites. And here again, a miracle happened - I quickly found my first clients and completed my first commissions. Later, as my drawing skills improved a bit, I began to try illustration commissions.
And here, too, luck smiled upon me - I found several clients who regularly asked commissions and who enjoyed collaborating with me. Thus, life, as it seemed to me then, was returning to normal - on the right and much-needed course. For the first time in my life, I was doing what I loved, and I was getting paid for it.
Fig.8 "Goodness" (2023)
Fig.8a
Strictly Taboo
At the same time, I also had a passion for drawing erotic illustrations. I grew up in a conservative (in this regard) society and family (I think this is a legacy of the USSR), and such topics were not only unacceptable to discuss or contemplate, but were also strictly taboo (now, by the way, not much has changed either here). That's why, from childhood, I was convinced that there was nothing more pleasant and beautiful in the world than contemplating the beauty of nudity and fantasizing about various licentious themes.
So, I began trying to realize my fantasies in the form of illustrations. And, thanks to the development of social media and the formation of communities online, it turned out that the world was full of people who not only shared my aspirations and passions but also appreciated the results of my efforts. This significantly increased my motivation and added inspiration. And later, new acquaintances helped expand my horizons, tickling my imagination and offering new options for movement and development along this path.
Over time, my main "trends"/ interests/ fetishes began to crystallize.
Fig.9 "Presentation" (2023)
Visual Novels
It so happened that, in order to brush up on my English a little, I completely by chance discovered an incredibly convenient and enjoyable way to do so – reading visual novels. Just reading quickly tires me out, but visual novels offer both illustrations, which I adore immensely, and interactivity. Thus, as you progress through the story, at certain points your character is presented with a choice that your protagonist must make, and depending on that choice, further events in the story will unfold.
At the same time, I discovered this wonderful genre and found a fantastic resource - the f95 forum, which features a huge variety of adult games with this mechanic, catering to every taste and preference. So I found the perfect way to combine "useful with pleasure".
Fig.10 "Guess" (2023)
Female Domination
By chance, one of the first novels I read was "Estate: Dominate". Much to my regret, it was abandoned and never finished. But the feelings it stirred in my mind then - still resonate. It was the first time I encountered the concept of female domination. Well, more accurately, I'd heard something about it: before I encountered the game, in my mind, it was some kind of perverted entertainment, in which a woman dressed in sexy leather and latex outfits and began whipping and humiliating some perverts until they bled. But after reading and playing, I began to suspect and feel that there was something deeper and more profound hidden within this, that this phenomenon was far more multifaceted than I had previously imagined.
From then on, I began subconsciously delving deeper into this topic, reading books, watching films, and playing other novellas with similar contexts and motivations. Savoring these new feelings and emotions, I didn't even notice how my "list" began to fill with fantasies and thoughts on this very topic.
Fig.11 First comic book attempt (2021)
Fig.11a
Fig.11b
Flashes In My Mind
The "list" [refers to ideas and inspiration, red.] is my method for "fixating" my ideas and fantasies. Fantasies usually come to me as flashes in my mind or as images in my imagination. I can savor them and fantasize about them, reliving different variations of events within them. And so, I noticed that if I stop there, just as easily as they appeared in my imagination, they also just as easily "disappear" over time. So I decided to write them down in a spreadsheet so I could return to them at any time and fantasize/savor further, or so that when I sat down to draw, I'd have a ready-made list of ideas in front of me. And that way, the question "What should I draw?" would cease to be relevant altogether.
So, over time, my new passion and immersion in the topic of female dominance, ideas/ fantasies on this very topic began to predominate, about 70 percent of the total. So it just so happened that, without much effort, I was smoothly carried away into these boundless and extremely diverse waters.
Fig.12 "Oh, look there!" (2021)
Our Red String
I'm still turned on by other fetishes/ interests, too. And I have plenty of fantasies on other topics. But while we're going through the "list", it turns out that most of my recent works are specifically femdom-themed.
In general, I continue to draw inspiration from other games/ novels. The list of my favorites is endless. But especially I like "Our Red String," "Pale Carnations," "Deathable," "Burning Boundaries," "Camp Klondike," "Course of Temptation," "Degrees of Lewdity," "Karlsson's Gambit," "TableTop BornStar," and dozens, if not hundreds, of others. And, frankly, I dream of drawing or participating in the development of one of some games or novellas someday. But knowing the enormous amount of work it requires, the time and, consequently, the financial loss, I'm afraid this dream is either completely unrealizable with my skills, or will remain a dream for a very long time.
Fig.13 "Beach" (2021)
Fig.13a
Reflecting On a Topic
Inspiration for new ideas, fantasies, illustrations can come from anything... films, books, simple situations... the works of other artists (I also collect them :)) - I adore the works of great and powerful masters. Even just reflecting on a topic can become fertile ground for new ideas and fantasies. The only thing that prevents me from realizing my clearly overflowing "list" is time or the lack of opportunity to invest it (after all, I have to survive somehow). Something like that.
Fig.14 "Cheer UP!" (2020)
First Blow
That's how we got to this point. Now, things have gotten much worse. Incredibly difficult. Just when everything seemed to be going so perfectly and starting to improve, the first blow was COVID. Then many companies outsourced their employees, and freelance exchanges were overflowing with them. These employees (in order to build a client base and earn initial ratings) began to slash prices wildly. Finding new clients (with a huge drop in orders) became a fantasy. But I managed to stay afloat thanks to my regular clients, who continued to place orders regularly.
Fig.15 "Signature" (2021)
Fig.15a
Left Hook
Then came the "left hook" - the war began. The area where I live was subjected to heavy bombing from the very first days, and my relatives and I were forced to evacuate to more central parts of the country. When we left, we took only the bare necessities. All my tools and computer were abandoned. During those few months of evacuation, I lost all my regular clients. When we returned (the bombing is still ongoing, but attitudes toward it are changing over time), we literally had to survive. Orders were few and far between, and new clients were impossible to find. Added to these problems were the lack of electricity, blackouts, internet, power surges (which burn out any equipment), and a host of other problems - both general and personal. After all, besides new problems and grief, the old, "ordinary" problems still persist. They're just a thousand times more difficult and expensive to solve. And considering you have nothing to live on, those "simple" problems become "unsolvable."
And then came the third blow - the knockout blow - AI. The few orders I managed to take on have disappeared. It's become much more profitable, cheaper, and faster for clients to generate illustrations using AI than to spend a ton of time, money, and stress commissioning them from someone else.
Fig.16 "Personal trainer" (2020)
Fig.16a
Strange Twist of Fate
And so, I find myself in a hopeless situation, feeling the looming darkness and my helplessness in the face of it. On the one hand, I've lost all chances of earning money, and therefore, of somehow surviving in this situation. And on the other hand, my hands are completely tied. It's impossible to go out and "get a job" here. An incredible number of dangers... at the same time, a mounting wave of problems and the lack of opportunities to solve them - all together - are mercilessly pressing me to the very bottom. Up until this point, I've survived only thanks to rare commissions and the help of wonderful people I've been fortunate enough to meet online... people who have never met me and don't know me. It was a great wonder for me - to discover that there are such kind and bright hearts in the world, and I am immensely grateful to them. It's hard for me to find the words to express my gratitude to them. It's only thanks to them that I'm still alive.
How things will go from here, where this strange twist of fate will lead - I don't know. From what I see now, things will only get worse.
We'll see... maybe a miracle will happen again)) although hope for it fades with each passing hour...
I apologize for these dark colors, but, unfortunately, I have no other colors on my palette left to end my story on a more joyful note.
Fig.17 "I took a couple of characters from the 1985-Soviet movie "Lyubov i Golubi (Love and Pigeons)" and put them into porn poses (2020)"
Fig.17a
Fig.18 "Time to eat" (2019)
Social Media
I am very grateful to you for your attention, for your warm and kind words, for your support. If anyone suddenly feels like connecting/ chatting/ discussing anything, or if you have any questions that I could help you with, feel free to contact me on social media - I'll be happy to talk/ answer. It won't be quick, though, given my circumstances, but I'll do my best anyway.
Thank you very much!
I wish you development and prosperity, as well as boundless oceans of all kinds of joy, enjoyment, and love!!
If you want to support, chat about art You can find all of Sergii's social media via his linktr.ee
In the Premium edition of this publication you can find 11 additional artworks.
Click HERE for the kinky femdom illustrations from the mysterious Jim of Germany