The ModPortrait exhibition, an event co-organized by Galería Artelibre and the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), which brings together the best contemporary portrait artists worldwide, concluded in Spain at the end of September. This competition is highly regarded due to its rigorous selection process, ensuring that each finalist’s work represents exceptional skill and creativity in contemporary portraiture. Renowned artists from around the world have presented their work, including Kazuya Ushioda: “Flowers of Hope”, Tom Van de Wouwer: “Teenagers”, René Snyman: “Antiquarian”, and Bertrand Martin: “Yellow Jacket”. The ModPortrait competition is known for encouraging innovative portrait painting techniques.
This time, special attention was drawn to the work of Daria Callie, a well-known artist of Belarusian origin. Her art centers on figurative and realism styles, often portraying human emotions, beauty, and the intricacies of the human form. Her interest in abstraction and looser brushwork suggests exploring the tension between control and freedom in the artistic process. While her primary focus is realism, Daria integrates a sense of movement and expression that speaks to broader ideas of self-expression, introspection, and the fluidity of human experience. In short, her art often touches on personal narratives, and the balance between structure and spontaneity in life and art.
Today Daria is widely known for one of the most popular creative channels on YouTube, her original online painting courses, and her high-profile collaboration with Netflix. She told us how she developed her unique painting style and how she helps art lovers unlock their potential.
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Daria had been passionate about drawing and painting since an early age. As a teenager, she also engaged in ceramics, with her parents supporting her interests. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the Belarusian National Technical University, where drawing classes were a mandatory part of the program. The classical approach to studying the human head and body structure, drawing from plaster casts of famous sculptures, buildings, and interiors, gave Daria a deep understanding of anatomy, perspective, form, and lighting.
“These fundamental technical skills, I believe, laid the groundwork for me to begin oil painting in my fourth year and to improve quickly,” Daria explains. “A lot of information on oil painting has been available online, so I learned a lot by exploring various resources and studying other artists’ work, imitating them, and following their advice.”
After completing her six-year architectural studies, she interned in the field before transitioning into a full-time art career. Gradually, her unique technique formed, and an interested audience followed. In 2016, Daria decided to tap into YouTube’s potential. At that time, the concept of online art education through personal channels was still relatively new compared to today, where many artists share their work and creative process online. Daria followed a few colleagues on their channels and decided to approach her own uniquely, without being influenced by others. She provided practical portrait painting tips and posted videos of the process. The competition was low, the effort was high, and her channel quickly gained traction and popularity, becoming a catalyst for beginners, a means of communication with a global audience, and, of course, a source of new opportunities.
“The comments were mostly encouraging, which was great, but as you know, there are always a few negative ones. I didn’t handle them as well as I do now, but it was a valuable experience,” Daria shares. “It’s an amazing feeling when people appreciate your work, and comments like ‘I love your work’ or ‘You inspired me to try oil painting’ always mean so much to me.”
Today, Daria is the proud recipient of a silver YouTube Play Button, with an audience of over 870,000 subscribers. When some of her time-lapse painting videos started gaining over a million views, she realized she had gained significant attention. At this level, new prospects opened up for her. In 2018, she participated in an international group exhibition at the Royal Opera Arcade Gallery in London, UK. Her first large painting was sold to a French woman and shipped to the Seine-et-Marne department near Paris. Soon, her works began to be featured in exhibitions and purchased for private collections.
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“One of my most memorable collaborations was with UpTrek, where in 2022 I held an off-site painting workshop near Toulouse, France,” Daria recalls. “The program was designed to combine tourism with learning, particularly portrait painting. The painting sessions lasted 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time we enjoyed French cuisine, visited landmarks, and explored the beautiful countryside around Rabastens. It was an incredible experience for me, and I think for the participants as well.”
It was only natural that Daria’s path eventually led her to teaching. After spending some time sharing her work, her techniques, and how soothing and fulfilling the oil painting process can be, she realized that many people wanted more than just to watch—they wanted to try it themselves and have the tools and knowledge to do so. Her approach to portrait painting and her method are particularly helpful for beginners who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of working with oil and color theory.
“One of my contributions to the development of art and oil painting, I believe, is teaching my approach to portrait painting and using a limited palette, which makes it easier for people to master oil painting, especially portraiture,” Daria explains. “But my role goes beyond teaching the technical aspects of oil painting. It’s also largely about helping others gain confidence in their artistic achievements, making a challenging art form more accessible, and creating a supportive environment where aspiring artists can thrive.”
Her online course has been taken by over 2,600 students so far. It’s a mix of different ideas: demonstration videos, tutorials, color mixing guides, and long painting videos available on her Patreon page, where Daria also offers advice, critique, feedback, or other materials aimed at helping people improve their painting skills.
“I think creators and artists often attract people who are somewhat like them—in gender, age, interests, or even lifestyle,” Daria says. “Your personality, preferences, and how you share your work—all of this shapes the audience you attract. So, a large part—I’d say at least 60%—of my students and the people who follow and love my work are women aged roughly between 20 and 40. But overall, I’ve had students of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, and they’ve all been eager to improve their painting skills.”
Since she mainly teaches online through her Patreon page or courses on Studio.com, with occasional in-person workshops, it’s relatively easy for Daria to tailor content for a wide range of people. They can “curate” the content and videos that interest or benefit them most, working through the material at their own pace. They can ask questions or request critiques when they feel ready.
Of course, her career isn’t limited to teaching: her distinct creative individuality leads to incredibly interesting collaboration offers. One such opportunity came from Netflix, which led to a series of promotional materials for upcoming seasons of their popular shows. “I wish I knew how or where they found out about me, but somehow they did! For about a week after they reached out, I still couldn’t believe it happened and kept wondering if it was real,” Daria recalls. Her role involved creating portraits based on photos and frames from the Netflix series and filming the painting process. Netflix then edited the footage and used it on their social media pages. The shows Daria worked on include the famous Bridgerton, where she painted one of the main characters, Eloise Bridgerton, and Stranger Things, where she portrayed Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown.
As fortunately sometimes happens, her passion for her work has also brought her well-deserved commercial success – and she has managed to turn her life’s work and creativity into a business. It’s no secret that successful professional bloggers today earn tens of thousands of euros, approaching six figures. Daria is no exception.
Due to the diversity and intensity of her professional life, Daria realized in 2021 that she needed to establish her own company, where she naturally took the lead role. She has to be practical in many aspects, from creating artwork and developing educational content to managing operations and making key decisions. “It’s hard for me to find a balance between creativity and business. But it’s something you need to learn to do to become a successful artist, or you need to hire or surround yourself with people who complement your weaknesses,” she explains. “Sometimes I wish I had more time just to paint. There are many administrative tasks, errands, and teaching. Even though some of these activities bring me joy, I still dream of having more free, quiet time to finish new paintings I’m working on and to explore new ideas.”
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And, of course, today, many try to emulate her. Her aesthetic and painting style are recognizable—a mix of abstract background forms with portrait realism. Many have adopted this approach, improved their skills, and started earning successfully. But Daria isn’t afraid of competition and finds it flattering. Some of her students now take on commissions and show themselves as capable artists—and she considers that a success as well.
“If someone is talented and hardworking enough, they will find their audience and place in the niche. The work should speak for itself,” Daria believes. “As for me, I continue to refine my style and painting skills to grow and move forward. I want to realize more creative projects and push the boundaries of my work. Ultimately, I hope to keep creating art that inspires people and helps others develop their skills and confidence.”
Presented by DN News Desk
