Last updated: 26 October 2026
Rostislaw Tsarenko is the self-taught Ukrainian artist who builds surreal black-ink drawings out of dots and fine lines. Here you will find our take on his work, where he has shown, and how to get hold of it.
Our take on Rostislaw Tsarenko
Tsarenko works in dotwork, linework and crosshatching, in black ink. An A4 drawing takes him about 20 to 30 hours, according to his own site. “The main difficulty in the process of creating a drawing is to convey all the realism of thoughts and ideas with dots, no matter how surreal it is,” he writes.
His figures often look carved rather than drawn. “I always thought that there is more living in sculptures than in people,” he says. He names Gottfried Helnwein, Gustave Doré, Leonardo da Vinci and Bosch as influences.
He is an ambassador for the art materials maker Royal Talens. There is no shop, so buying an original means contacting him directly.
Rostislaw Tsarenko: the essentials
- From Poltava, Ukraine, and self-taught, according to Royal Talens and his own site.
- Draws in dotwork, linework and crosshatching with fineliners and black ink.
- Royal Talens ambassador.
- Collaborated with the clothing label TTSWTRS, including a capsule for the Pushkin Museum’s Tattoo exhibition in Moscow.
- Has drawn album covers for Holly Bowling, TASAMA and Múr.
Rostislaw Tsarenko exhibitions
- Darkness Produces Beauty, a charity show for Ukrainians affected by the war, WBB Gallery, Zurich.
- Monochromagic 3 and Mind Weave, online group shows with WOW x WOW.
- Ink concentration, solo show, Bar Baltazar, Kyiv.
- His site lists these without dates. No new show has been announced.
Where to buy a Rostislaw Tsarenko drawing
We found no shop, prints or UK seller.
- Originals and commissions: by enquiry through the contacts page on his site. Prices are not published.
Rostislaw Tsarenko FAQs
What is dotwork?
A drawing style built from thousands of small dots, with tone made by how closely they sit together. Tsarenko combines it with fine lines and crosshatching.
How long does a Rostislaw Tsarenko drawing take?
About 20 to 30 hours for an A4 drawing, according to his own site.
Where is Rostislaw Tsarenko from?
Poltava, Ukraine. He is self-taught.
Can I buy a Rostislaw Tsarenko print?
We found no prints on sale. Originals and commissions are by enquiry through his website.
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Main image: Rostislaw Tsarenko. Photo courtesy of the artist. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Details last checked: 26 October 2026.
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