Artist interview
Simon Portbury on Visual Engineering, AI, and the Human Instinct to Make Art
September 11, 2026 · 10 min read
About Digital Original
Built by Experts.
Designed for Artists.
Digital Original gives artists and photographers a professional website where their work can be presented at its best, discovered, and sold on their own terms.
Guided by leaders across art, technology, and law
Mission & Vision
Why We Built Digital Original
Today, an artist without a strong online presence is easily overlooked. Even exceptional work can remain unseen — or be presented without the quality, detail, and context it deserves.
We built Digital Original to give artists and photographers a professional website and storefront centered on their work. A place to present each piece at full quality, be discovered under their own name, and sell digital, physical, or phygital work on their own terms.
Beyond the website, we feature selected artists through interviews, editorial stories, and curated showcases — like our conversations with Simon Portbury and Julia Wimmerlin.
At the center is a simple idea: every artwork can have a Digital Original — its official, artist-released version in digital space.
The team
The people behind Digital Original.
We are a multidisciplinary team across art, design, technology, and product, building a better digital presence for artists and photographers.
Digital Original by the numbers
600+
Live websites
By artists and photographers
15K+
Artworks
Presented online
50+
Countries
Artists around the world
Digital Original
What we stand for.
Artists First
We build around artists—their needs, independence, and long-term success.
The Work Comes First
Technology should elevate the work, never compete with it.
Quality Without Compromise
Every work deserves to be experienced with its quality, detail, and context intact.
Ownership and Control
Artists keep ownership of their work and control how it is presented, shared, and sold.
Simplicity by Design
Powerful tools should feel intuitive. No code, no unnecessary complexity.
Open to the World
Art should be easy to discover and experience, wherever the artist or audience may be.
Beyond your website
More ways for your work to be seen.
Your website is the foundation. We also feature selected artists in interviews, editorial stories and curated showcases.
Your Website Starts Here
Your Work Deserves a Professional Home.
Trusted by artists worldwide