Meet Costa Jpeg
From sketching in notebooks as a kid to pioneering experimental glitch aesthetics on Bitcoin, Costa Jpeg has followed a singular vision rooted in passion, emotion, and innovation. His creative path began with music and technology, later evolving into a full embrace of digital art. An iPad transformed into his sketchbook, and when he discovered crypto art in 2020, everything clicked: he could now immortalize his visual expressions directly on the blockchain.
Memes as Language
Costa Jpeg works in a mixed media approach that blends hand-drawing, image manipulation, and collage—all centered around the iPad and his visceral connection to the Apple Pencil. More recently, he's been coding custom image editors as tools for emotional storytelling. Not AI, but apps: experimental tools crafted for specific visual outputs. At the heart of it all lies the meme. To Costa, memes are a language of human emotion, and he proudly calls himself a "Meme Artist," reflecting human behavior and emotional states in a world saturated with digital culture.
History Making
Costa Jpeg's journey with Bitcoin predates Ordinals, and when they arrived, it felt inevitable. The compressed file sizes required to inscribe art on Bitcoin led him to a pivotal shift: embracing pixelation and glitch as not only aesthetic choices, but defining characteristics of his work. To him, inscribing art on Ordinals isn't just participation in a trend—it's an act of history-making. "Many have yet to grasp the magnitude of what we are accomplishing," he says. "We are literally writing a new chapter in art history."
Pepeglyphs
One of his most impactful series, Pepeglyphs, comprises 420 pieces that deconstruct the iconic crypto meme character, Pepe the Frog. Every work was drawn in Procreate and refined in Photoshop, where compression and glitching became the signature. Costa used this series to transform a universal symbol into a study of behavior and identity. "Pepe represents a behavior, and that's how I define a cultural icon," he says. He credits Pepeglyphs with completely reshaping his artistic voice.
Roots in Music
Costa Jpeg originally pursued computer-based music, producing conceptual electronic compositions in Ableton. A technology writer by trade, he also covered innovation for one of Brazil's top media outlets—a role that eventually introduced him to blockchains. These threads of music, tech, and visual expression converged when he began creating digital art full-time, using the iPad as his primary creative portal.
Strategy and Presence
"Working in blockchain art is not easy," Costa reflects. Visibility can feel elusive, and the demand to keep up with a fast-paced digital market can be overwhelming. But his biggest lesson? Strategy and presence. In 2023, he created We Are So Back, a 100-piece collection made in just five days that sold out instantly. "Capturing the essence of the moment is crucial," he says, while emphasizing the value of measured planning and creative autonomy.
Originality in Error
Inspired by early 20th-century avant-garde masters like Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, and Dalí, Costa is especially drawn to the imperfections found in glitch art. For him, originality lies in error, not precision. Glitch is not a malfunction—it is expression. Even as he works mainly in illustration, this concept defines his aesthetic and philosophical foundation.
Discipline
Organization and discipline have been key to Costa Jpeg's success and personal growth. "We operate in a market that never stops," he says. Learning to manage the emotional chaos of the space has helped him evolve beyond art, shaping him as a person.
Purpose-driven
Costa's ultimate aspiration is to etch his name into the history of blockchain art. This is not a sprint, but a lifelong pursuit of legacy—for himself and for his children. His process is steady, dedicated, and purpose-driven.
Have Patience
To emerging artists, Costa offers a grounded message: "Have patience." Overnight success is rare. The real journey lies in years of self-discovery and experimentation. Find your own path, stay true to your vision, and never sacrifice originality for short-term trends. "Originality is what stands out," he says, "and that's not something you find overnight."
