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PALESA

  • Systems
  • The Self Portraits
  • Clients
  • Bio
  • #Animation
  • #Sketch
  • #Linework
  • Print Club
  • Mini portraits

Human Provenance & Visual Systems

In an era of automated generation, my hand-drawn illustrations provide the authentic "human signature" that digital interfaces are missing.

As a Visual Systems Partner with 20 years of documented identity research, I help high-growth technology and lifestyle brands move beyond "Corporate Memphis" to build deep, human-centric trust. My work focuses on Human Provenance, creating bespoke, modular asset libraries that ensure your brand feels as real as the people behind it.


  • Modular Asset Libraries: Bespoke, hand-crafted visual components designed for high-scale deployment within digital UI/UX and product ecosystems.

  • Identity Evolution: Leveraging a 20-year archive of documented human identity to anchor brand trust and provide a unique visual credential.

  • Strategic Narrative: Translating complex social and technological concepts into a tangible, human-centric visual language for a global audience.


THE NEW YORK TIMES | STRATEGIC VISUAL SYSTEMS

Scope: High-Frequency Editorial & Global Advertorial (UBS, Amazon Alexa)

The System: Providing a consistent "Human Signature" across the NYT ecosystem. I translate complex editorial and brand narratives into scalable visual systems—from high-frequency global reporting to strategic advertorial partnerships for UBS and Amazon Alexa.

The Impact: Anchoring high-stakes digital storytelling in authentic, hand-crafted provenance. Whether humanizing voice-AI or climate-tech, these assets ensure that emerging technology and finance remain accessible and trustworthy to a global audience.

UBS x The New York Times

Project: Tackling the Climate Crisis with the Visionaries of Tomorrow

The System: A strategic motion-identity collaboration with UBS and T Brand Studio. I developed a series of 6 high-fidelity animated portraits to humanize complex global sustainability narratives.

The Impact: By integrating organic pencil textures with subtle digital motion, these assets provided an authentic Human Signature for a high-stakes financial campaign, optimized for cross-platform mobile storytelling.


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Amazon Alexa x New York Times

Project: Multi-modal 'Voice Day' Campaign

The System: Visual identity for the Amazon Alexa 'Voice Day' initiative. I provided the hand-crafted anchor for a global multi-modal user experience.

The Impact: Humanizing voice-AI technology through tactile texture, ensuring emerging tech felt accessible to a global audience.


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The New York Times | Editorial

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Client: New York Magazine (The Cut)

The System: A library of 41 unique visual assets developed to translate anonymous human testimony into a cohesive, brand-aligned identity. This system anchored a two-year editorial residency, providing a consistent "human signature" across digital and print platforms.

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Client: Wealthsimple

The Challenge: To bridge the gap between automated financial tools and human trust in a high-growth Fintech environment.

The System: I collaborated with the Wealthsimple creative and product teams to develop a modular illustration suite for the "Giveback" (RESP) initiative and the "Money Diaries" series. These assets were architected as a "human-first" visual layer, optimized for mobile UI and cross-platform digital storytelling.

The Outcome: A unified, hand-crafted visual language that replaced cold corporate imagery with Human Provenance, driving deeper user engagement and brand trust across the Wealthsimple ecosystem.

Wealthsimple RESP Giveback

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Wealthsimple Money Diaries

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Essence Power 40

Cultural Identity & High-Stakes Portraiture

Visual Contributor

Documenting the world’s most influential power players in business, music, and technology for the 2024 Essence Power 40. This project required a high-fidelity visual language capable of capturing individual authority while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic for a premier global media franchise.

Key Specs:

  • High-Profile Identity: Capturing the essence of global leaders across diverse sectors.

  • Editorial Excellence: Delivering iconic, 'Human-First' imagery for a high-traffic digital and print ecosystem.

  • Narrative Weight: Anchoring a prestigious cultural list with an authentic, hand-crafted visual signature.

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Land Securities

Environmental Humanization & Lifestyle Identity

Strategic Visual Partner

Collaborating with the UK's largest commercial property developer to humanize the amenity spaces of Portland House. I developed a bespoke library of lifestyle illustrations designed to translate the architectural scale of a premier London commercial asset into a tangible, human-centric user experience.

The Objective: To provide an organic, hand-crafted visual layer for a high-end property brochure and digital marketing suite, grounding the technical precision of real estate development in authentic, lived texture.

Key Specs:

  • Asset Integration: Developed visual components for high-fidelity property brochures and amenity branding.

  • Environmental Context: Adapting fine-art techniques to support architectural and lifestyle-driven narratives.

  • Commercial Strategy: Aligning visual identity with Landsec’s premier 'Portland House' redevelopment goals.

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1919 INVESTMENT COUNSEL

Identity Architecture for National Finance

Architecting a comprehensive Identity System for a leading national investment firm. This project involved the creation of 100+ bespoke hand-drawn staff portraits, providing a unified, approachable face for a high-status corporate entity. By replacing generic corporate imagery with a consistent 'Human Signature,' We established a unique brand layer of trust and professional gravity.

Key Specs:

Large-Scale Identity Mapping: Execution of 100+ unique assets within a single, cohesive visual framework.

Corporate Humanization: Translating the elite financial sector into an accessible, human-first digital presence.

Systems Management: Strategic delivery of a high-volume asset library for national office use.

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Squarespace 'Dream It' Campaign


Project: Global Out-of-Home (OOH) & Digital Identity

The System: A strategic "Human Signature" for the Squarespace 'Dream It' campaign. I developed and licensed a series of animated self-portraits designed to humanize the digital creation process across global markets.

The Impact: These assets provided a high-fidelity, hand-crafted anchor for mass-scale physical and digital deployment, including major transit takeovers in London and New York.

Key Specs:

  • Global Scale: Visual identity deployed across high-traffic urban environments (OOH).

  • Multi-Format Integration: Animated assets optimized for both large-scale physical screens and digital UI.

  • Brand Synergy: Partnering with Squarespace to reflect the authentic, human pulse of modern entrepreneurship.

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Architecting the Human Signature for 2026.

Enquire for Strategic Residencies & Global Partnerships.

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