Vannia Palacio
Q What do you do?
“I’m a graphic artist with a classical Fine Arts background who’s grown into a proud slashie.”
Illustration, branding, and 2D motion graphics are my core trio—a yearning to see my drawings come to life sparked this latest endeavor. I treat each discipline with the same focus: blending artistic intuition with strategic thinking. My work is about creating meaningful visuals by building emotional connections.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
My journey started with a fascination for posters and album covers. That visual world drew me into painting and illustration, which naturally evolved into graphic design. Over the years, I've worked with a wide range of clients, refining my skills in branding and illustration, and most recently adding motion graphics to bring my drawings to life in short animated reels.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I aim to weave narrative into every project, aligning it with both the client’s vision and the emotional resonance of their audience. Composition is one of the strongest tools to deliver these concepts. I also believe a big part of the job is guiding the client: involving them in the process and helping them make choices that feel true to who they are—or what their brand is truly about.
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm building the visual identity for a podcast series—custom illustrations, a refreshed Squarespace site, the works. I'm also branding a café /bistro and shaping the look of a movement-tracking app for kids. Each project is wildly different, but I say yes when the creative chemistry is there—when the client vibes with my visual language.
Q What’s your style?
My style leans into the mythical and anthropomorphic—I'm always chasing the dreamlike characters that live in my head and trying to bring them into the real world through drawing. Whether it's illustration, painting, or animation, my work often explores surreal, symbolic figures that feel like fragments of a personal folklore. The project that best represents this is my recently launched boutique art-fashion brand, Genevieve. So far, it features just two silk scarves—but each one is a portal into a world I'm building from scratch. The ambition behind it is simple and bold: Drawings for Grownups on Everyday Objects. It's a labor of love, made on my own dime and time. You can explore it at www.genevieve-online.com.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Illustration holds a special place in my heart—but painting is the one thing I haven’t been able to give enough time to, mostly because I haven’t found a way to make it financially sustainable. And to be honest, there’s a part of me that, in another life, would’ve loved to be a full-time animator—ideally working at the old Disney studios when everything was still hand-drawn. I especially love when a project lets me integrate hand-drawn elements into branding—it adds a unique, deeply personal touch that can really set a brand apart.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
The undervaluation of creative work can be disheartening. On top of that, the time allotted for projects seems to be shrinking to absurd levels. It’s still a challenge to help clients understand the true value and long-term impact of thoughtful, strategic design. I do my part by engaging in transparent communication, delivering work with care, and consistently proving through my work that the human touch is irreplaceable.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I’d hand off admin tasks—emails, scheduling, invoicing—so I could stay focused on creating and collaborating. But if I’m being honest, what I truly need is a low-key PR genius. Self promotion doesn’t come naturally to me, and I know the right kind of visibility could change everything. (And in that alternate universe I mentioned earlier? I’d definitely hire an animator to handle all the in-between frames and finally bring my graphic stories to life the way they deserve.)
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I'd tell my younger self to stop judging her work so harshly—everything evolves. If something turns out bad, it's not the end of the world. Don't be so precious. Your skill level will eventually catch up to your taste. Be patient. Keep making things.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I believe visual creative work is a kind of engineering—it deserves the same rigor. I’d love to speak with someone who’s actively reshaping how art is taught and valued. How do we break free from dogmatic structures and bring more experimentation, context, and critical thinking into both the process and education of design? I’m not just talking theory—I’m talking execution. It’s time to crush some paradigms.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'm looking for collaborations where there's real creative chemistry—where my vision and the client's can blend into something meaningful. Over the years, I've become more attuned to recognizing—often from the first conversation—if we're a good fit. Emotional intelligence is everything. The specific type of project comes second; if I believe in what we're building, I can make it work.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I'd be cranking out posters for concerts and building visual worlds for the music I love—or animating opening credits for films and shows I admire. Even though it's scarily intimidating, I would love to be involved in character development for an animation series. Anything where my drawings get to dance with sound. Maybe someone reading this knows a guy who knows a guy... who knows a guy.
Q: What is your rate?
I usually work on a project basis—especially when it comes to illustration, since the scope can vary so widely. Branding packages typically start at $3,000, while rebranding projects begin at $1,500. For ongoing collaborations, I offer custom retainers based on scope and frequency. If the vibe is right, I'm happy to tailor the structure so it's mutually empowering.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
The best way is to email me at projects@vanniapalacio.com.
Just tell me a little about what you're dreaming up. If we click, I'll pour my whole heart into bringing it to life. Let's get down to business!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
I could go on and on about all my talented friends but these come to mind right now: From my country, Ecuador: a long time ago I had a short tenure as a fashion illustration teacher and Sasha Santamaría @sasha.santamaria was a student of mine. I noticed her potential right away and I can’t help but be super proud of her. Now she’s a fashion consultant and journalist, with a unique voice. Campaigning for a slow fashion truer to ourselves.
Erika Coello @erikacoellop is an amazing graphic designer with a knack for posters from my city, Guayaquil./
From my other country, Spain, Julio Linares @Julio_linares_ and Laura Villanueva @lauvw_ are my dear friends from college. Julio an incredibly fantastic painter with a beautiful sensibility and Laura is a great photographer with a unique eye.
I’m not acquainted with them but I admire their work: Joe Cappa, a brilliant animator that I feel is a dignified inheritor of Mike Judge. I’ve been following Lisa Hanawalt @lisadraws since her amazing work in Bojack Horseman. I really enjoy the multifaceted Cat Pierce @iamcatdog social media presence.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I don't think it's possible to run out of ideas.
This member profile was originally published in June 2025.