Vexx Daines
Vexx Daines is the creative identity of Paulo Fernandes, a Barcelona-based creative director and visual storyteller working across digital media, narrative and emerging technology.
With a background in engineering and more than a decade of digital creative practice, his work combines artistic direction, technology and experimentation to develop visual identities, cinematic worlds and multimodal experiences.
Creativity shaped by technology
My creative journey began in 2013 with virtual photography in Second Life, where I explored character styling, scene direction, composition, lighting and digital post-production. What started with still images gradually evolved into a broader interest in creating stories, characters and imaginary worlds.
With a background in engineering, I've always been fascinated by the relationship between creativity and technology. Over the years, my work has expanded into fiction, worldbuilding, filmmaking, music direction and the development of digital identities, with generative AI opening new possibilities for connecting these disciplines.
Today, I bring these experiences together through independent and collaborative projects, moving between different creative media while keeping storytelling, artistic vision and emotional expression at the heart of my work.
From concept to finished experience
My creative process begins with an idea worth exploring: a character, an emotion, an imagined world or a story. I focus first on what the work should communicate, then develop its narrative direction, visual language and atmosphere before choosing the tools and techniques that best serve it.
Depending on the project, I combine virtual photography, digital compositing, writing, generative AI, filmmaking, music and sound. I see technology as an extension of creative expression, not a substitute for artistic vision. Experimentation, selection, refinement and careful integration are essential parts of my process.
What connects my work across different media is an interest in identity, atmosphere, continuity and emotion. Whether I'm directing a single image, developing a digital character or producing an audiovisual story, my goal is to create experiences that feel coherent, intentional and emotionally meaningful.
From virtual worlds
to AI-native production
The tools and possibilities have evolved, but the creative intention remains the same: bringing characters, stories and imaginary worlds to life. Each stage of this journey has expanded the ways I explore visual storytelling and creative expression.
Virtual Photography & Digital Environments
Second Life and Sansar provided spaces for exploring digital environments, character styling, art direction and visual storytelling. Virtual photography and Photoshop became essential tools for transforming digital scenes into expressive artistic images.
From Still Images to Moving Stories
Photography gradually expanded into cinematic sequences, short films and audiovisual storytelling. Camera movement, character interaction, editing, music and sound introduced new dimensions to the creative process.
AI-Assisted & Multimodal Creation
Generative AI opened new possibilities for developing persistent digital characters, cinematic worlds, music and visual narratives. Combining different models and production tools allows me to bring increasingly ambitious creative concepts to life.
Selected recognition & creative work
Photography Awards
Neo Japan SL Event Photo Contest: 2nd Place (2024), 6th Place (2023) and 5th Place (2022).
Art Exhibition
Beyond the Frame: Through the Lens of Vexx Daines. Serena Arts Center, Second Life.
Editorial Publication
The Heat of Winter, Attention SL Magazine, Winter 2023, pp. 124–133. Photography and styling.
Commercial Collaborations
Commissioned virtual photography and promotional imagery for Second Life creators and brands, including no.match.
Explore the work
Discover selected projects across creative direction, visual storytelling and emerging technology.