Digital Art Product Design Branding Design Systems Music
PBK Studio · Est. 2021

MIKEL
ROSENTHAL

Art Direction · Design Systems · Music · Voice Performance · Visual Art

I lead teams to create unmistakable visual worlds — then systematize them so they scale fast, stay consistent, and ship beautifully. Trusted by Google, GE Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Avant, and Whirlpool.

25+ Years Interdisciplinary Chicago, IL Available Now
01 Digital Art 106 Works

Generative works, motion pieces, and digital compositions drawn from an extensive archive. Each piece begins with a constraint and ends wherever it needs to.

Slowly going inward
Slowly going inward
Digital Art · Animated
Fast as you can
Fast as you can
Digital Art · Animated
CCCC
CCCC
Digital Art · Animated
Black Sea
Black Sea
Digital Art · Animated
Water droplet
Water droplet
Digital Art · Animated
Play me
Play me
Digital Art · Animated
3x Geo Twist
3x Geo Twist
Digital Art · Animated
Still waiting
Still waiting
Digital Art · Animated
Swin me around
Swin me around
Digital Art · Animated
The world is yours
The world is yours
Digital Art · Animated
The biggest box
The biggest box
Digital Art · Animated
Time scale
Time scale
Digital Art · Animated
Blurred Phase
Blurred Phase
Digital Art · Animated
Falling asleep
Falling asleep
Digital Art · Animated
Solve me
Solve me
Digital Art · Animated
Solar B:W
Solar B:W
Digital Art · Animated
Orbitals
Orbitals
Digital Art · Animated
PBK Logo
PBK Logo
Digital Art · Animated
Don't drowned
Don't drowned
Digital Art · Animated
Distant Spin
Distant Spin
Digital Art · Animated
Space Trip
Space Trip
Digital Art · Animated
Promise me forever
Promise me forever
Digital Art · Animated
Stay in line
Stay in line
Digital Art · Animated
Dark Skies
Dark Skies
Digital Art · Animated
Prism drift
Prism drift
Digital Art · Animated
Back to the Beginning
Back to the Beginning
Digital Art · Animated
Coral Benz
Coral Benz
Digital Art · Animated
Slices of me
Slices of me
Digital Art · Animated
Do you see the numbers
Do you see the numbers
Digital Art · Animated
Timebloom
Timebloom
Digital Art · Animated
Drip Row
Drip Row
Digital Art · Animated
Fibonacci twist
Fibonacci twist
Digital Art · Animated
Tailspin
Tailspin
Digital Art · Animated
Vector Spin
Vector Spin
Digital Art · Animated
Orbit v4
Orbit v4
Digital Art · Animated
Simplicity
Simplicity
Digital Art · Animated
Fire by the Sea
Fire by the Sea
Digital Art · Animated
Old memories
Old memories
Digital Art · Animated
Nightsun
Nightsun
Digital Art · Animated
Zen Circle
Zen Circle
Digital Art · Animated
PBK Dark Flam
PBK Dark Flam
Digital Art · Animated
Twisted sphere
Twisted sphere
Digital Art · Animated
Butterfly Effect
Butterfly Effect
Digital Art · Animated
Down we go
Down we go
Digital Art · Animated
Crank Still
Crank Still
Digital Art · Animated
Drugs
Drugs
Digital Art · Animated
Eggshell
Eggshell
Digital Art · Animated
Circle Spheres
Circle Spheres
Digital Art · Animated
Tall Noble owl
Tall Noble owl
Digital Art · Animated
Arc Flip
Arc Flip
Digital Art · Animated
Daisy Bloom
Daisy Bloom
Digital Art · Animated
Asention
Asention
Digital Art · Animated
Don't look away
Don't look away
Digital Art · Animated
Tiny movements
Tiny movements
Digital Art · Animated
Folding Time
Folding Time
Digital Art · Animated
All Night Long
All Night Long
Digital Art · Animated
Orbit Wave
Orbit Wave
Digital Art · Animated
Chess Anyone
Chess Anyone
Digital Art · Animated
Drop in bucket
Drop in bucket
Digital Art · Animated
Signal
Signal
Digital Art · Animated
Zip line logo
Zip line logo
Digital Art · Animated
Cosmos
Cosmos
Digital Art · Animated
As We Drift
As We Drift
Digital Art · Animated
Noble owl
Noble owl
Digital Art · Animated
Twist Lattice
Twist Lattice
Digital Art · Animated
Vector echo
Vector echo
Digital Art · Animated
Speed shape
Speed shape
Digital Art · Animated
V
V
Digital Art · Animated
Cloud Twists
Cloud Twists
Digital Art · Animated
Stone Ascension
Stone Ascension
Digital Art · Animated
FAV0022
FAV0022
Digital Art · Animated
Twisting triangles
Twisting triangles
Digital Art · Animated
Collapsing Red and Tan
Collapsing Red and Tan
Digital Art · Animated
10 Orbits
10 Orbits
Digital Art · Animated
Where am I
Where am I
Digital Art · Animated
Twisting vector
Twisting vector
Digital Art · Animated
Perfect sink
Perfect sink
Digital Art · Animated
Walk the walk
Walk the walk
Digital Art · Animated
Orbits and orbits
Orbits and orbits
Digital Art · Animated
Under the cells
Under the cells
Digital Art · Animated
Dance with Me
Dance with Me
Digital Art · Animated
Star twist
Star twist
Digital Art · Animated
Twist light
Twist light
Digital Art · Animated
Synchronization
Synchronization
Digital Art · Animated
Slinky Forgo
Slinky Forgo
Digital Art · Animated
Didn't Mean to Scare You
Didn't Mean to Scare You
Digital Art · Animated
Dark Waves
Dark Waves
Digital Art · Animated
Ultimate synchronization
Ultimate synchronization
Digital Art · Animated
Wizard Stone
Wizard Stone
Digital Art · Animated
And What Did You Expect
And What Did You Expect
Digital Art · Animated
Out We Go
Out We Go
Digital Art · Animated
Strings of chance
Strings of chance
Digital Art · Animated
Box Breaker
Box Breaker
Digital Art · Animated
Spectral arc
Spectral arc
Digital Art · Animated
Vector life
Vector life
Digital Art · Animated
Tunnel Vision
Tunnel Vision
Digital Art · Animated
Bye for Now
Bye for Now
Digital Art · Animated
Where is mom
Where is mom
Digital Art · Animated
Circle Drop
Circle Drop
Digital Art · Animated
Data Cycles
Data Cycles
Digital Art · Animated
Divide and Conquer
Divide and Conquer
Digital Art · Animated
Double Vision v2
Double Vision v2
Digital Art · Animated
Under the sea
Under the sea
Digital Art · Animated
Amalgamation
Amalgamation
Digital Art · Animated
Can You See Me
Can You See Me
Digital Art · Animated
The collector
The collector
Digital Art · Animated
03 Product Design & UX 13 Projects

Client websites, enterprise products, and mobile apps — from concept through deployment. Real estate, healthcare, fintech, consumer tech, and SaaS. Always includes identity, systems thinking, and developer-ready handoff.

For David
For David
Web Design · Multimedia · 2024
Lindsey Bingaman
Lindsey Bingaman
Web Design · Executive Coaching · 2023
240 Country Club Road
240 Country Club Road
Web Design · Architecture · 2023
Bert Gillette — Milehimodern
Bert Gillette — Milehimodern
Web Design · Real Estate · 2023
Serenity Lounge Day Spa
Serenity Lounge Day Spa
Web Design · Wellness · 2022
04 Branding 4 Projects

Identity systems, packaging, and visual language built for brands entering new territory — from naming through full production-ready output.

05 Design Systems 6 Systems

Enterprise-scale systems built to last — across 40+ product lines, hundreds of stakeholders, and every surface from dashboard to mobile. Never just components: governance, language, and rhythm.

GE Healthcare Edison Design System
GE Healthcare — Edison
Enterprise Design System · Healthcare · 2020–2021
Blue Cross Blue Shield FIBER Design System
Blue Cross Blue Shield — FIBER
Enterprise Design System · Insurance · 2019
Avant Pathfinder 2.0 Dashboard
Avant — Pathfinder
Product + Marketing System · Fintech · 2021–2024
SurePeople PRISM — Product Design
Sure People — PRISM
Design System · HR Tech · 2022–2023
TransUnion Credit Manager Design System
TransUnion
Design System · Credit Bureaus · 2018–2019
Coming Soon
PBK Studio System
Personal Brand System · Identity · Ongoing
06 Music 3 Tracks

First-take improv. Live-mastered. No overdubs. Produced as PitchBlacKnight — original tracks recorded by accident while working. That's the method.

Original · Track
Hollow Heart
PitchBlacKnight
▶ Play
Original · Track
Sounded Like the Truth
PitchBlacKnight
▶ Play
Original · Track
Sunday Play
PitchBlacKnight
▶ Play
07 Services

Available for project, retainer, and contract engagements. Every deliverable — conceived, crafted, and executed by one person. Start to finish.

Not AI · Human · Real
01
Design Consulting
Strategy, systems thinking, and creative direction for brands that need to scale with intention and stay visually coherent as they grow.
02
Product Design & UX
End-to-end product design — research, wireframes, high-fidelity UI, and developer-ready handoff. Enterprise or startup, complex or clean.
03
Design Systems
Figma component libraries, design tokens, interaction patterns, and governance documentation — built once, used everywhere, maintained by your team.
04
Web & Interactive
Pixel-perfect front-end execution. Visual identity extended into digital environments — from landing pages to full site builds.
05
Voiceover & Audio
SAG-eligible. Commercial, narrative, animation, and sonic branding. Original music composition for film, brand, and media.
06
Art Direction
Visual identity, campaign concepting, and the aesthetic DNA that makes a brand unmistakable — and keeps it that way across every touchpoint.
Process —
Vision
Clarify
Map
Execute
Deliver
Practice Index

MIKEL
ROSENTHAL

Art Director · Design Director · Contract & Freelance

I lead teams to create unmistakable visual worlds — then systematize them so they scale fast, stay consistent, and ship beautifully. Trusted by Google, GE Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Herman Miller, Whirlpool, and Gartner. My practice is rooted in a Fluxus mindset: interdisciplinary, concept-forward, and execution-complete.

Signature
Strengths
Art Direction Design Systems Brand-to-Product Visual Leadership CX Audit + Strategy Cross-Functional Leadership Figma-First Workflows Accessibility + Craft Voice & Narrative
Selected
Impact
  • Built & scaled enterprise design systems adopted across 40+ product lines and hundreds of stakeholders
  • Led component libraries enabling faster delivery, visual coherence, and reduced rework
  • Directed cross-platform UI frameworks (web + mobile) with accessibility and governance baked in
  • Delivered product ecosystems spanning dashboards, responsive apps, and data visualization
  • Facilitated stakeholder alignment through workshops, critiques, and story-led presentations
Experience
PBK Studio 2021 – Present
Founder · Independent Studio
Music · Web · Motion · Voice · Design · Art Direction

Founded independent creative studio operating across music production, web design, motion art, voice performance, and brand identity.

Produces original music as PitchBlacKnight — first-take improv, live-mastered, no overdubs; ten unreleased mixtapes archived and released publicly. Applies 25+ years of design systems and art direction experience to every output — from a single-page site to a multi-discipline brand.

Avant May 2021 – Aug 2024
Senior Product / Systems Designer · Full-Time
Product Ecosystems · Marketing/Design System · Enablement

Led design vision for Pathfinder platform and a marketing/design system used across teams. Built scalable component frameworks and visual patterns to unify product and brand execution. Drove adoption through enablement and stakeholder training across 350+ internal managers.

Cento Venti Cinque Sept 2021 – Jan 2022
Design / Creative Consulting · Contract (PBK Studio client entity)
Creative Direction · Digital Product/Brand Support

Provided senior design leadership across brand, product, and system-level execution. Helped teams translate strategy into cohesive UI language, patterns, and deliverables.

GE Healthcare Jan 2020 – Feb 2021
Design Systems Lead / Senior Designer · Contract
Edison Design System · Enterprise Workflows · Accessibility

Contributed to and evolved the Edison Design System: modular, accessible UI patterns at global scale. Produced interaction guidance and visual direction for cross-platform products. Focused on consistency, usability, and clarity in complex enterprise workflows.

Sure People Jun 2020 – Sept 2020
Product Design Lead · Contract
Dashboards · Mobile UX · Responsive Systems

Designed end-to-end digital ecosystem: dashboards, mobile experiences, responsive UI, analytics. Emphasized system-level thinking, data visualization clarity, and cohesive product language.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Jun 2019 – Dec 2019
Design System Founder / Lead · Contract
FIBER Design System · Web + Mobile · Governance

Created FIBER Design System spanning mobile and web, supporting large multi-product ecosystems. Established shared patterns, accessibility standards, and reusable UI foundations across teams. Enabled faster concept-to-completion and improved consistency across experiences.

TransUnion May 2018 – May 2019
Product / UX Designer · Contract
Enterprise UX · Scalable UI · Stakeholder Alignment

Delivered product UX and UI in complex enterprise environments with high stakeholder density. Improved consistency and clarity through pattern reuse and system-level thinking.

Maven Wave Partners Jan 2013 – May 2018
Senior UX / UI / Product Designer · Full-Time
Enterprise Client Delivery · CX Improvement · Visual Systems

Led end-to-end design for enterprise clients: discovery, UX strategy, UI systems, and delivery. Directed workshops that clarified user needs, reduced stakeholder misalignment, and accelerated decisions. Produced scalable visual frameworks and UI patterns that improved experience consistency.

Biersma Creative 2006 – 2012
Designer / Art Direction
Brand + Marketing Design · Creative Execution

Developed brand and marketing assets with strong visual hierarchy, clarity, and craft. Translated creative concepts into polished deliverables across digital touchpoints.

Firebelly Design 2005 – 2009
Branding / Digital Design
Brand Identity · Campaigns · Digital Experiences

Supported brand identity and digital experience work emphasizing cohesion and voice. Contributed to campaign and web design deliverables aligned to brand systems.

Earlier Client Work
Google · Herman Miller · Whirlpool · Mead · Aflac · Dremel · Gartner
Education
Missouri State University
BFA · Electronic Arts & Design / Communications
Tools +
Capabilities
Figma
I build systems that scale and visuals that behave.
AI
Fast iteration, smart automation, and future-proofing by design.
CX
I find the friction, the confusion, and the quiet reasons customers leave — then fix them.
Brand
Turning identity into interface rhythm, interaction, and cohesion — concept to system, in one continuous arc.
Platforms
Slack · Jira · Confluence · GitHub · Notion · Miro · whatever your team uses.
Fluxus
Video · motion · animation · music/sound · spatial concepts · projection mapping · first take, always.
Body
Dancer. Operatic voice. Precision whistler. Ambidextrous. The instrument is the instrument.
Sound
Phonetic mimic — human, animal, mechanical. Absorbs and reproduces accents, dialects, and textures after a single exposure. Polyglot with language-music instinct.
Contact

Let's
make
something.

Available for project, retainer, and contract engagements. One person. Full range. No handoffs to juniors.

Available Now · Contract & Freelance
Trusted By
Google · GE Healthcare · Blue Cross Blue Shield
Herman Miller · Whirlpool · Avant
Disciplines
Design Systems · Art Direction
Product Design · UI/UX
Music · Voice Performance · Brand