15 famous graphic designers you should follow
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The field of graphic design has never looked better. Every day, artists worldwide create something new and unique, enriching our create something new and unique with their work.
What does a graphic artist do? It's pretty simple. Designers, illustrators, and typographers can all be called artists when they create visually and conceptually exciting images that send a strong message. They use only letters, illustrations, and intelligent use of colors.
Many legendary designers have made a lasting contribution to this industry. Paula Scher, Sir Jonathan Ive, Rob Janoff (the Apple logo creator), and Massimo Vignelli (creator of NY Subway signage) are just some of them.
Much of their art is often confined to offline spaces that aren’t as instantly visible to us. If you’re looking for a micro-analysis of such classic graphic design pieces, you can check out our blog post on the best graphic design books to get for them.
In this post, we"ll share a bit about each famous designer and their collaborations with other artists. We"ll also give some insights into which notable clients they"ve worked with and explore their design style in more detail.
From contemporary designers to typography designers, there is something for everyone, no matter which style of design you prefer.
artsbyemdee
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Image source: artsbyemdee
simple and quirky, immediately evoking a feeling of familiarity and joy.
Deborah often does mockups and fictional rebrands of well-known visual identities, putting a new spin on current designs. She keeps her TikTok and Behance accounts stocked with fresh ideas for her followers to enjoy.
Kamkami
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Image source: Kamkami
stories and bring brands to life—pasta isn't just food. It's a creative process and a feeling of home.
If you're looking for inspiring designs with a strong narrative and lovable character illustrations, then you should follow Kamkami's account.
Ollie Spicer
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Image source: Ollie Spicer
cool stuff."
His earlier work also featured more complex Op Art-inspired monochromatic designs, showing how he's developed in his style and interests as a designer.
Be sure to check out his Linktree on Instagram to access his studio website and shop. You'll also find a link there to his YouTube channel, where he shares design advice and practical tips.
Jack Watson
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strong anchors for new brands to establish themselves. His font choices are always on par to communicate effectively without being boring.
If you're looking for branding inspo, follow Watson's Instagram profile. He often shares stories to reveal his design process and showcase his work in the wild.
Neil Secretario
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Image source: Neil Secretario
If you’re the type to get sucked into the deep end with your typography, then Neil Secretario is the right graphic designer to explore.
He's a left-handed lettering artist and graphic designer. Neil has created art for clients all over the world. He has drawn logos, custom letters, and type for Sony Pictures, YouTube Red, Conde Nast, GQ Germany, Intercom, Lionsgate, Mikimoto, Penguin Random House, and Schweppes Europe.
In this visual example, we see the words San Francisco and California on a white background. For both words, this famous graphic designer chose light brown. The focus is shifted to “San Francisco” with a larger, bolder font. The word “California” isn't bolded and written in a script-style handwritten font to give it less authority in the visual hierarchy.
With this specific typeface showcase, the Atlanta-based freelance designer has shown how playful typography can be. The letters themselves seem like they"re surfing. This font is meant to give you a feeling of San Francisco even though you only see the city"s name and nothing else.
With a profile that’s bursting with sophisticated and elegant type, you’re sure to find some typographical inspiration by following his Instagram profile.
Mike Perry
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Image source: Mike Perry
Here’s a feed that is an absolute explosion of color infused with psychedelic animation that will leave a lasting impression. You might recognize Perry’s graphic style from the title card animation of the popular Comedy Central sitcom “Broad City.”
In this particular illustration, we can see how he has “transformed” the Sun into a human form walking through nature and smiling.
The colors used in this piece work well together. In the background, we can see the green leaves contrasting with the yellow-orange sun in the middle ground. This color play has been done on purpose to bring all the attention to the main character.
“Good morning. Today is another day. I love you. Be well. Stay safe” is written in this Instagram post's description, published during the pandemic.
With this design, Perry has joined his design community to transmit positive energy into the world and give hope to people during tough times.
With his hands in everything from animations to sculptures, graphic novels, books, to public art installations opening up the avenues for his many international exhibitions, this is one to keep tabs on for the future.
Lauren Hom
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Image source: Lauren Hom
As you can see in the graphic design example chosen from her works, she loves to combine different fonts and colors. If you want to know more about how typography artists can help you shape your brand or corporate identity, Homs is the person to follow.
Another reason why you have to follow this talented graphic designer is the fact that she always shares free resources on her blog. She's happy to share what she's learned through her online courses, too.
As a freelance designer, she also likes to speak directly with her aspiring audience through her Instagram Videos, giving mentorship-themed chunks on getting started in this field and her experience in the industry.
Her motto is “Work hard, snack often.” She's always expanding her creative skillset and exploring how culinary arts and graphic arts intersect.
Pavlov Visuals
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Image source: Pavlov Visuals
We at Linearity, as a vector-based software, consider Pavlov Visuals as one of the best graphic designers out there. Behind the art name, Pavlov Visuals is the artist Ryan Dean Sprague.
Pavlov Visuals was started by Ryan and his brother, who are both musicians. The need to have a strong branding and top-notch design for their music pushed this duo to start learning how to design.
Ryan is much more than an album cover designer. Pavlov Visuals’ work ranges from creating icons to logos and packaging designs. Their modern works with vector graphics range from sophisticated typography to newspaper front pages and even their unique takes on movie posters.
Nowadays, Pavlov Visuals helps other artists all over the world to build their identities. Among their clients are Sony Music, Rebook, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, and Coors.
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Like the example we"re showing here, you can see the Art Deco influence their works. The combination of pastel colors with the bold black to emphasize the panther works very well.
The way they combine round shapes with straight lines and curves transmits a feeling of balance and an “organized” mess.
If you’re seeking sleek and modern vector works, this is the account for you. We’ve got nothing but love for vector designs, and this group of designers is a must-follow.
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Sam Larson
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Image source: Sam Larson
Larson is a full-time freelance graphic designer. He uses carefully selected color palettes to create nature-themed designs that pop out from your feed.
His attitude toward design rarely changes. The use of animals in his designs is almost always present.
In most of his designs, you will notice a plain and simple background and several small illustrations “placed” in an organized way, making them look like stickers.
In the example of his work, we see a unique base color that makes all of his illustrations pop. What we love the most in this particular graphic design work is the use of one-line drawings.
This graphic design artist takes his inspiration from the American West, pizza, and road trips. So, for that all-American nostalgia-inspired artwork, this is the profile you want to follow.
Velvet Spectrum
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Image source: Velvet Spectrum
Founder and artist Luke Choice has over 15 years of experience in the creative industry. He is well known for his 3D and typographic design expertise.
This Australian graphic designer is known for his colorful creations that look like they will pop out of the screen at any minute.
And that is the aim of this artist. He loves to create dreamlike environments that seem to invite you to a whole new dimension full of happiness and vibrant colors.
Expressive typography characterizes their visual identity. Their works are unapologetically colorful and cover multiple facets of design, illustration, and typography with an unmistakable aesthetic.
The example you see here is a Mad Moon logo design for writer, director, and producer @davidlestermooney. With independent projects and collaborations with the likes of Nike, this is your go-to destination for a blend of color and quirk.
Dschwen
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Todd by David Schwen
Just take a look at their website filled with eye-catching animated visuals or scroll through their Instagram feed.
The only bad thing about their Instagram feed is that it leaves you wanting to see more. Their design style is playful and vibrant. They often use widely adored characters such as Pikachu and Minions.
This design example makes you smile. It"s meant to motivate you to exercise and have fun while doing it.
David Schwen’s studio has gathered designers who regularly put out fun-infused designs that aren’t afraid to experiment with bold colors and are sure to put a smile on your face.
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Stefan Sagmeister
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Image source: Stefan Sagmeister
The aim of the company was to create designs for the music industry. So far, Stefan has designed album covers for well-known bands and musicians such as OK Go, The Rolling Stones, Jay Z, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, and Brian Eno.
He’s also authored graphic design books: Things I have learned in my life so far (2008) and Beauty Book (2018). We think every designer should have these on their reading list.
From 2011 until 2019, Stefan partnered with Jessica Walsh under the name Sagmeister & Walsh Inc., designing for big brands.
According to Walsh, the duo split in 2019 because Sagmeister started to focus more on non-commercial work.
This prompted Walsh to found her own company &Walsh. Currently, Stefan creates non-commercial work for his company Sagmeister Inc. while Jessica creates branding and advertising work at her company &Walsh.
In contrast to his partner’s work, Sagmeister’s feed is **notably minimal **and explores more neutral colors in the designs.
He has an iconic style that leaves a strong impression on viewers. He always likes to think outside of the box, and we can see it in every single piece of work he has created so far.
Jessica Walsh
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Image source: Jessica Walsh
This American contemporary graphic designer, art director, and illustrator is an inspiration to many. She is also an educator since she has taught at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).
The example we have taken from her portfolio was published in March 2020, right after the pandemic broke out.
The message “Disinfect me baby one more time” attached to the bottle encourages continuous sanitization of hands and surfaces. It also channels Britney Spears’ song title “...One more time” combined with a pop art aesthetic.
This famous graphic designer’s portfolio is a treasure chest of previous and current work, with frequent updates to look forward to. Having worked with A-listers like Jay-Z and Levi’s, her designs are heavily inspired by the retro, vibrant stylings of the 1950s.
If you're looking for inspiration for a book cover, poster design, or album covers, Walsh always delivers with her mid-century design flair.
Try out this retro design style with one of our free professional templates:
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Lotta Nieminen
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Image source: Lotta Nieminen
Lotta Nieminen is a contemporary graphic designer, illustrator, and art director. Originally from Finland, Lotta founded her own studio in 2012 in New York, USA.
Lotta Nieminen Studio creates visual solutions for clients across various disciplines. The studio also works as a creative partner, helping its clients with branding and bringing their unique visual identities to life.
Lotta has been nominated for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and several other awards, including the Art Directors Club Young Guns award and Print magazine’s New Visual Artist. You can see her Nordic roots influence almost all of her works. She also likes to play around with bright colors in her designs.
This award-winning graphic designer has also illustrated interactive recipe books for children. So far, she's illustrated a series of four Cook in a Book books.
The background you see in this example is also taken from one of the inside pages she illustrated.
Leta Sobierajski
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Image source: Leta Sobierajski
New York-based artist Leta Sobierajski is known for her unique and quirky designs. She combines traditional graphic design elements with styling, art, and photography, as we see on this example.
The combination of bold, bright colors with fashion and the bold yellow background is eye-catching and draws you in. Even though there are many colors used in this example, all the colors work well with one another.
The contrast between black and white parts and the bold colors is powerful. You will see these kinds of combinations in almost all the art pieces by this artist.
The image we have taken as an example is from their 2020 Tokio exhibition at Calm and Punk Gallery.
They have accompanied it with this description: “Music to your eyes is picking up the rainbow and playing it like a piano and dancing from dawn until dusk to the sound of your own heartbeat.”
In October 2016, Leta founded a design studio together with her husband and collaborator, Wade Jeffree. Their projects range from art direction to installations. Their provocative designs are very different from all the other artists we have mentioned above.
Just take a look at their website or Instagram feed. You'll have a hard time trying to stop scrolling.
Among the clients Leta has worked with are Adobe, Bloomberg, Google, Gucci, IBM, The New York Times, Renault, and Tate Modern.
Like Lotta Nieminen, Leta has also been recognized as an Art Directors Club Young Guns 15 recipient, among other awards.
Your next steps as a designer
We've explored the work of famous graphic designers and artists from various backgrounds and generations.
These influential creatives have left their mark on the field of graphic design, pushing the boundaries of traditional design principles and shaping visual culture. A number of the designers on our list have created iconic logos for some of the biggest companies of the 21st century.
From product design to motion graphics and magazine covers, their distinctive styles and visual languages have resonated with a wide range of audiences and contributed to the evolution of contemporary design.
We've also highlighted the impact of female art directors and designers. These designers have collaborated with renowned design firms and worked with notable clients, bridging the worlds of art, design, and pop culture.
You can grow as a designer by following their work and design processes.
Keep upskilling yourself by trying new techniques and design styles and keeping up with trends. You can also explore specialized graphic design courses to improve your skills.
Another way to push your career forward is to experiment with animation. You can try our animation software Linearity Move for free to bring your static designs to life. It boasts professional (yet easy-to-use) features like:
- Seamless integration with our vector design software Linearity Curve
- Highly compatible with other design software like Adobe Illustrator and Figma
- Keyframes and pinning
- Timeline layers
- Animation Presets
- Auto Animate—an AI-powered feature that turns static designs into dynamic animations
It's never been easier to transition from design to animation. Want to learn more about our pricing? Check out our pro, team, and education subscriptions.
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Content Writer
Emma is a Content Writer for Linearity in Berlin. Her hobbies include making ceramics, roller skating, drawing, and 2D animation.
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