The World’s Most Famous Graphic Designers

In today’s online world, it’s difficult to get by without good design! Websites, blogs, beer bottles, logos, or book covers; you name it, if the visuals aren’t compelling, the appeal of your product or service is undoubtedly compromised. It can the making or breaking point of so much. In 2020 will undoubtedly have a massive impact on 2021, as it was a year that changed the norm in so many ways. That will most likely be reflected in graphic design. Following those who do it best, and observing how they may change or adapt to the changing circumstances is an excellent way to stay on top of the design game and gain some great inspiration.

Therefore, the importance of learning design from the very best there is can’t be overstated. For this reason, this post brings you some of the best graphic design artists.

Visuals catch attention and are easily remembered. More often than not, they are the first chance at impressing a potential customer and holding their attention for as long as possible.

That’s why so much attention is paid to the work of graphic designers these days. The industry is growing with its demand, and with such demand, the number of graphic designers popping up is skyrocketing too. Graphic designers take the vision of their clients and bring it to life using visual communication.

Graphic designers use illustrations and text, to create visual compositions, but most of all graphic designers solve problems!

People use designers to pull an idea out of their heads and into the real world. A graphic designer is also an essential part of your internal content creator team.

They can help you take that idea or concept and put it in front of people in an attractive way, communicating effectively and giving the result that you are looking to achieve.

Using the concept of line, space, color, type, and form, designers must have a creative streak with a willingness to learn.

Most commonly, graphic designers are known for working in the following industries:

• Advertising
• Product Development
• User Experience
• User Interface
• Video Games
• Multimedia Art & Animation
• Web Design
• Exhibit Design

One of the cool things about graphic design is that you don’t necessarily need to go to University to become a great graphic designer.

Of course, a degree in graphic design from a University is going to give you a huge advantage if you can attain one.

But with the development of some amazing design tools, that make the design process so much easier, as well as the thousands of blogs and graphic design courses available today via the internet, now is probably the best time ever to embark on a career in graphic design.

It’s not easy to go the “self-taught” route, but with hard work, dedication, and a passion for design you can get there.

If you want to work in graphic design and eventually become a famous graphic designer, first of all, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals and a laptop for graphic designing

This self-study course can help you nail them.

Another course that’s useful when you are starting is Color for designers by Richard Mehl.

If you are constantly on the go and want to learn graphic design during those “lost” hours such as your daily commute, then you can check out some of the creative podcasts on this list

Make no mistake though, just because it’s easy to embark on a career in graphic design, it doesn’t mean it’s easy to master it. To become a famous graphic designer will likely take years of hard work.

But don’t worry you can get plenty of inspiration from the famous graphic designers that we list in this post.

Graphic design as a profession really grew in the 20th century. (Think Mad Men and Cigarette Advertisements)

We couldn’t create a list of the most famous graphic designers without paying homage to some of the famous graphic designers of all time! Those pioneers blazed a trail for those today.

The graphic designers who inspired the current crop to pursue careers in the field.

So before you check out our list of famous graphic designers still working, do some research and learn from the careers of the design forefathers:

• Saul Bass
• Cipe Pineles
• Massimo Vignelli
• Paul Rand
• Milton Glaser
• Alan Fletcher

To be honest, this list of famous 20th-century graphic designers could have gone on forever. It was probably worthy of being a whole other post in itself, so I’ve kept it short and sweet to give you enough inspiration before you get to the list.

So where should you look for inspiration for your own works? Which are the ones you should keep your eyes on?

Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of some of the world’s most famous graphic designers so that you can follow them on social media and maybe even get some inspiration for your next graphic design project! There is a ton of graphic designers on Instagram, Twitter, and every other social network. We selected the best of the best for you to give you your daily dose of inspiration.

Anyone on this list brings their own unique approach to graphic design to the table and their work will amaze you!

We have spared neither cost nor effort to find the best graphic designers in all areas of the craft. The selection we share with you in this post is a great representation of this amazing industry.

Inspired by the pros? Take the first step towards creating your own amazing designs with Design Wizard. Choose from 1000’s of stunning templates, then simply edit and share.

As one half of New York City’s renowned Sagmeister and Walsh, Jessica is a designer that sees A-List clients such as Jay-Z and Levis vying for her design skills daily. Her designs are retro and vibrant and carry heavy influences from the 1950s. Think Mad Men, with a pop of color.

To list all of the titles that this influential designer holds would take us all day. His deep love of typography and traditional print elements are clearly illustrated within his social media postings.

Although he is not active on Instagram, Jason’s Twitter account is a great peek into the mind’s eye of a brilliant graphic designer.

The other half of the previously mentioned Sagmeister & Walsh, this Austrian designer counts The Talking Heads and Lou Reed as personal friends and clients. When compared to the bright work of his business partner, Stefan’s design style is minimalist and uses a more neutral color palette to create amazing designs for an amazing variety of clients.

Take one look at Steven’s out-there Instagram feed and you’ll see why he is hailed as “the leader of a contemporary Californian psychedelic-pop aesthetic”. His design style engages and distorts the viewer’s perspective and creates amazing talking points, whether they are on the side of a shoe or a traditional canvas.

David’s bright designs often marry mold-like designs and eye-catching animation with everyday photography. His razor-sharp humor and years of design experience result in an Instagram account that is sure to provide a good pick-me-up if not major design inspiration. If you’re looking to learn from a famous graphic design that isn’t afraid to use bold colors, David is your guy.

One of ‘Today’s Most Influential Graphic Designers’ by Creative Bloom, Lauren’s whimsical yet engaging typography fills (or rather ticks) all the Instagram boxes of her account. Take one glance at her feed and you’ll see why clients like Starbucks, Google, and Time Magazine are scrambling to get her intricate typography included in their campaigns.

This influential designer, art director, and lettering artist has all the multinational acronyms flocking to his door. MTV, HBO, CNN…you name them and he’s worked with them. David’s raw style of typography draws on traditional and digital methods to create eye-catching designs for clients which he gives his followers the treat of seeing through his social media postings.

Lotta is a contemporary graphic designer, originally from Helsinki who has now set up roots (and a design studio) in the Big Apple. Her graphics and illustrations show her Nordic roots but with a pop of color that is unmistakably inspired by all things floral and plant-based. Come to her Instagram for the graphics, but you’ll stay for the interior design inspiration!

A graphic designer, illustrator, and letter from Manila in The Philippines, June uses watercolor and pencil drawings to create a color-gradient posting system on her Instagram. If you’re looking for graphic design courses on the art of watercolor then all you need is to watch her time-lapses to learn from a pro!

Eclectic, influential and never one to stick to the status quo, Leta is a graphic designer that is all about embracing the quirks to create unique designs for her clients. Leta’s Instagram account is the perfect showcase of her larger-than-life personality and creative mindset with outrageous shapes and color combinations being the norm throughout her feed.

Luke is a famous Australian graphic designer than gave up a life down under to embrace the design influences of good old America. His studio, Velvet Spectrum now works out of Portland, Oregon, and is all about the art of storytelling through visual design. Luke’s designs are unapologetically colorful and incredibly on-brand when it comes to visual storytelling

What started as a chalk illustration at a housewarming party has just Dana into an internationally recognized and influential graphic design artist who has captured the attention of Google among many others. Her distinctive style of lettering and typography is full of bring and floral elements that have even found their way to the cover of O Magazine.

If you’ve ever found yourself at a Deadmau5 concert, then Joshua’s Instagram feed may strike you as familiar. Joshua doesn’t confine his art to the page and often favors the concert stages of world-famous artists to showcase his work. His designs use “hardware and software to create algorithmic image making” which results in his futuristic almost extra-terrestrial design style.

Best known for his text-based designs, you can find some of Will’s pieces on permanent display in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. Anthony’s designs are a welcome addition to anyone’s Instagram feed; whether you’re looking to advance your graphic design career or just appreciate a good piece of art.

Anyone who is a fan of Comedy Central’s Broad City will know Mike’s distinctive style of design from their ‘Mushrooms’ episode and psychedelic logo. Not only did this place him on the Emmy Awards’ stage as winner of the ‘Motion Design Jury Award’, but also means his memorable designs are known the world over for their eccentric illustrations and colors.

As the son of two artists, all roads were leading to the world of graphic design from the day Tad picked up his first pencil. He now runs Carpenter Creative, a studio he set up with his partner, and has now turned his hand to amazing illustrations for over 20 children’s books and concert posters.

This “professional goofball” counts not only Nickelodeon and Converse but The White House as his past and present clients. His designs may draw your mind back to Saved by the Bell’s signature opening credits but rest assured, Will’s designs are work of incredible originality that you won’t want to miss.

Rob, who designs under the name Supermundane, is a famous graphic designer who is fully immersed in all things graphic design – even going so far as to live in an exclusive artist’s community on Havelock Walk. Rob’s design style is funky and defined with publications such as Anorak and Fire & Knives commissioning him to illustrate for them.

From the hub of imaginative art in Barcelona to the mean streets of New York City, Alex is another famous graphic designer that is constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to creating designs with outrageous shapes and colors. His art is a personal favorite of Katy Perry which resulted in Rob creating the cover for her chart-topping single, Roar in 2013.

Jennet’s raw style of design is showcased brilliantly in every post on her Instagram account. Her choice of texture and flawed brush marks make for incredibly eye-catching creations and don’t just take our word for it. Her designs have even gotten the HarperCollins stamp of approval. Everything Jennet creates is brilliantly handcrafted and a welcome addition to any feed.

Debbie is an influential graphic designer that eats, sleeps, and breaths branding. So much so that she co-founded the world’s first-ever graduate program in branding at The School of Visual Arts in New York City! Anyone looking to advance their graphic design career should keep a close eye on her Twitter feed where she posts updates on her podcast, Design Matters.

Kelli is all about working with, and creating “simple things that don’t behave as expected.” Staying inside the lines and normal design constructs just doesn’t fall into Kelli’s design M.O. and one look at her Instagram feed will show just how amazing the results can be when you push the norms can be when it comes to graphic design.

The motto of Pavlov Designs is “design without borders” and with a quick scroll through their Instagram, it’s clear to see that’s a motto they take great pride in sticking to! This unique take on design has seen Calvin pack up his things to open a studio in Amsterdam to be closer to Pavlov Design’s European clients while his business partner run the ship in Dallas!

David set up his studio in 2005 with a mission to create amazing logos and visual identities for clients across the globe. Since then his designs have been used by Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Coors to name just a few brands that have turned to him in their search for an upgrade to their branding needs.

​This Italian graphic designer uses humor and thought-provoking perspectives to create colorful illustrations for the likes of Ikea and MIND Magazine. His Instagram account is a testament to his ability to create evocative designs that rely upon sometimes evocative, all of the time eye-catching messages to his followers.

Rachel is a journalist turned illustrator who uses pastel colors to create refreshing designs as part of her studio, Gold Pony. Her design style is feminine with clear tarot cards and bohemian influences. She often layers illustration on top of cropped photography to create designs that would be a welcome addition to anyone’s public or personal art gallery.

Having recently rebranded from Harley Quinn and Co. to The Darling Assembly, Erin’s Instagram account has a pastel pink color palette that can’t be missed – especially if you’re a “lover of all things handwritten” like she is. As a busy mom to baby Leo, Erin runs The Darling Assembly as a part-time graphic design business for clients that are looking to create appealing branding for their customers.

Louise founded her graphic design company in 1989 to give specialty food businesses the edge they need to capture the hearts (and stomachs) of their customers. Her Italian-American heritage means that her designs can transport the viewer to New York City and Florence in one sitting and are a great source for anyone looking to learn more about graphic design.

Alex is a Brooklyn-based graphic designer that oozes that New York art scene cool. Having spearheaded numerous design campaigns during his time at The Coca-Cola Company, Alex decided to set out on his own and set up his own design company called CENTER in 2017. Along with photographs of his public speaking events, Alex often posts exciting graphic projects he’s been working on.

If you’re a street artist looking to learn how to be the best graphic designer on the mural scene, then Ben Johnson is a must-follow designer on social media. His handcrafted approach to large-scale typographic projects means that he has been commissioned to create pieces from Cape Town to Toronto and everything in between.

Sergi’s surrealist style of design marries the beauty of nature with “the perfection of geometric and mathematical forms” and the results are breathtaking! Currently based out of his studio in Barcelona, Sergi’s designs can be found dotted across the various shop windows of El Gothic and further afield. His designs are psychedelic and eye-catching and are sure to give any graphic designer inspiration for their next piece.

This famous graphic designer combines historical and modern elements to create his trademark style which can be clearly seen with one glance at his Instagram account. A lover of retro hardcover books, you could imagine L. Frank Baum enlisting Riley’s typography skills if he were around in the days of The Wizard of Oz’s early publication.

​Once the mastermind behind Form Fifty-Five, Glenn has since rebranded the company with Jack Daly to create Made by Folk – “a marketplace & showcase of creative work from across the globe”. Their Instagram account showcases not only their own brilliant work but the work of a growing number of collaborators from across the globe. It’s a must-follow for anyone looking for design inspiration.

While her name may not ring any immediate bells, her designs sure will! As Wes Anderson’s designer of choice, you can find her artwork scattered throughout The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs along with numerous TV shows. Her Instagram account gives followers a fascinating glimpse into the world of a globetrotting and influential graphic designer and is sure to give you graphic design envy!

Jérémy and his partner Violaine make up the Parisian design powerhouse that is…you guessed it, Violaine et Jérémy! Their designs draw on inspiration from typography and illustrations of the art nouveau era and their joint Instagram account includes a wide variety of print designs; each more eye-catching than the last.

Best known for his colorful travel posters, Alex’s Instagram account is a must-follow account for graphic designers and travel enthusiasts alike. From the skyline of Beijing to the historical horizon of Angkor Wat, Alex churns out amazing depictions of iconic places around the world. Check out his Instagram to see if your hometown cut!

What started as a hobby in 2009 quickly turned into a lucrative graphic design career for Viktor Hertz. The posts vary on his feed from witty commentaries to more detailed commissioned pieces but if you’re looking for proof that a hobby can turn into your lifelong career, then look no further!