On your path to becoming a graphic designer? Here are some well-known graphic designers to take inspiration from!
Graphic design is an interesting confluence of art and science. Working in the space opens individuals up to many technical and artistic avenues. If you are one of those interested in this field, we have the perfect list of well-known graphic designers you can look up to for inspiration!
Our curated list of famous graphic designers covers not just individuals but also different approaches to the field. It consists of some of the most brilliant professionals who have perfectly bridged the gap between the artistic and technical aspects of graphic design. So, let’s dive in!
Here’s a brief overview of the list.
- Alan Fletcher
- Stefan Sagmeister
- Massimo Vignelli
- Paul Rand
- Milton Glaser
- Dashrath Patel
- Chip Kidd
- Saul Bass
- Herb Lubalin
- Paula Scher
- Alvin Lustig
- Jessica Walsh
- Michael Bierut
- April Greiman
1. Alan Fletcher
Image Courtesy: Design history & theory 2013
Starting off strong with one of the pioneers of graphic design, Alan Gerard Fletcher is a name every graphic designer must know. Dubbed as the “most highly regarded graphic designer of his generation, and probably one of the most prolific" by The Daily Telegraph, Fletcher’s work speaks for itself. He was famous for his inventive visual language wherein he used powerful typography and bold colors. He is also often called the “father of graphic design” for his contributions towards changing the public perception of the field. His work shaped graphic design into an important element of branding. He proved that design is not just for decoration, it has an inherent value for businesses and customers alike.
2. Stefan Sagmeister
Image Courtesy: Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister is an Austrian contemporary artist. He is known for his unorthodox approach to design which he combines with a jarring focus on details. The resulting designs are so stunning, they stay with you for a long while. From HBO to The Rolling Stones, he has an expansive client list which is a testament to his range. Sagmeister is best known for album covers and his knack for experimenting with innovative media. He designed the ‘Banana Wall’, a wall made out of 10,000 bananas - literally! He is one of the best graphic designers in the industry whose work is extremely valuable for all aspiring designers.
3. Massimo Vignelli
Image Courtesy: Design Indaba
Massimo Vignelli originally studied Architecture at one of the premier schools in Europe, Politecnico Di Milano. However, he ended up becoming one of the most well-known graphics designers in the world and he has designed almost everything! He was a modernist whose philosophy was simple - “If you can design one thing, you can design everything.” He was known for incorporating geometric shapes into his designs. Having worked with brands like IBM, Bloomingdale, and American Airlines, Vignelli is also famous for simplifying fonts like Bodoni, Helvetica, and others. He is one of the finest examples of how diverse the work of an artist can be.
4. Paul Rand
Image Courtesy: Paul Rand
Paul Rand is a legendary name in the logo industry. He was a stellar graphic designer and art director and is best known for shaping the way corporate logos look today. He designed the logos for companies such as ABC, American Express, UPS, IBM, and Morningstar. Rand was also the brain behind one of the most loved font styles - Helvetica. He was a modernist who played a major role in introducing the European art style to America. His graphic designs always stood out and paved the way for commercially successful designs in the market. He also served as the professor emeritus of graphic design at Yale University and mentored many successful graphic designers.
5. Milton Glaser
Image Courtesy: Design Indaba
Milton Glaser was the mastermind who replaced the word ‘love’ with the heart symbol and gave us the iconic ‘I Love NY’ logo. But, this design is not his only accomplishment. Glaser was an accomplished graphic designer who has worked with DC Comics, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Brooklyn Brewery, and more. His designs were known for captivating the audience and keeping them hooked. He also co-founded the New York magazine in 1968 and was awarded the National Medal of the Arts award by the US government in 2009. He is one of the most well-known graphic designers with an expansive range of work - from legendary posters to thought-provoking short films.
6. Dashrath Patel
Image Courtesy: Design India
Dashrath Patel was a legendary designer and sculptor, known for being one of the first teachers at NID, Ahmedabad. He is one of the pioneers of graphic design in India and is known for his excellent art and brilliant designs. His seminal work in graphic design is still celebrated and taught at many institutions. Patel was a visionary and made immense contributions to the development of design education in India. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 1981, followed by the Padma Bhushan, posthumously in 2011. For all aspiring designers, his work serves as a great guide to creating unique and ground-breaking designs.
7. Chip Kidd
Image Courtesy: David Agnew
Chip Kidd is a legendary graphic designer whose work with book covers has influenced millions of artists worldwide. His designs make one stop and really think about their ingenuity. Kidd has worked with the top publishers in the world, including but not limited to, Penguin, HarperCollins, Amazon, and Columbia University Press. From Haruki Murakami to Orhan Pamuk, his designs have adorned the book covers of some of the world’s favorite authors! He currently serves as an Art Director for Knopf. Kidd is also known for his excellent illustrations and was awarded the prestigious AIGA medal in 2014. His book covers are not only a work of art but also wonderful study material for anyone looking to be a graphic designer.
8. Saul Bass
Image Courtesy: POND5 BLOG
A list of well-known graphic designers without Saul Bass is like a design without proper alignment. The Oscar-winning director is best known for creating some of the most popular movie posters. He has worked extensively in motion graphics and is responsible for graphic transitions in the movie, ‘Psycho.’ He also designed some of the most famous logos for brands like Kleenex, Girl Scouts, Kosé Cosmetics, Warner Communications, and more. His work on logos and movie posters makes a brilliant case study for aspiring graphic designers. Analyzing his designs will give you a good idea of how to create designs that leave a lasting impact.
9. Herb Lubalin
Image Courtesy: Design is History
Herb Lubalin was an extremely talented designer who pushed the boundaries of censorship. He played a crucial role in pushing and extending the boundaries of what is acceptable in the industry. In the 60s and 70s, Lubalin worked with magazines that were infamous for spreading obscenity. Amid the insatiable political atmosphere, his work stood out in its sarcasm and brilliant humor. He was colorblind but this didn’t deter him. In his designs, he used bold typography with a minimal color palette of white, black, and grey. He invented the typography style he called “word pictures.” He is one of the most well-known graphic designers who is also an inspiration for many!
10. Paula Scher
Image Courtesy: Madame Architect
Paula Scher is an artist with a diverse range of projects under her belt. From creating book covers in Random House to designing album covers for Atlantic Records and creating the Windows 8 logo - her graphic design portfolio is remarkable! She is one of the pioneers in the field and is heavily influenced by Russian Constructivism. She is also passionate about the environment and has worked in environmental graphic design. Her art deco style of design has captured the hearts of millions. She is an expert in creating brand identities and students pursuing a graphic design course should definitely study her work as it offers immense value.
11. Alvin Lustig
Image Courtesy: Knoll
Alvin Lustig’s life was brief but very impactful. One of the earliest pioneers of graphic design and popular as the “father of the modern paperback,” Lustig was extremely well-known for his book designs. He also established a design program at Yale University in 1951 despite having little formal training himself. He was a strong advocate for design education and served as a consultant to other universities. Lustig’s own studio was also very popular for producing some of the best designs and typefaces of the time. The American Institute of Graphic Arts awarded him the AIGA Medal posthumously in 1993. His contributions and achievements have certainly made him a notable figure in the industry.
12. Jessica Walsh
Image Courtesy: Design by Women
Jessica Walsh shattered the glass ceiling in graphic design by becoming a partner at Sagmeister & Walsh at only 25 years old. She also launched her own agency &Walsh in 2019. Her surreal style has made her one of the most famous graphic designers in the world today. She also interned with Paula Scher and has worked with big names in the magazine world, such as the New York Times. Her use of bold colors is a great study for aspiring designers. She has also worked with Adobe and other big names and helped them in establishing their brand identity. Alongside, Walsh runs her blog sharing insights on graphic design and more.
13. Michael Bierut
Image Courtesy: Wired
Michael Bierut is a well-known graphic designer and design critic. He is a professor at Yale University and designed the syllabus for their design thinking program. He learned design from Massimo Vignelli and is known as one of his best students. Bierut started working with mechanical boards at Vignelli’s firm and eventually became the Vice President after working there for 10 years. His client list is equally impressive as his design career, boasting names such as The Walt Disney Company, Hillary Clinton, Mastercard, The Atlantic, Beneton, Motorola, United Airlines, and more. From his lectures to his designs - there is a lot that aspiring designers can learn from Bierut.
14. April Greiman
Image Courtesy: Wright
One of the first well-known graphic designers to incorporate technology into her art, April Greiman is a prolific artist. Even though she started he career with traditional methods, she quickly learned to embrace technology and how it can improve the overall quality of her designs. Her work was very impactful and also inspired other artists of her time to start using digital art as a medium to present their designs. She played a major role in making design more accessible and is known for her unique style and expansive portfolio. Greiman was also the brains behind the logo design for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
How to Become a Famous Graphic Designer?
Feeling inspired after reading about these well-known graphic designers? Well, guess what? You can be one of them! If you have aspirations of becoming a famous graphic designer, there are a few things you need to do and we have listed them all below!
- Know Your Basics - Every exceptional designer starts with the basics. You need to have a full grasp of the graphic design principles. After all, unless you have the foundation, how are you going to build on it? You can pursue a graphic design course to know all you need to about the field and eventually excel in it!
- Practice, Practice, Practice - Practice makes perfect and this stands true for graphic designers too. Not only does practice make you perfect it can also make you the master of your field.
- Experiment Your Heart Out - Experimentation is the secret ingredient that makes your design stand out. A majority of the well-known graphic designers on our list became famous because they were not afraid to experiment and try out new things.
- Keep up with the Trends - Know the latest trends in the industry and leverage them with your own twist to create designs that are trendy but at the same time have the potential to stand the test of time.
- Be Fearless - If there is one thing you need to become a famous graphic designer, it is the courage to let your work out of the drafts. Don’t be afraid of what others may think. Create and put your designs out there!
Conclusion & Next Steps
We hope this article offered you insights into the lives and works of some of the most well-known graphic designers in the world. If you are looking for a fresh take on the field, we highly recommend you check out this Brand Identity Design project by AND Learner, Anjali Bothra.
In case you need further assistance, here are some other resources you can consider:
- Watch this session by design veteran and AND’s Academic Head, Prachi Mittal, and our Course Lead, Soumya Tiwari.
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Pursue our Graphic Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.
- Take advantage of the scholarship and funding options that come with our courses to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
