March 18, 2024
best graphic designers

Five of the Best Graphic Designers of All Times

As graphic designer, there are some names you have to be able to name-drop. In order to save you from awkward situations when an important name comes along, we cataloged some of the best designers of all times.  

 

Designers work hard. That’s a real and true statement. We discussed in a previous article that talent values a lot, but it’s not enough. Any notorious graphic designer worked diligently and sacrificially to get their name on the billboards. There are no shortcuts to hard work and subsequently to success. What you as a designer have to do is no different. In fact, nowadays, the market is flooded with graphic designers. Some better than others, let’s face it. Sometimes it’s harder to “fight” against the mediocre graphic designers due to their low prices. We are here to encourage you to follow your dream and aim to be the best by all means. How can you do that? Of course, you have to practice a lot, train yourself in design schools and courses, read, and study other designers.

Here are some of the best graphic designers of all times who influenced and keep inspiring thousands and thousands of designers. Study their work, their life, their inspiration, and let their success influence yours.

In no specific order, the pioneers of the modern design are:

1. Rob Janoff

Important to keep it simple. People can’t remember complicated things. They can remember simple things. That’s also what makes the logo stand out.

About the designer: born in Culver City, California

Studied at:  San Jose State University

Specialized in: logos

Known for: designing the Apple Logo

Find out more: robjanoff.com

Apple Mac

2. Chip Kidd

Anyway, in a lot of ways it’s similar. When you’re writing you’re basically designing with words. You’re taking these essentially abstract symbols that don’t mean anything and then you construct them, so that when you read them it will mean something. With design, you’re taking a combination of words and pictures and putting them together so that they will mean something when they’re united

About the designer: born in Shillington, Berks Country, in 1964, currently living in New York City

Studied at: Pennsylvania State University

Specialized in: Book covers

Known for: Jurassic Park book covers, Haruki Murakami’s book cover, The Boomer book covers, etc.

Find out more: chipkidd.com

best graphic designers

 

3. Massimo Vignelli

I like design to be semantically correct, syntactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable. I like it to be visually powerful, intellectually elegant, and above all times.

About the designer: born in Milan, Italy, in 1931

Studied at: Politecnico di Milano and later at the Università di Architettura, Venice

Specialized in: packaging

Known for: the Big Brown Bag, New York City Subway Diagram

Find out more: vignelli.com

best designers of all times

4. Peter Saville

As far as you can, try to do what you believe in, because then you hold on to yourself. I don’t really have much money – I don’t own my home, but I’m happy with what I’ve done. I might regret some mistakes I made, but I don’t regret the work I made.

About the designer: born in Manchester, Lancashire in 1955

Studied at: St Ambrose College.

Specialized in: CD covers and record sleeves

Known for: Factory Records cover designs

Find out more: petersaville.info

Best Graphic Designers

5. Carolyn Davidson

 

Studied at: Portland State University

Specialized in: logo designs

Known for: Nike Swoosh

Find out more: http://www.designindaba.com

logos

 

We hope that you found this article interesting and inspirational. We will keep writing about designers and design daily, so make sure you stay updated with our posts.

 

2 Comments

  1. pukoh Reply

    Anyone in the industry (or any industry really, hell, life) should know it’s mostly luck and who you know that gets you the big jobs.

    There may be a few that are actually amazing designers, but being a good designer requires you to be able to sell (bullshit) to convince your client it’s good. After all, design is subjective.

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