50 illustrators to follow on Behance
Guest Contribution
With millions of visitors each month, help online creative community Behance is the place to be for artists of all disciplines. It’s a fantastic way to see what your peers are up to as well as finding new work and creative inspiration from top web designers and agencies. And it is also part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud.
But with so many portfolios to browse through, salve it can be difficult to know where to start. To make things easy for you, we’ve picked some of the top illustration portfolios that are definitely worth a look.
You can also find brilliant 3D artists, typographers and graphic designers to follow on Behance, right here on Creative Bloq. But right now, here’s the start of our selection of illustrators – and don’t forget to tell us who we’ve missed out in the comments!
01. Aaron Blaise
Artist Aaron Blaise has worked in the animation industry for over 20 years – 17 of which were spent as a director at Disney Feature Animation and Digital Domain’s Tradition Studios. In this Behance portfolio he shares some of his beautiful concept art, with a focus on one of his great passions: animals.
02. Therese Larsson
Another big fan of animal art is illustrator Therese Larsson, who often posts the various stages of her character development process. A freelance illustrator based in Stockholm, Larsson specialises in character design and realism, working mainly in the field of advertising. Her clients include Adidas, Google, McDonalds, Disney and Coca-Cola Zero, to name a few.
03. Oscar Ramos
If character illustration is your thing, then you should definitely check out Oscar Ramos’ awe-inspiring portfolio. This guy is a master of creating amazingly expressive characters and portraying emotion in his work. The amount of detail in his illustrations will keep you entertained for hours.
04. Antonina Aleksandrova
Based in Kiev, Antonina Aleksandrova’s portfolio is overflowing with incredible illustrations. Her distinctive illustrative style is eye-catching and intriguing. Her career has seen her create various posters and advertisements for newspaper campaigns, but we particularly like her personal work, such as this ‘Sukkub Dance’ piece.
05. David Sossella
Illustrator David Sossella has an enviable talent, which you can pore over for hours on Behance. During his creative career, Sossella has collaborated with leading clients on various pieces, including this one for Ray-Ban.
06. Charlotte Smith
Paris-based illustrator Charlotte Smith is a master of pretty, delicate designs. Her illustrations ooze sophistication and along with her expert pastel colour picks, you’ll fall head over heels for her creations. We particularly enjoyed her excellent Moonrise Kingdom GIFs.
07. Llew Mejia
Based in New York, illustrator and surface designer Llew Mejia loves colour. These illustrations are full of surreal characters with packed with so much detail that you’ll certainly want to look twice at each creation.
08. Nate Kitch
Nate Kitch’s distinctive designs use a mix of hand-drawing, collage, typography, photography, and digital imagery, often combined with beautiful geometric patterns. Based in Winchester, Kitch is represented by the Eastwing Illustration Agency and has worked with the likes of Ted Baker, New Scientist magazine and Virgin.
09. Andy Hau
Andy Hau likes to explore the interface between architecture and graphic design in his work. A qualified architect, Hau got his break in illustration and graphic design when he won a competition to design the packaging for a promotional copy of Imogen Heap’s 2009 album Ellipse. Above is an example taken from Hau’s ongoing series of illustrations following the adventures of Harlequin ‘Quinn’ the fox.
10. Ben O’Brien
Having worked in the design and illustration world for over a decade now, Ben O’Brien – aka Ben the Illustrator – takes inspiration from nature to create inspiring, epic and ethereal landscapes. He has worked with Smart Cars, Pixar, Westfields Shopping Centres and The New York Times.
Next page: 10 more incredible illustrators
11. Nina Geometrieva
Berlin-based Nina Geometrieva is a visual artist that loves to work with colour. The often adorable characters she produces are packed full of inspirational techniques, as well as a wide range of bright and beautiful colours. She’s always up for collaborations too!
12. Olga Protasova
Olga Protasova is Kiev-based freelance illustrator and graphic designer, at the moment happily focused on things she loves best: lettering and illustration. If you’re a big fan of typography, you’ll enjoy Protasova’s illustrated output.
13. SAINER
SAINER is an illustrator based in Lodz, Poland. His work is beautifully abstract and is often showcased on the walls on his hometown in huge, inspiring fashion. His playful character designs will charm you instantly.
14. Eurico Luiz
Freelancer Eurico Luiz hails from Rio de Janeiro, and is an inspiring choice when it comes to comic illustrations. Taking inspiration from retro movies, his illustration output often incorporates other-worldly aspects and always exudes Luiz’s signature style.
15. Natalia de Frutos Ramos
Natalia de Frutos Ramos is a Spanish illustrator that loves to work with pastel tones. Inspired by her favourite films, books and the ever-changing seasons, her illustration work is a breath of fresh air on a dreary, grey day. Check out her portfolio for some charming designs.
16. Wijtze Valkema
“I work from home, sitting in front of a magical designing machine that takes me to a world where bears ride tractors,” says Dutch illustrator Wijtze Valkema. “I also draw other things.” Those other things are sure to provide you with some of the best illustration inspiration we’ve come across.
17. Emma Jackson
Emma Jackson is a freelance illustrator and designer, currently living and working in Belfast. She studied illustration at Falmouth University before launching letterpress stationery brand Hunter Paper Co. Her visual language has developed from a love of simple, clean lines and block colours, as well as an obsession with all things handmade.
18. Jing Zhang
Born in China but now based in London, Jing Zhang creates “tiny worlds and small people” for a living. In 2016 she has spent four months travelling around the world, visiting different countries and cities and designing maps based on them. You can see the impressive results on her Behance portfolio.
19. Michael Kutsche
It’s not hard to see why German artist Michael Kutsche has won awards for his illustrative work when looking at his awe-inspiring portfolio. Specialising in character design, his imaginative creations have led him to work on numerous feature films, including Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Kenneth Branagh’s Thor and Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful.
20. Steve Simpson
If you’re not already following illustrative designer Steve Simpson, you’re missing out. Based in Dublin, Ireland, Simpson has over 30 years’ experience in the creative arts industry, during which time he’s built up an incredible portfolio of work, most of which he shares with the world on Behance.
Next page: 21-30 in our list of amazing Behance portfolios
21. Denis Gonchar
It’s difficult to ignore the illustrative work of Ukranian artist Denis Gonchar. Alongside his vibrant animal studies, his recent work focuses on sports players, with striking, visceral results. It would appear Gonchar can turn his talented hands to the most difficult of subjects with ease.
22. Natalie Lines
Natalie Lines is a self-taught illustrator based in the Midlands, UK. During her artistic career, her distinctive style has attracted the clients including Lady Gaga and retailers Dorothy Perkins and House of Fraser. Her multi-page portfolio is full of gorgeous, intricate illustrations of well-known faces, from Keira Knightley to Kim Kardashian.
23. James Bennett
Another portfolio featuring some famous faces is that of James Bennett, an illustrator based in Pennsylvania, USA. His stylised portraits, often captured from an unusual point of view, lean towards caricature without ever becoming silly.
24. Simon Prades
Born in southern Germany, Simón Prades is a super-talented illustrator and graphic designer whose client list includes the likes of Nike, The New York Times and VICE magazine. Pardes’ Behance portfolio is full of intricate pencil and ink illustrations, with colour used sparsely but to great effect.
25. Christi du Toit
We love the graphic style of South African illustrator Christi du Toit, which you can see in abundance on his Behance portfolio. A self-taught freelance artist, du Toit’s signature style is often dark and otherwordly.
26. Samuel Ho
If you fancy a burst of colour, check out the brilliant illustrative work of artist Samuel Ho – aka Sho. And if, like Ho, you have a love of sports logos and superheroes, check out his brilliant Marvel Varsity Tees project. His Behance portfolio states Ho’s work is ‘the manifestation of the many ventures and influences that he surrounds himself with’.
27. Asakura Kouhei
Inspired by the natural surroundings of his childhood, Japanese artist Asakura Kouhei has created some of the most beautiful nature illustrations we’ve ever seen. With its poppy, fluoro tones and surreal compositions, Kouhei’s work is a a feast for the eyes.
28. Peter Gutierrez
Based in LA, Peter Gutierrez is a designer and illustrator who likes to take on a challenge, which is evident when looking at his extensive portfolio of detailed illustrations. His Behance page showcases a range of pop culture subjects – from Game of Thrones to Alien – all captured in a striking, comic book-inspired style.
29. Yo Az
Geometric shapes and vibrant colours about on the portfolio site for French illustrator Yo Az. This animal series (pictured above) by blows our minds: the amount of detail is incredible. If it’s inspiration you’re looking for, you need look no further.
30. Iain Macarthur
British illustrator Iain Macarthur’s portfolio is brimming with beautiful, detailed illustrations. He specialises in drawing realistic figures with a twist, and the above image is part of his ‘Transformation’ series of surreal artwork that combines labyrinthine patterns with portraits.
Next page: 10 more inspiring illustrators to follow on Behance…
31. Goni Montes
Goni Montes began his artistic career as a scientific illustrator before moving on to editorial illustrations and fantasy subjects. His portfolio showcases a handful of said projects, all of which are worth taking a look at. If you’re into character illustrations, you should definitely follow this talented artist.
32. Atelier Olschinsky
Atelier Olschinsky is a collaboration between Peter Olschinsky and Verena Weiss. Specialising in illustration, photography and art direction, its portfolio features page upon page of inspirational imagery. There’s also a cool ‘Hallucination’ illustration available for you to download for free.
33. Ludovic Cordelières
If you’re into fantasy art, you should be following Ludovic Cordelières, aka Rusalkadesign. The French artist’s work is inspired by death metal and worldwide mythologies. His portfolio contains a wealth of stunning projects – but be warned, they’re not for the faint-hearted.
34. Erwin Kho
Dutch illustrator and graphic designer Erwin Kho specialises in low-polygon 3D illustrations. His portfolio is full of his beautiful and distinctive creations, including promotional work for Orange magazine and the island of Aruba. The charming series pictured above, entitled ‘Islands’, is one of Kho’s personal projects.
35. Niklas Lundberg
The talent of Swedish illustrator Niklas Lundberg has attracted the attention of some of the world’s biggest brands, including Eurosport, MTV Australia and Nissan. His work has been featured around the world and in various publications, and you can see it all gathered together in his stunning Behance portfolio.
36. Gediminas Pranckevicius
Lithuanian illustrator Gediminas Pranckevicius’ Behance portfolio includes whimsical landscapes and joyful character designs, and all of his pieces are as eye-catching as this genius ‘Time’ illustration.
37. Juan Carlos Paz
Working under the studio name BAKEA, Juan Carlos Paz specialises in creating larger-than-life character designs, occasionally with a naughty twist. Combining photographic backgrounds and digitally rendered creatures, his designs are hard to forget.
38. Shishi Hguyen
Pale colours and delicate linework mark out the work of Vietnamese artist Shishi Hguyen. She combines traditional watercolour painting with modern digital techniques to create artwork with a whimsical, magical feel.
39. Chris Valentine
Illustration is South African artist Chris Valentine’s passion. And with a talent like his, it’s a good job. Valentine’s portfolio is filled with stunning illustrations, many of which are detailed, close-up portraits. This study of Steve Jobs is part of a series of pencil portraits of famous entrepreneurs and successful people for the Liquid Capital group in South Africa.
40. Eunike Nugroho
British artist Eunike Nugroho is a wildlife lover and travel enthusiast, which shines through in the many nature-inspired illustrations in her portfolio. Favouring watercolours for most of her work, Nughoro pays meticulous attention to detail when capturing her subject matter, even down to the fine hairs found on fruits and flowers.
Next page: Our final 10 incredible Behance portfolios
41. Victo Ngai
Victo Ngai is a New York-based illustrator whose biggest passions are travelling, eating and drawing. And from the looks of her portfolio, she excels at the latter. Her eye-catching, distinctive style has secured her work with some of the world’s biggest brands, including The New Yorker, McDonald’s and Adidas Hong Kong.
42. Peony Yip
This illustration actually sent shivers down our spine, and the portfolio of Hong Kong-based illustrator Peony Yip is full of projects that may invoke a similar reaction. There’s no denying that she has a serious amount of skill with a pencil.
43. Mink Couteaux
It’s hard to miss the awesome, vibrant work from Dutch illustrator and graphic designer Mink Couteaux. His portfolio is full of a diverse range of imagery, ranging from detailed portraits to more abstract designs. His ‘Bad Actors’ and ‘Dead Rappers’ (above) series are particular winners.
44. Adam Roselund
Adam Roselund grew up in California on a diet of “sugary bits of pop phenomena”, before becoming a professional graphic designer with sidelines in illustration and comics. His portfolio is definitely worth a look – we especially like this unsettling gig poster for Yvette Grooms.
45. Francesco Poroli
If you’re a fan of clean vector illustrations then you’ll love the portfolio of Italian artist Francesco Poroli. His colourful, distinctive style has secured him work for magazines all over Europe, including a commission for the cover and inside illustrations for SportWeek, a top sport’s news magazine in Italy.
46. Sedat Girgin
Born in Istanbul in 1985, Turkish illustrator Sedat Girgin works as a freelance illustrator for several children’s book publishers and magazines. And all of his work can be seen in what is an awe-inspiring portfolio. Girgin’s illustrative style is unique, with many of his pieces featuring a somewhat dark undertone.
47. Orlando Arocena
Orlando Arocena describes himself as a ‘Mexican-Cuban-American who enjoys delivering creative solutions for some of the world’s most renowned brands’. A clear lover of bright colours, Arocena’s portfolio of amazing, eye-catching illustrations entrances anyone who happens upon it.
48. Gosia Herba
Polish illustrator Gosia Herba’s work focuses on surreal portraits, gorgeous subdued colour palettes and hand-drawn aesthetics. She’s even branched out into custom playing cards and illustrations for ceramics.
49. Jean-Pierre Le Roux
Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Jean-Pierre Le Roux is an expert at creating inticing and unique illustrations. His type work is particularly impressive, and has won him clients including Virgin Active and Nickelodeon Kids.
50. Yeka Haski
Based in Saint-Petersburg, illustrator Yeka Haski focuses on characters, food and the microcosm. Channelling the style of Kawaii character design, her work is packed full of love, fun and adorable characters that will almost definitely cheer you up.
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