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Instagram inspiration

While it may have started out as a way to post lo-fi photos, Instagram has also become an amazing place to keep up on artists and creatives whose work you admire. It can be a vital source of inspiration, and here we round up some of the best graphic designers and illustrators who you should be following.

Tishk Barzanji

Born in Kurdistan and based in London, Tishk Barzanji’s designs and illustrations are inspired by modernism, movement, and surrealism. His feed is a delight, packed with bright colours and striking scenes.

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Do you remember the sight we saw, my soul, that soft summer morning round a turning in the front room, the body on a bed scattered with trauma, its legs in the air like a man in need burning its wedding poisons like a fountain with its rhythmic sobs, I could hear it clearly flowing with a long murmuring sound, but I touch my body in vain to find the wound. I am the killer of my own blood, one of the great outcasts condemned to eternal laughter who can no longer smile. I often wonder and imagine What lies just beyond the edge Of the human experience, What is it that we do not see? – You're, the skin I live in, 2019 #tishkbarzanji

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Tuesday Bassen 

For inspiration in mastering different disciplines: as well as creating irreverent, stylish illustrations, Tuesday Bassen also designs clothing.

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♥️ Queen ♠️ Of ♦️Hearts ♣️ Casual peppy schnapps in the foreground bc ya gotta stay warm. ✨ My babes @littlefriendsof screen printed a limited batch of these puppies on cream colored French paper with cherry and chocolate ink✨

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Dschwen LLC  

A design studio based in Minneapolis, Dschwen’s feed features highlights from current projects, which can range from illustrations to new product designs, usually framed by a striking, colourful backdrop.

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🍦 #hairinfoodseries

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Erik Marinovich 

A lettering artist and designer based in San Francisco, Erik Marinovich is worth following to keep tabs on his brash, bright and pop culture-referencing designs.

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“Funlance: the holiday networking event of the year”. -@theonion. Not really, but come chill with good people looking to ditch their company holiday party and hang out with the cool 1099 kids. The party is on 12/12/18 at @olddevilmoonsf. Tix are $25 which include a drink, a tchotchke and a shirt. RSVP in bio! #funlance2018

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Margot Harrington 

A Chicago-based designer, Margot Harrington creates eye-catching magazine covers and artfully simple gouache sketches.

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Holy flaming firecrackers this new issue is the SAUCE. We are lighting fires, cranking up the heat, and raising hell. Get yours now at @bitchmedia! … Image credits to @gabrielamendezphotography & @hallealice with congrats to @neonhoney & @winterbureau, forever proud of our lil team. 🔥❤️🔥#heat #flames #bitchmedia #independentmedia #fuckyeahfeminism

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Jean Jullien 

A French graphic artist and illustrator based in Paris, Jean Jullien has a distinctive style that’s been exhibited in galleries around the world and in commissions for some of the world’s most esteemed magazines.

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Soon

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Joseph Lebus 

A designer at creative agency Made Thought, Joseph Lebus’ feed features simple and spare designs ranging from club flyers to offcuts from logos and typography he’s developing.

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Details 🔎

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Gaurab Thakali 

One for music lovers, Gaurab Thakali’s illustrations depict many of the artists in London’s thriving jazz scene, as well as many of the greats.

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Art for @markkavuma #TheBangerFactory new record, coming out July.

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Laura Baisden 

Laura Baisden has an understated, distinctive style in her designs, and her feed offers candid updates of her current works in progress.

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The football pups are out! If you want one for your home, your favorite coach, your aspiring pro-football child athlete…whomever you think needs a turtleneck-wearing Labrador retriever runningback. . . . . Link in bio. #labradorretreiver #schnauzer #pitbull #englishbulldog #dalmation #pomeranian #bichonfrise #germanshepherd #redbonecoonhound #bostonterrier #cockerspaniel #mastiff #bullterrier To learn about the process, watched the “Football Pups” saved story!

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Andreas M Hansen 

A designer and maker based in Copenhagen, Andreas M Hansen’s feed features shots of his designs in situ in his naturally-lit, artfully decorated home.

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Black and white brush strokes 👀

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Steven Harrington  

Based in LA, Steven Harrington has exhibited his playful, psychedelic designs in galleries around the world, and his feed is a chance to see them featured in places ranging from posters to new editions of sneakers.

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Soon, very soon.

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Neil A Stevens 

Doing lots of work for sport and tourism clients, Neil A Stevens’ work sees him apply his unique eye to rugby, cycling tours and scenic landscapes.

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Detail from the Cobbled Classic print. Loved making this one. #cycling #art #bikes #bikeart #design #graphic #graphicart #digitalart #print #posterdesign #illustration #sport #landscape #cityscape #digitalpainting

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Timothy Goodman 

A New York-based illustrator, designer and muralist, Timothy Goodman’s work is playful and considered, his feed varying from eye-catching murals to pithy quotes or phrases.

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All done! ✌️ Had a blast drawing live at the @bottlerocknapa music festival for @Cadillac in their XT6 club this weekend. I’ve met so many great people, and I may have teared up listening to Neil Young last night lol. If you’re here, come by and check it out! #CadillacxBottlerock #timothygoodmanmurals

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ZEITGUISED 

An art and design studio with a background in virtual reality and 3D printing, ZEITGUISED post futuristic, surreal scenes which can be alluring and confounding in equal measure.

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advanced pattern urban architecture remix Tokyo Shanghai Los Angeles @junyawatanabeofficial @patternpeople @patternity . . . . . . #losangeles #tokyo #shanghai #flyover #outdoors #urban #sphere #bubblegum #digital #contemporary #art #sculpture #synthetic #studio #artificial #gallery #zeitgeist #travel #carfreeday #city #mobility #remix #collage #bubblegum #hallucination #psychoactive #pattern

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Daniel Aristizabal 

Daniel Aristizabal is the founder of art direction and digital design studio Lazy Eyes, and his feed features an eye-popping array of illustrations, videos and designs, drawn from both commercial as well as artistic work.

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Space Jam, a re interpretation of past my past work . Trying to find a path to end my creative block. #illustration #octane #3d #digitalart #surreal #colors #setdesign #spacejam #nba #nonsense

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Mary Kate McDevitt 

For fans of lettering, Mary Kate McDevitt creates fonts for a delightful array of uses, almost always inspiring a sense of positivity.

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Super quick morning warm up to try out some fall colors. I also haven’t posted a process vid in a while but this one is pretty basic. If you’re curious, I drew this on my iPad in @procreate. Anyway, happy fall! 🍁🧟‍♀️🍂 #lettering #WIP #letteringprocess #letteringchallenge #letteringprompts #letteringdaily

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Hey Studio 

Barcelona-based designers Hey Studio use bold colours and geometric shapes across their work for various clients, and can always be relied upon for inspiration or pleasing distraction.

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🙅🏼‍♀️ Limited edition tee for the International Women's Day ➖available at @everpresshq #heystudio

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Mike Perry

Led by Emmy Award winning designer Mike Perry, this design studio produces a huge wealth of visually arresting work, from adverts for TV show Broad City to one-off sketches.

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What a year! This is how i feel. @broadcity @abbijacobson @ilanusglazer @comedycentral #broadcity

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Lotta Nieminen

From Finland originally, Lotta Nieminen’s New York design studio create work ranging from delicate illustrations to brash, colourful 3D installations.

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The second Cook In A Book is out in a week, featuring a page of dough you can actually knead! 😎🍕

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Will Bryant 

Another designer who creates bold, joyous images, Will Bryant creates murals and prints filled with ambitious collisions of colour, as well as nice merch which could provide handy inspiration.

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Dad’s in the Garden (Again), 36 x 24 archival print, edition of 15. Available only at shop.willbryant.com

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Tad Carpenter 

There are always times when a positive message can be encouraging, and in those times, the place to turn to is Tad Carpenter, who often creates tongue-in-cheek designs built around gentle words of encouragement.

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It’s SUN-day! SUN No. 211. #SUNdaySUNS More Yups, less Nahs. See them all at sunday-suns.com.

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Brand Nu 

A showcase for the work by Radim Malinic’s LA-based Brand Nu studio, there are creations for small businesses as well as major clients, and there are some great examples of innovative work for commercial projects.

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ASL S for 36 days with @mmldb1 #36days_s #36daysoftype #36daysoftype06 #americansignlanguage #asl #design #illustration #signlanguage #typedaily #thedailytype #typespire #betype #adobe #designinspiration #radimmalinic #brandnustudio #mmdbl1 #adobedesign @36daysoftype

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Tania Samoshkina 

Simple and earnest, Tania Samoshkina’s illustrations are based around childhood, family and relationships.

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my hand drawn treasures✨ . . #telinunu_draw #illustration #art #telinunu_hand #watercolor #illustrationartist #artistsoninstagram

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Supermundane 

From irreverent political posters to idiosyncratic printed poems for sale, Rob Lowe’s Supermundane feed always offers a unique perspective.

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New Round prints will go on pre-sale tomorrow. These are none-standard sized, archival pigment prints with two-part screen printed varnish over the black lines that bring out the texture of the paper and create more contrast. Pre-order price of £300 (Full price will be £350) including postage and archival packaging worldwide. The prints will be sent flat to keep them in perfect condition prior to framing. It’s hard to get across how lovely theses prints are in photos. 2 colourways in an edition of 12 each, 600mm x 750mm, 325gsm Somerset paper. Printed by @makereadymakeready

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Al White 

Closely connected to Scotland’s independent music scene, Al White’s feed is perfect inspiration for anyone who’s fond of club flyers and interesting record sleeves which nod to a lo-fi aesthetic.  

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Beato in Miami 🇺🇸 @terrestrialfunk

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