20 brilliant young designers to watch in 2013

At Creative Bloq, we're constantly amazed to discover that some of our favourite designs have been created by designers barely out of university. Here we take a look at 20 of them and their amazing work. But this list of ones-to-watch is by no means definitive - let us know who we've left out in the comments below, and we'll update the article at a future date...

01. Yeni Kim

Yeni Kim

Kim's beautiful illustrations are attracting big name clients

Based in London and Seoul, Royal College of Art graduate Yeni Kim is an illustrator whose beautiful work is attracting client work from some top names - including Nylon magazine and many book publishers.

Her talents were rewarded with an Adobe Design Achievement Award in 2012 - and we expect to see much more of her and her distinctive style in 2013.

02. Hattie Stewart

Hattie Stewart doodlebomb

Hattie Stewart is leading the charge for doodle art

One of the new wave of illustrators, and a big name in the doodle art movement, Stewart's distinctive style is rapidly winning her praise across fashion, editorial and music clients.

One of our favourite projects is her 'doodlebomb' for the German edition of Interview magazine, where she drew over recent covers. See her previous doodlebombs on her site where she has customised a number of high fashion magazines in her own special way. Stewart's animation work is also very cool.

03. Lucy Dodds

Lucy Dodds collage

Lucy Dodds' unique collages are winning her praise throughout the industry

A 2012 graduate from Havering College of Further and Higher Education, Dodds has carved out an intelligent, original and in-demand style, which can only be described as retro modern collage.

"My work technique is based on a lot of scanning, cutting, layering and cloning in order to create a truly unique collage piece containing both elements of the past & future," she told our sister site Computer Arts. Check out her Behance portfolio for more of her stunning work.

04. Michael Rigley

Michael Rigley

Michael Rigley's motion design work is truly visionary

Based in San Francisco and describing himself as a "motion designer hybridizing life, work and play into a volatile amalgamation of compelling concept and highly crafted design," Michael Rigley is a true young visionary.

Just check out his work for Adobe or his stunning short Network if you don't believe us. Rigley will be massive this year - especially after the plaudits an Adobe Design Achievement Award brought him.

05. Janine Rewell

Janine Rewell

We love Janine Rewell's teapot for Crate & Barrel

With such a varied, diverse and er, huge, portfolio of work, from editorial illustration to packaging and more, it's very easy to forget she's still in her twenties.

Her list of awards is as packed as her portfolio, too. Rewell's fluid style draws on the heritage of her native Helsinki and she is represented by the ever-cool Agent Pekka. Her teapot for Crate & Barrel's 50th anniversary collection is sublime.

06. Matt Luckhurst

Matt Luckhurst

Matt Luckhurst can turn his hand to almost any creative discipline

Canadian designer and illustrator Matt Luckhurst is now based in Brooklyn, NY. Luckhurst has a Masters in Design from The School of Visual Arts in New York and his children's' book, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in The Great Pancake Adventure looks fantastic.

A versatile creative who can turn his hand to almost any discipline and style (including this ace video for Smalltown Romeo) Luckhurst is currently design director at Collins.

07. Lotta Nieminen

Lotta Nieminen

Lotta Nieminen works across editorial, fashion and product design

Lotta Nieminen, as this interview with Computer Arts explains, is one of the world's top young creative talents.

Based in New York, Nieminen has worked at Pentagram, RoAndCo and fashion magazine Trendi before going freelance. Her varied portfolio includes slick examples of identity design and beautiful, detailed illustration work across editorial, fashion and product design.

08. Kate Moross

Kate Moross

Kate Moross has produced all of Jessie Ware's promotional material

Since Kate Moross was at college, she has been producing slick typographic and pattern work for the likes of Cadbury and Topshop, and more recently has produced all of Jessie Ware's promotional material and music videos.

Now 26, she's one of the go-to illustrators for art directors around the globe - check out her recent work for Wired magazine as an example of her brilliance. And she's definitely worth a follow on Twitter.

09. Tyler Galpin

Tyler Galpin: Lost Type

Check out the cool infographic on this site

Galpin is a web and UI designer based in Toronto. At only 22 he already has a number of fantastic projects under his belt.

We particularly like Lost Type – a ''pay what you want' type foundry he founded with fellow designer Riley Cran. Galpin's excellent process infographic on his site proves what an intelligent designer he is.

10. Elina Asanti

Elina Asanti: S Magazine

Elina Asanti created a custom typeface for S Magazine

Graphic designer Elina Asanti's work has a truly modern edge – especially her editorial work for the likes of S Magazine (which included a stunning custom typeface) completed whilst working at Copenhagen-based studio NR2154. Born in Helsinki and currently living and working in New York, expect huge things from the designer and illustrator this year.

11. Joao Oliveira

Joao Oliveira: type work

Joao Oliveira has recently moved into type

A regular contributor to Computer Arts magazine, Joao Oliveira - aka On Repeat - is a Portugese Photoshop artist who never fails to amaze.

His work has recently moved into type – with his experimental did one Port font proving incredibly popular as a display face (buy it at Hype For Type). The designer's clients include Diesel, Adidas, HP, Boss, Vodafone, Nike and many more. And at 27 that ain't bad!

12. Jessica Walsh

Jessica Walsh's recent campaign for Aizone

Walsh's recent campaign for Aizone rocked our world

You *may* have seen the promotional pictures that were released when Sagmeister Inc became Sagmeister & Walsh last year.

At only 26, Jessica Walsh is a partner at what could be considered one of the most influential design studios in the world. Her recent campaign for Aizone is absolutely stunning.

13. Olly Moss

Olly Moss Star Wars poster

Olly Moss is a Brit who's getting noticed in the movie world

Once famous for his Threadless t-shirts (his Spoilt design is a firm favourite) and now more so for his movie posters, Olly Moss is a British artist who is getting a whole load of praise already this year.

His most recent project is a poster for the 85th Academy Awards, for which he designed a poster with 84 Oscar statues, each representing a major theme or film from that year. A monster job, superbly executed.

14. Jean Jullien

Jean Jullien

Jean Jullien is definitely an illustrator to watch

A recent solo show at London's Kemistry Gallery cemented Jullien's place as an illustrator to watch this year. His illustration - often character-based - is simplistic, humorous and highly original.

New York Magazine, Le Nouvel Observateur and Pompidou Center are just some of his recent clients.

15. Becca Allen

Becca Allen wall mural

Becca Allen has a fantastic eye for colour

Freelance illustrator, then magazine designer, and then womenswear designer for Rhythm Livin Europe, Allen is a multidisciplinary creative with a fantastic eye for colour.

Check out her work for A-Side studio – a huge wall mural and her swimwear designs. She's undoubtedly set for much bigger things in fashion and illustration this year

16. Lisa Hedge

Lisa Hedge's digital illustration work is superb

Lisa Hedge's digital illustration work is superb

There is no other way to describe Lisa Hedge's work than stunning. Her digital illustration work and photographic collage project for Intel are particularly impressive, as is her logo and custom font work.

It seems as though Hedge can turn her hand to anything - and we look forward to seeing what she's going to do next.

17. Kyle Platts

Kyle Platts aimably sinister cartoons are a joy to behold

Kyle Platts aimably sinister cartoons are a joy to behold

London-based Platts has a style unlike anyone else's: his humorous yet almost sinister cartoons have been wooing big and smaller clients alike, including The New York Times, Anorak, and Vice Magazine.

Check out his great spot illustrations for The New York Times and his hilarious spread for Anorak. He's also been doing some designer profiles for Computer Arts.

18. Owen Gildersleeve

One of Owen Gildersleeve's intricate paper creations

One of Owen Gildersleeve's intricate paper creations

Gildersleeve is a paper wizard. After graduating in 2008 from the University of Brighton, Gildersleeve is now based in London, with the illustrator and designer is best known for his intricate hand-crafted paper illustrations.

His work has featured in Wired, HOW Magazine and Fast Company and he's done some stunning work for Rolex. Check his site for more.

19. Rose Blake

We're not even going to mention Blake's famous father, as her work speaks for itself. Based in London and represented by the Central Illustration Agency, Blake graduated from Kingston University in 2009 (and won a D&AD New Blood Award the same year).

Her T-shirts are brilliant. Check out news of her recent illustrations at her blog.

20. Jack Hughes

With clients such as Harrods, Wired, Burberry, Honda and Google, Hughes is a fashion illustrator in demand.

His work for Mr Hyde (Shortlist's daily email), is hugely impressive, and his distinctive portraits with clever use of negative space, set him apart from the rest. Hughes is represented in the UK by YCN and in Europe by Agent Pekka.

Words: Rob Carney

Liked this? Read these!

Who have we missed off our list? Tell us about the exciting young designers we don't know about in the comments below!

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.