At BUST, we love us some lady artists and have featured many of them over the years in our print edition. There are so many to choose from, but here are just 15 of our favorite female illustrators you should know about:
1. Monica Garwood
Garwood is an illustrator, designer, letterer, and painter in the Bay Area. Many of her illustrations feature realistic characters painted with watercolor. See more of her work on her website.
2. Alessandra Olanow
Olanow is an artist from Canada who currently lives in Brooklyn. We love the muted colors and whimsy of her illustrations. See more of her work on her website.
3. Nicole Daddona
Los Angeles-based artist Nicole Daddona calls herself a “professional doodler.” Her illustrations are full of patterns and bold colors. See more of her work on her website.
4. Olimpia Zagnoli
Zagnoli lives in Milan and creates illustrations with bright, bold colors and abstract shapes. See more of her work on her website.
5. Tuesday Bassen
Bassen is a Los Angeles-based artist who creates female-centric illustrations. She also makes and sell pins! See more of her work on her website.
6. Rachell Sumpter
Sumpter is an artist and illustrator from the west coast. Much of her work focuses on political and cultural traditions, dreamscapes, and the natural world. See more of her work on her website.
7. Kirsten Ulve
Ulve is a New York City-based artist creating fun, conceptual illustrations and designs. See more of her work on her website.
8. Deanna Staffo
Deanna Staffo is an illustrator and professor in Baltimore, where she teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art. We love her line- and whimsy-filled portraits. See more of her work on her website.
9. Juliette Borda
Borda, who is based in Brooklyn, illustrates physical and psychological concepts such as anxiety, sexual identity, and menopause. See more of her work on her website.
10. Katy Horan
Horan is based in Austin and illustrates ideas related to female roles and representation found in history and mythology. See more of her work on her website.
11. Becky Simpson
Simpson is an artist and author in Austin who creates colorful illustrations and graphics. We especially love her flowcharts! See more of her work on her website.
12. Laura Bee
Bee (well, Bohill, really) creates fun, colorful illustrations in Brooklyn. See more of her work on her website.
13. Ivonna Buenrostro
Buenrostro is an illustrator from Mexico who illustrates characters from our favorite TV shows and movies, among other things. See more of her work on her Tumblr.
14. Elle Esquivel
Esquivel is based in North Carolina and creates whimsical, abstract illustrations, sometimes accompanied by words or phrases. See more of her work on her Tumblr.
15. LA Johnson
Johnson is an illustrator and visual journalist at NPR in Washington, D.C. She loves to illustrate people and nature. See more of her work on her website.
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