Female Illustrators

Vote for Your Favourite Female Illustrators

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 1 
Gerda Wegener
(Danish Illustrator, Painter and Partner of Transgender Woman Lili Elbe)
Gerda Wegener
4
Birthdate: March 15, 1886
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hammelev, Denmark
Died: July 28, 1940

Gerda Wegener was a Danish painter and illustrator. She began painting as a young girl and received her training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. As a painter, she often depicted confident and elegant women performing a variety of activities in her works. She also painted fashion illustrations and what was labeled “lesbian erotica.” 

 2 
Lisa Hanawalt
(Cartoonists)
Lisa Hanawalt
4
Birthdate: June 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Palo Alto, California, United States
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 3 
Djuna Barnes
(Artist)
Djuna Barnes
4
Birthdate: June 12, 1892
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Storm King Mountain, New York, United States
Died: June 18, 1982
 4 
Lisa Frank
(Businesswoman)
Lisa Frank
6
Birthdate: April 21, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States
 5 
Jan Berenstain
(Author)
Jan Berenstain
4
Birthdate: July 26, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: February 24, 2012
 6 
Lauren Tsai
(Actress, Model)
Lauren Tsai
2
Birthdate: February 11, 1998
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 7 
Mary Blair
(American Artist, Animator and Designer)
Mary Blair
3
Birthdate: October 21, 1911
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
Died: July 26, 1978
 8 
Tasha Tudor
(Illustrator)
Tasha Tudor
3
Birthdate: August 28, 1915
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: June 18, 2008
 9 
Natalie Babbitt
(Writer)
Natalie Babbitt
3
Birthdate: July 28, 1932
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Died: October 31, 2016
 10 
Jessie Willcox Smith
(Illustrator)
Jessie Willcox Smith
3
Birthdate: September 6, 1863
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 3, 1935
 11 
Kseniya Simonova
(Artist)
Kseniya Simonova
3
Birthdate: April 22, 1985
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Yevpatoria, Ukraine
 12 
Margret Rey
(Writer)
Margret Rey
3
Birthdate: May 16, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: December 21, 1996
 13 
Leonor Fini
(Painter)
Leonor Fini
3
Birthdate: August 30, 1907
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: January 18, 1996
 14 
Lena Anderson
(Illustrator, Writer)
Lena Anderson
3
Birthdate: May 27, 1939
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden

Internationally renowned children’s book author and illustrator Lena Anderson began working in the publishing industry at age 16 and first gained fame with her book Linnea in Monet's Garden, which was one of her many collaborations with author Christina Björk. She is known for creating her much-loved character Maja.

 15 
Julie Bell
(American Fine Artist, Illustrator, Bodybuilder and Wildlife Painter)
Julie Bell
3
Birthdate: October 21, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Beaumont, Texas, United States
 16 
Anna Dewdney
(Author, illustrator)
Anna Dewdney
0
Birthdate: December 25, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: September 3, 2016
 17 
Rose O'Neill
(Cartoonist)
Rose O'Neill
3
Birthdate: June 25, 1874
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: April 6, 1944
 18 
Jan Brett
(Illustrator)
Jan Brett
0
Birthdate: December 1, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Norwell, Massachusetts, United States
 19 
Renée French
(Comics writer who won the Inkpot Award at San Diego Comic-Con in 2007 for the graphic novel The Ticking)
Renée French
3
Birthdate: 1963 AD
Birthplace: United States
 20 
M.M. Kaye
(Writer)
M.M. Kaye
3
Birthdate: August 21, 1908
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shimla, India
Died: January 29, 2004
 21 
Beryl Cook
(Artist)
Beryl Cook
3
Birthdate: September 10, 1926
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Egham, Surrey, England
Died: May 28, 2008
 22 
Bhanu Athaiya
(Costume designer)
Bhanu Athaiya
0
Birthdate: April 28, 1929
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolhapur, Kolhapur State, India
Died: October 15, 2020

Legendary Indian costume designer Bhanu Athaiya won India its first Oscar for her work in Gandhi. Throughout her illustrious career, she had worked with legendary directors such as Yash Chopra and Raj Kapoor. Initially a fashion magazine illustrator, she was also interested in painting but later chose fashion designing instead.

 23 
Grace Lin
(Writer)
Grace Lin
0
Birthdate: May 17, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Hartford, New York, United States
 24 
Virginia Lee Burton
(Illustrator)
Virginia Lee Burton
2
Birthdate: August 30, 1909
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Newton Centre, Newton, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 15, 1968
 25 
Wanda Gág
(Artist)
Wanda Gág
2
Birthdate: March 11, 1893
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Ulm, Minnesota, United States
Died: June 27, 1946
 26 
Tonke Dragt
(Writer, Illustrator)
Tonke Dragt
2
Birthdate: November 12, 1930
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jakarta, Indonesia

Born in the Dutch East Indies, Tonke Dragt was 12 when she was interned at a Japanese prisoners’ camp, where she began writing using a pseudonym. She later moved to the Netherlands and emerged as one of the best authors of children's books, including The Letter for the King.         

 27 
Louise Fitzhugh
(Writer, illustrator)
Louise Fitzhugh
0
Birthdate: October 5, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: November 19, 1974
 28 
Elsa Beskow
(Writer)
Elsa Beskow
2
Birthdate: February 11, 1874
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: June 30, 1953

Also known as Sweden's Beatrix Potter, Swedish children’s author Elsa Beskow is best remembered for her iconic books such as Children of the Forest and Pelle's New Suit. Elves, goblins, and farm animals often appeared as characters in her books. The Elsa Beskow Award was named in her honor.

 29 
Toyen
(Painter)
Toyen
2
Birthdate: September 21, 1902
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Prague, Czechia
Died: November 9, 1980
 30 
Monir Farmanfarmaian
(Iranian artist)
Monir Farmanfarmaian
2
Birthdate: December 16, 1922
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Qazvin, Persia
Died: April 20, 2019
 31 
Barbara Cooney
(Writer)
Barbara Cooney
2
Birthdate: August 6, 1917
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: March 10, 2000
 32 
Susanne Wenger
(Artist, illustrator, comics artist)
Susanne Wenger
0
Birthdate: July 4, 1915
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Graz, Austria
Died: January 12, 2009
 33 
Sybil Wettasinghe
(Writer)
Sybil Wettasinghe
2
Birthdate: October 31, 1927
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Galle, Sri Lanka
Died: July 1, 2020
 34 
Mary Anna Hallock Foote
(Author)
Mary Anna Hallock Foote
2
Birthdate: November 9, 1847
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Milton, New York, United States
Died: June 25, 1938
 35 
Kathleen Hale
(Illustrator)
Kathleen Hale
2
Birthdate: May 24, 1898
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died: January 26, 2000
 36 
Trina Schart Hyman
(Illustrator)
Trina Schart Hyman
2
Birthdate: April 8, 1939
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: November 19, 2004
 37 
Katherine Plunket
(Aristocrat)
Katherine Plunket
1
Birthdate: November 22, 1820
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kilsaran, County Louth, Ireland
Died: October 14, 1932

At the time of her death at age 111, Katherine Plunket became Ireland’s oldest person to have ever existed. Born into Irish aristocracy, Plunket was the granddaughter of the first Baron Plunket. She was also well-traveled and was known for her botanical illustrations, collected in Wild Flowers from Nature.

 38 
Minna Sundberg
(Reuben Award-Winning Cartoonist and Illustrator Known for Her Webcomics 'Stand Still, Stay Silent')
Minna Sundberg
0
Birthdate: January 9, 1990
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sweden

Swedish-speaking Finnish illustrator and cartoonist Minna Sundberg was 25 when she became the first Finn to win a Reuben Award. Known for her works such as A Redtail's Dream and Lovely People, she is now devoted to Christianity and supports an online Christian bookstore on her website, Hummingfluff Studio.

 39 
Neysa McMein
(Illustrator)
Neysa McMein
1
Birthdate: January 24, 1888
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Quincy, Illinois, United States
Died: May 12, 1949
 40 
Dale Messick
(Comic-strip artist)
Dale Messick
1
Birthdate: April 11, 1906
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: South Bend, Indiana, United States
Died: April 5, 2005
 41 
Svetlana Makarovič
(Writer)
Svetlana Makarovič
1
Birthdate: January 1, 1939
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Maribor, Slovenia
 42 
Lisa Aisato
(Visual artist, illustrator and author of picture books)
Lisa Aisato
0
Birthdate: July 23, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kolbotn, Norway

Lisa Aisato is a Norwegian visual artist, author of picture books, and illustrator. She is best known for her book Odd er et egg which was adapted into an award-winning animated short film titled Odd is an Egg. Lisa Aisato also contributes as an illustrator to newspapers and other authors. In 2019, she was honored with the Norwegian Booksellers' Prize.

 43 
Maria Martin
(Artist)
Maria Martin
1
Birthdate: July 6, 1796
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Died: December 18, 1863
 44 
Charlotte Dean
(Illustrator, Visual Artist)
Charlotte Dean
1
Birthdate: September 29, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: California
 45 
Elizabeth Eyre de Lanux
(Artist and writer)
Elizabeth Eyre de Lanux
1
Birthdate: March 20, 1894
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 8, 1996
 46 
Lucy Fitch Perkins
(Illustrator)
Lucy Fitch Perkins
1
Birthdate: July 12, 1865
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: United States
Died: March 18, 1937
 47 
Alice Barber Stephens
(Painter)
Alice Barber Stephens
1
Birthdate: July 1, 1858
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: near Salem, New Jersey, United States
Died: July 13, 1932
 48 
Helen Sewell
(Artist)
Helen Sewell
1
Birthdate: June 27, 1896
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Vallejo, California, United States
Died: February 24, 1957
 49 
May Wilson Preston
(Illustrator)
May Wilson Preston
0
Birthdate: August 11, 1873
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: May 18, 1949
 50 
Paula Nicho Cumez
(Artist)
Paula Nicho Cumez
0
Birthdate: January 15, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Unknown