7 Independent Graphic Designers You Can Work With
7 Independent Graphic Designers You Can Work With
Looking to start your next print project but need someone to provide you the visual goods? We're highlighting 7 graphic designers you can contact to kickstart your prints now!
7 Independent Graphic Designers and Illustrators You Can Work With
At The Print Bar, we get to work with all kinds of creative legends from small businesses and bands to community groups, artists, fashion labels and everyday people with great ideas. And while plenty of our customers come to us with their designs ready to go, we also chat to lots of people who have a concept in mind… but need a little creative help bringing it to life.
So we thought we’d make things easier and highlight some of our favourite independent graphic designers and illustrators. These are talented creatives we admire - people who can help turn your idea, sketch or half-formed concept into a polished design that’s ready to print.
Best of all? You’ll be supporting independent artists while creating something totally unique!
Please note: These designers work independently, so design costs and communication are handled directly with them.
How Can a Graphic Designer Help You?
A professional designer can take your idea to the next level. They can help with things like:
- Designing custom artwork for t-shirts, uniforms and merch
- Creating logos and branding for your business or side-hustle
- Redrawing or cleaning up artwork files
- Preparing designs correctly for print
- Helping you choose colours, fonts and layouts
Once your design is ready, simply upload it to The Print Bar and we’ll make the magic happen.
Featured Designers
1. Shellys.pngs - Meanjin/Brisbane
About the Designer
Shelly is a Meanjin-based graphic designer who specialises in branding and apparel/textile design. Her work blends expressive colour, bold concepts and branding that pops - perfect for makers, creatives, small brands and anyone wanting a standout visual identity. Shelly.pngs is all about designs that stick - fun, thoughtful and full of character. Whether you’re building a brand identity, refreshing your visuals, or need print-ready artwork for tees, stickers or more. Shelly’s work brings creativity and energy to every project.
Side note: their TikTok is also well worth a watch!
What They’re Great For
- Bold, playful brand identities
- Graphic artworks for print and merch
- Creative social content and visuals
- Design concepts with personality and standout style
2. Kooki Design - Naarm/Melbourne
About the Designer Kooki Design is a versatile designer whose work focuses on thoughtful visual storytelling and purposeful design. Their approach blends inspiration from art and research to build strong, memorable brand identities and visual experiences that communicate with impact. Whether you’re looking for branding, editorial design, illustrations or web visuals, Kooki Design’s portfolio includes work across brand identity projects, editorial design and visual communication pieces that help clients connect with their audiences.
What They’re Great For
- Branding and visual identity
- Editorial and publication design
- Illustration and infographics
- Strategic storytelling through design
3. Steph Lam - Naarm/Melbourne
About the Designer Steph Lam is known for her vibrant, expressive work across illustration, typography and visual storytelling. Steph’s portfolio includes a range of creative projects from food-inspired illustrations and playful typographic pieces to custom artwork - showing off her love of hand-drawn detail and bold, engaging visuals.
Steph also brings experience in content creation for a variety of established brands and campaigns, having worked with names like Australian Open, Squealing Pig Wines, Shameless Media, Finders Keepers, Logitech, Adobe and more, offering both creative artwork and strategic visual content support.
What They’re Great For
- Illustration-led design
- Typography and hand-drawn artwork
- Visual storytelling
- Content creation
4. Natalie Raccosta Design - Naarm/Melbourne
About the Designer Natalie Raccosta Design is a highly experienced designer with 30 years of industry experience in bespoke visual identity and brand development. Her approach strikes a balance between purposeful strategy and beautiful aesthetics, making her an excellent choice for businesses, creatives and organisations who want design that works as well as it looks. Natalie’s work is all about creative brand identities that feel personal, refined and considered. From brand systems and packaging to digital assets and printed materials, her designs are crafted to communicate clearly and make a lasting impression.
What They’re Great For
- Brand & visual identity
- Packaging and print design
- Visual communication
- Collaborative strategy and creative development
5. Chai Oonnankat - Naarm/Melbourne
About the Designer Chai Oonnankat is an independent illustrator and graphic designer originally from Boorloo/Perth. Their work ranges from expressive digital illustration to experimental branding and personal design pieces, often drawing on visual influences from anime, sci-fi, and pop culture. Chai’s work blends thoughtful composition, conceptual ideas, and stylistic variation, making it a great fit for customers who want something bespoke, artistic, and visually engaging.
While their portfolio spans a variety of creative explorations, Chai’s strengths lie in visual storytelling through illustration and illustration-led graphic work that reflects personality and artistic vision. With prior experience creating illustration-based designs for apparel, posters, and merchandise, their work is well suited to customers looking for custom artwork or creative concepts that translate confidently into print.
What They’re Great For
- Illustraion-led graphic design
- Concept-driven visual artwork
- Creative projects with an expressive or experimental edge
- Print-ready visuals for tees, posters or merch
6. Jemma Goudge - Meanjin/Brisbane
About the Designer
Jemma Goudge is an emerging designer known for her clean, considered approach to visual design and branding. Her work spans a range of creative projects, from digital design and visual identities to curated social and portfolio pieces, reflecting a strong eye for detail and contemporary aesthetics. As a young, growing artist, Jemma brings a fresh perspective and a willingness to take on any creative challenge, approaching each project with curiosity, adaptability, and a drive to continually develop her craft.
What They’re Great For
- Illustration design and hand-drawn artwork
- Visual Storytelling
- Packaging design
- 3D Art
@goudgiedesigns on insta!
Jemma Goudge - Digital Printer in Brisbane, Australia :: Behance
7. Joshua Davis - Meanjin/Brisbane
About the Designer Josh is a graphic designer with over 10 years of experience, specializing in illustration and high-impact visual design across branding and creative campaigns. He has collaborated with global brands such as Nike, Google, and Microsoft, and created designs for high-profile artists including Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry. Josh excels at crafting highly detailed, photorealistic visuals that seamlessly blend creativity with technical precision, and he is also an exceptional illustrator with a strong eye for detail and expressive visual storytelling.
What They’re Great For
- Illustration-led design
- Typography and hand-drawn artwork
- Content creation
- Re-draws of lower resolution art
How It Works - From Idea to Printed Tee
Working with a designer is simple:
- Reach out to your chosen designer Tell them about your idea, budget and deadline.
- Collaborate on your artwork They’ll help you develop your concept into a finished design.
- Upload your design to The Print Bar Choose your garment, printing method and quantities.
- We print it! Our team handles the rest here in Australia.
Tips for Working With a Designer
To make the process smooth:
- Share any references or examples you like
- Be clear about your timeline and budget
- Let them know how the design will be used (t-shirts, hoodies, uniforms, etc.)
- Request a print-ready file if possible
- Make sure you have permission to use any included imagery
Why We Love Supporting Independent Designers
Independent designers bring a unique spark to the world of printed merch. By working directly with artists and freelancers, you’re:
- Supporting local creativity
- Helping sustain artistic careers
- Creating something truly original
- Building meaningful collaborations
And honestly we just love seeing what you all come up with!
Ready to Create Something?
Whether you’re starting a brand, making staff uniforms, or designing a one-off gift, having a great design is the first step. Reach out to one of the designers above, get your artwork ready - and when you’re set…
Upload your design to The Print Bar and we’ll print it for you.
If you ever have any questions, our team is happy to chat on (07) 3854 0608 or email us at [email protected]
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