Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple, is the most popular digital artist in the world.
Creative resource Design Bundles looked into the highest-rated illustrators on the digital art platform Behance, to reveal which digital artists are the most popular in the world, based on Behance statistics, Instagram following, and Google search volumes. Beeple came out on top, taking the title as the most popular digital artist in the world.
Beeple’s Instagram following is almost ten times that of second place, at 2.4 million, as well as receiving the highest Google searches of any other artists. It was recently revealed that Winkelmann is one of the most valuable living artists, with his piece ‘the first 5000 days’ breaking records at the world’s first digital auction, selling for $69 million.
Emi Haze is the second most popular digital artist in the world, with the most successful Behance page on the platform. Haze’s Behance has 1.1 million appreciations and 5.7 million project views, the most of any illustrator on the site. Emi is yet to break into the NFT universe, although his artwork is highly sought after and has featured in many online art gallery sales.
Coming in third place is Peter Tarka. Known for his immersive 3D illustrations, Tarka has the third-highest Behance project views, 4.7 million, as well as the fourth-highest Behance appreciations at 400,000. Tarka’s illustrations have recently taken to the NFT universe, with the highest-selling piece, ‘reflections’, going for $3,689.
MBSJQ, also known as Made By Studio JQ, comes in fourth. A well-known NFT artist, MBSJQ’s total NFT collection has a value of $5.2 million, with their highest sale reaching $330,635. MBSJQ also boasts the second-highest project views on Behance, reaching 5.2 million.
Closing out the top five is Andreas Preis. The German illustrator has 3.9 million project views on Behance, 285,900 followers, and 385,200 appreciations. Preis currently has one NFT piece available after joining the community in January 2022, which sold for $3,118.
Most popular digital artists in the world:
| Digital Artist | Rank | Instagram Followers | Behance | Search Volume Rank | ||
| Appreciations | Followers | Project Views | ||||
| Mike Winkelmann | 1 | 2,400,000 | 140,600 | 83,900 | 1,900,000 | 1 |
| Emi Haze | 2 | 31,800 | 1,100,000 | 32,100 | 5,700,000 | 50 |
| Peter Tarka | 3 | 246,000 | 400,000 | 156,700 | 4,700,000 | 9 |
| MBSJQ | 4 | 235,000 | 394,900 | 117,300 | 5,200,000 | 62 |
| Andreas Preis | 5 | 21,000 | 385,200 | 285,900 | 3,900,000 | 16 |
| Glenn Jones | 6 | 9,733 | 139,700 | 44,500 | 4,400,000 | 2 |
| Steve Simpson | 7 | 34,700 | 388,100 | 166,100 | 3,800,000 | 10 |
| Darya Malikova | 8 | 7,031 | 698,300 | 20,400 | 3,600,000 | 63 |
| Pellisco | 9 | 1,691 | 797,400 | 54,800 | 2,000,000 | 28 |
| Mike | 10 | n/a | 327,200 | 134,300 | 3,700,000 | 46 |
A spokesperson for Design Bundles commented on the findings: “The digital art industry has exploded in the past year following the popularity of NFTs. Many artists have taken the step into the NFT space, and are making big waves in the community, such as Beeple. It is very interesting to see how sought after these artists pieces are, with Beeple’s ‘the first 5000 days’ breaking art sale records. The digital art community has flourished with the rise in NFTs, and it will be very exciting to see both new talent and old favourites breaking into the space as NFTs become even more popular.”
The study was conducted by Design Bundles, which offers high-quality premium design resources and a marketplace that allows graphic designers to register and sell their products.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.