Gemma O'Brien

Designer and illustrator | Elevating lettering to art

Unknown7 talks · 7 events · 3 countries
Gemma O'Brien
Gemma O'Brien

About

Gemma O'Brien is an independent designer and illustrator who specializes in transforming lettering into distinctive art forms. Her work explores the creative possibilities that exist beyond traditional typography, pushing the boundaries of how letters and words can be visualized and experienced. O'Brien's expertise spans both the technical and artistic dimensions of design and illustration.

She brings a unique perspective on what it means to be an "ultra artist" - someone who approaches their craft with exceptional dedication and vision. Her presentations draw from her hands-on experience in the field, offering audiences practical insights into the creative process while challenging conventional thinking about the role of letters in visual communication. Through her speaking engagements at design and technology conferences, O'Brien shares her approach to elevating lettering from functional text to expressive art.

She demonstrates how designers can develop their own distinctive voice and push creative boundaries in their work.

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What Gemma Talks About

1

How to be an ultra artist: Developing exceptional dedication and vision in creative work

2

Elevating lettering to art: Pushing beyond traditional typography

3

Design and illustration techniques: Transforming letters into visual experiences

4

The creative process: Building a distinctive artistic voice

Gemma O'Brien at Design Conference 2026

Gemma O'Brien at Forward Festival 2026

Forward Festival🇩🇪 Berlin2026

Gemma O'Brien at Adobe MAX 2025

Adobe MAX🇺🇸 Los AngelesOct 2025

Gemma O'Brien at SmashingConf 2024

SmashingConfOct 2024

Design & Illustration

SmashingConf Antwerp 2024🇧🇪 AntwerpOct 2024

How to be an Ultra Artist

Beyond Tellerrand Düsseldorf 2023🇩🇪 DüsseldorfApr 2023

Beyond Fonts: Elevating Lettering to Art

Beyond Tellerrand Berlin 2018🇩🇪 BerlinNov 2018

At a Glance

7
Talks
7
Events
8+
Years Speaking

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Who has Gemma shared a stage with?

Speakers who appeared at the same event editions as Gemma

SpeakerShared eventsWhere they appeared together
Christine VallaureDesign systems educator | Founder of moonlearning.io, bridging design and development2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
Harrison WheelerDesign Manager | Design Management and Inclusive Feedback2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
John V WillshireStrategic Designer | UX Strategy and Design2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
Maggie AppletonDesign lead at Elicit | Visual essayist making complex ideas accessible, digital gardens pioneer2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
Nathan CurtisDesign Systems Expert | Building scalable design systems and component architecture2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
Pablo StanleyCo-founder of Blush (acquired by Figma) | Creator of Humaaans, Open Peeps, design educator2SmashingConf 2024, SmashingConf Antwerp 2024View shared history →
Stefan SagmeisterAward-winning Graphic Designer | Expert on Happiness and Creative Time Off2Beyond Tellerrand Berlin 2018, Forward Festival 2026View shared history →

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