Hey, it’s SPHERE RG.

I’m Ivan, a graphic designer and illustrator behind SPHERE RG. I work with artists, labels and creative teams on visuals that are made to work, not just look good.

I started experimenting with design and taking work from people in 2019. Since 2023, I’ve focused my professional work on music visuals, branding and broader visual design.

Practice

Graphic designer & illustrator, 2019 — 2026

Projects

100+ completed

Artists

50+ artists and clients worked with

Tools

Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, Paint Tool SAI, 3D, Motion

My journey to design

2019

It starts with the music

I first got into design through motion, drawing and digital art. In 2019, I started taking small jobs and working with people directly.

2021

First work goes online

In 2021, I began posting my work on Instagram, where one of my first 3D pieces was bought by an artist from the US.

2022

Into the hyperpop scene

In 2022, I started making covers for artists around the hyperpop scene and met a lot of people through emodigital gang. Working with artists like tewiq, evan wheel, Anonymous Ember, fade031, woee33 and owleeng was where music design really started for me.

One of my early commercial projects was with Nosgov, where I made around six covers. That project made me want to take music visuals more seriously and keep working with artists.

From 2022 to 2024, I was also a co-founder of ElysiumNFT, where I worked on the design, visual style and characters.

2023

Professional work begins

I consider 2023 the point where my professional work starts. Music became one of my main directions, but SPHERE RG is not limited to covers: I also work with branding, illustration, UX/UI, motion and visual systems. Most of my music work comes from hyperpop, rap and scenecore.

Over time, I moved from single covers into bigger visual projects. I’ve worked on album and EP covers, cover series, release identities, social assets, posters, CD and vinyl adaptations, merch, 3D, motion, campaigns, typography, illustration and art direction.

2024

Built to scale

Some projects became full visual systems. For 10n35t4r, I made four covers connected by the same character and lore. For Nosgov, I developed an anime-screenshot style that was used across around eight works.

I also worked on merch for Original God.

2025

sph3rq becomes SPHERE RG

My first online name was sph3rq. In 2025, I reworked it into SPHERE RG instead of starting from zero. “SPHERE” came from the idea of a space or field of design, while “RG” is a small piece of the original name that I decided to keep.

The same year I released my own merch.

2026

Where it is now

Since 2023, I’ve worked on 100+ projects with 50+ artists and clients from Europe, the US, Asia and other parts of the world. Some of the names I’ve worked with include Pröz, Nosgov, Original God, Madge, upvampin, Vyzer and keaganhoffman. I’ve also worked in connection with artists such as 6arelyhuman, kets4eki, d3r, syris and David Shawty.

Right now, I’m developing SPHERE RG around artist and label branding while continuing to work across graphic design, illustration and UX/UI. I want to work more with labels, larger campaigns and long-term clients.

How I work

Underground meets precision

I like experimental ideas, but I don’t think a design has to be messy to feel raw. I use basic design principles like balance, contrast, rhythm, symmetry and asymmetry to keep the work clear and usable.

I also think about where the visual will be used after the first image. A cover can become a social post, merch, a poster, a CD, vinyl or part of a bigger release system, so I try to design with that in mind from the start.

Nothing is accidental

Before I start designing, I listen to the music and look at the artist’s existing work. I try to understand the energy, lyrics, genre and overall direction before deciding what the visual should be.

My main rule is simple: every element needs a reason. If there are too many ideas and no hierarchy, the design stops working. I try to keep the concept strong while making the final result clean, consistent and practical.

A process you can see

My usual process is Brief → Music → References → Moodboard → Concepts → Production → Presentation → Revisions → Delivery. I normally prepare around three concepts before moving into the final design.

I usually communicate through Instagram or Discord. I want the client to be involved in the process, but my job is also to turn their idea into something that works visually. I use presentations, mockups and adaptations to show how the final design can look outside the original file — it helps both me and the client understand whether the idea actually works.

The person behind SPHERE RG

Outside work, I spend a lot of time gaming and working on personal design projects. Music, fashion and just looking at things around me are a big part of my visual references.

SPHERE RG is the name I work under, but I’m still just Ivan behind it. The projects, experiments and people I’ve worked with are what make the brand what it is.