ISLAMABAD: Before the world learns who has won a Nobel Prize, Swedish artist Niklas Elmehed already knows whose face he will be drawing. His work gives the annual announcements an artistic identity, transforming the portraits of distinguished scientists, writers and peace advocates into instantly recognisable illustrations shared by media outlets worldwide.
Meet the person behind the illustrations of the 2026 Nobel Prize laureates.
Check out artist @niklaselmehed. Here he is painting the illustrations for our new medicine laureates, Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.
#NobelPrize https://t.co/z3UVGekp6v
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 15, 2026
Elmehed began sketching Nobel laureates in 2012, when finding high-quality photographs for the annual announcements became a challenge. Rather than allowing the problem to slow the process, he picked up a marker and drew the winners himself.
What began as a practical fix gradually developed into a distinctive artistic tradition, with his signature gold-toned portraits introduced in 2014.
“I picked up a marker and sketched the laureates, and it turned out to be a good solution,” Elmehed recalled, explaining how the idea first took shape.
Swedish artist Niklas Elmehed
From quick sketches to a signature Nobel portrait style
The artist’s early drawings were relatively simple, but their growing use by international media encouraged the organisation to formalise the approach. In 2014, Elmehed introduced the style now associated with Nobel Prize announcements: a white background, bold black outlines and a striking gold-coloured finish.
Final portraits for 2021 Nobel Prize announcement, Economics sciences. @NobelPrize #nobelprize #economics #illustrationoftheday #figurativepainting #goldfoil #artistsatwork #artistworkingon #artistatwork #portraitpainting https://t.co/gzgAkqrtYu
— Niklas Elmehed (@NiklasElmehed) October 11, 2021
“When I started this, it was just a solution to me. As these sketches gained international attention and media outlets started using them, it felt amazing,” the artist said.
Elmehed joined Nobel Media as art director in 2012, bringing together his interests in science and art. He holds two master’s degrees, one from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and another from the Royal Institute of Arts in Sweden. Nobel Media, which was responsible for visual content surrounding the announcements, is now known as Nobel Prize Outreach.
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Despite their luxurious appearance, the portraits do not contain real gold. Elmehed said he experimented with different paints before settling on an ultra-thin, gold-coloured metal foil attached to the artwork with special glue. The change followed the Nobel organisation’s visual identity revamp in 2014, when gold became a prominent colour.
Putting gold on the Nobel Laureates in physics. A lot of people ask me if it’s real gold but I’m sorry to make you disappointed. When the Nobel week is over the studio floor is almost covered in foil and the cleaning process would be a lot trickier if it was the real stuff. 😅 https://t.co/VqIQPELAph
— Niklas Elmehed (@NiklasElmehed) October 9, 2021
The process is also faster than many might imagine. Elmehed said each portrait generally takes only a few hours to complete, rather than days. His access to the names of upcoming laureates, however, remains confidential until the official announcements.
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Beyond the Nobel portraits, Elmehed works across different artistic styles, including pop culture and playful interpretations of comic characters. He acknowledged that making a living as an artist can be difficult, even in Sweden, where many talented people compete for limited opportunities.
He considers his role at Nobel Prize Outreach a fortunate opportunity to combine his creative skills with the world of scientific achievement. Once the annual announcements are complete, the original portraits are mounted on a golden wall at the Nobel Prize Outreach and Nobel Foundation headquarters.
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Despite growing recognition and invitations from art schools to conduct workshops, Elmehed has yet to create a self-portrait in his own signature style. He also receives requests from people seeking portraits, accepting some while turning down others.
Through his work, Elmehed has helped give the Nobel announcements a visual language of their own, making the faces behind some of the world’s most influential discoveries and ideas part of the annual global conversation.
My paintings at #timessquare #newyork #NobelPrize http://t.co/Xtijt1OSlM
— Niklas Elmehed (@NiklasElmehed) October 8, 2015
Niklas Elmehed: A brief profile
- Nationality: Swedish artist and art director.
- Education: Holds two master’s degrees from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the Royal Institute of Arts in Sweden.
- Career: Joined Nobel Media as art director in 2012, when the organisation managed visual content for Nobel Prize announcements. It is now known as Nobel Prize Outreach.
- Nobel portraits: Began sketching Nobel laureates in 2012 to address the shortage of suitable photographs for announcements.
- Signature style: Introduced his distinctive gold-toned portraits in 2014, featuring black outlines against a white background and gold-coloured metal foil.
- Artistic process: Typically completes each Nobel laureate portrait within a few hours.
- Other work: Explores pop culture, comic-inspired illustrations and other artistic projects beyond the Nobel Prize portraits.
- Legacy: His illustrations have become a recognisable visual feature of Nobel Prize announcements, shared by media outlets around the world.
