István Balogh was a Hungarian graphic artist and one of the most important poster designers in Hungary after 1955. Best known for his movie posters, Balogh developed a distinctive style combining precise drawing, caricature, grotesque humour, and bold graphic compositions. His work often used strong contrasts, intense colour fields, and playful forms, reflecting the visual experimentation of Hungarian poster design during the 1960s.

Born in Hungary, Balogh studied at the University of Applied Arts in 1947 before continuing his education at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, where he graduated in 1952. His teachers included György Kádár, Sándor Ék, István Köpeczi-Bócz, Gyula Hincz, and Károly Koffán. Between 1955 and 1957, he received the Derkovits Scholarship, supporting the early development of his artistic career.

Beginning in the 1950s, Balogh worked primarily as a poster designer, producing numerous film posters for MOKÉP, the Hungarian Film Distribution Company. During the 1960s, a period of significant development in Hungarian film poster design, he created works influenced by contemporary cinema movements such as Italian Neorealism and the French New Wave. His posters combined drawing, collage, and photomontage, often using satire and visual metaphor to reinterpret film themes.

Alongside his design practice, Balogh was an influential educator. From 1967, he taught at the secondary school of arts and later at the University of Applied Arts, influencing younger generations of Hungarian graphic designers. Between 1963 and 1983, he was a member of the Papp Group and participated in its exhibitions. He also designed exhibition graphics, fair materials, and illustrations for publications including Hungarian Foreign Trade and Hungarian Travel Magazine.

Balogh also created posters for state commemorations, cultural festivals, and tourism campaigns. These works often incorporated national symbols and motifs inspired by Hungarian folk art, combined with the modern graphic language of the 1960s. His poster for the Bartók Choir Festival and his Lake Balaton poster are among his notable works, demonstrating his interest in decorative composition and symbolic imagery.

Balogh received numerous awards during his career, including the Munkácsy Prize and the titles of Merited and Excellent Artist. His work has been presented in exhibitions in Hungary and abroad, and he remains an important figure in the history of Hungarian poster design.