Well, my favorites who are dead (tact is not my strongest quality) are Renoir, Mucha, Vermeer, Joseph Wright of Derby, and Vargas. A few of my favorite living artists are Britto, Colleen Atwood (shes a costume designer), Ai Yazawa, Loish*, Queen of Dorks*, Hakubaikou*, Lolita-art* and too many others to count.
*online alias