Kari Piippo graduated from the School of Industrial Art in Helsinki in 1967 and later became a freelance graphic designer, specializing in illustration and poster design. In 1987, he established his own studio. From 1989 to 1997 he lectured in graphic design at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. Since 2004, he has been a visiting professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo and Shandong University of Art and Design in Jinan, China.
Kari has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, both in Finland and abroad. Major Finnish awards include the State Industrial Arts Award, Graphic Artist of the Year, Platinum Award and four Gold Award and multiple Best Finnish Poster Prizes.
Internationally he has received prestigious awards such as the Icograda Excellence Award (Chaumont 1990), 1st Prizeat the IPB in Mexico (1990), 2nd Prize at the Lahti IPB (1991), 1st Prize at the Rzeszow ITPB (1993), 1st Prize at the Colorado CIIPE (1999) Grand Prix at the Eco Poster Triennial in Slovakia (2000), Bronze at the Graphic Designers Poster Exhibition in Ningbo (2001), Bronze at the Korea International Poster Biennale (2002).