Jill Calder is an award winning illustrator and calligrapher who loves drawing, ideas, colour, ink, typography, stories, books, dogs and deadlines. Jill blends traditional and digital image-making methods as seamlessly as possible resulting in whimsical illustrations with broad appeal. As a result, her work is commissioned for children’s picture books, huge hospital murals, financial and scientific reports, branding Scottish beer and whisky and global advertising campaigns.
Jill studied at Edinburgh College of Art and later at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1992. Through her work, she has been invited to talk at various events and conferences and teach at schools and universities throughout the UK, USA and Hong Kong. Amongst other places, her work has been displayed at the V&A Museum, The National Museum of Scotland, The Royal Brompton Hospital, The Royal Scottish Academy.
Recently, Jill's work was on show around the world in 'Drawing Words', an exhibition of ten British children's book illustrators, curated by Lauren Child and organised by the British Council. As part of the tour, Jill was invited to Pakistan and Sri Lanka to open the exhibition and hold workshops, masterclasses and storytelling sessions in the British Council Libraries there.
Jill's book, 'The Sea', written by Miranda Krestovnikoff, was published in the UK in April 2019 and gets five stars on Amazon and Toppsta!
Jill’s children’s book, “The Picture Atlas” written by Simon Holland and published by Bloomsbury, came out in the UK in September 2017.
Jill continues to develop her own picturebook ideas as author/illustrator, so watch this space! In the meantime, Jill is currently working on two beautiful picture books due to be published in 2025.
Children’s and Publishing:
Walker Books, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, BBC, Chicken House Books, Scottish Book Trust, Macmillan Kids UK, Penguin Random House, Birlinn Books, Nosy Crow, Faber & Faber, Royal Brompton Hospital,
National Museums of Scotland, CAHRU and Radio Flyer.
Editorial:
Gardens Illustrated, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, ELLE, The Sunday Telegraph, The New Yorker, Historic England, Cricket Magazine, The Simple Things, The Independent, Condé Nast
Traveller, Food & Wine, Reader’s Digest USA, Los Angeles Magazine, the Sunday Times, BBC Wildlife Magazine and Oprah Magazine.
Corporate and Advertising:
Eden Mill Distillery, Royal Mail, Innis & Gunn, Visa, Allstate, Pentagram, Colgate University, English Heritage, Mass Mutual, First Great Western, #ActuallySheCan,
Actavis, Siemens, Kellogs, Benromach Distillery, Museum Next, Billabong USA, SKYY Vodka, World Health Organisation, HBSC, Target, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, National
Care Standards, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Housing Finance Agency Ireland and B&Q
2023
Eden Mill Distillery x The Art of St Andrews Scotch Whisky
Jill was honoured to be invited to create the artwork for the 2023 Art of St Andrews Limited Edition whisky released by renowned Fife distillery, Eden Mill.
Independent distiller Eden Mill St Andrews has joined forces with renowned Scottish illustrator Jill Calder to create the bespoke packaging for the 2023 release of its annual ‘Art of St Andrews’ collection.
This exclusive and collectible limited edition single malt has been specially crafted by head distiller Scott Ferguson and is the latest in a series of annual expressions designed to celebrate the creativity of local artists.
Picture Hooks Mentorship Programme
During 2023, Jill was invited to be a mentor on the reknowned mentorship scheme for picture book illustrators
set up by writer Viv French and agent Lucy Juckes. Jill worked with brilliant Brazilian illustrator Aline Monda to develop her book ideas, in particular 'Catch of
the Day'. In November 2023 an exhibition of both mentee's and mentor's work opened at The Scottish Storytelling Centre, then moved to the V&A Museum, Dundee.
2022
A Blink of Ink...the Creative World of Jill Calder
A retrospective exhibition showing an exuberant selection of Jill's work from her thirty year career as an illustrator. Callendar House, Falkirk from 30th
April to 11th September 2022.
2019-2020
'Drawing Words' - worldwide exhibition
An exhibition of ten British children's illustrators, including Jill, selected and curated by UK Children's Laureate Lauren Child for The British Council.
2018
CILIP Carnegie Medal - Nominated
'What is Poetry?' by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Jill Calder
Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards
LBF Children's Travel Book of the Year, 'The Picture Atlas' - shortlisted
2017
3x3 International Professional Show
Merit and Honourable Mention
2016
The Illustration Conference ICON9, Austin, Texas
Main Stage Kaleidoscope speaker
2015
World Illustration Awards
Shortlisted, Children's Books category, “Robert the Bruce, King of Scots”
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Event with James Robertson
2014
Communication Arts Award for Excellence - Typography
“Little Black Book of Seafood” for First Great Western
Communication Arts Award for Excellence - Typography
“Word Power” for Reader’s Digest USA
2013
3x3 International Professional Show - Merit
2012
Luerzer’s Archive : 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide
2011
Association of Illustrators Images 35 - Bronze Award
“Forest Deer”
V&A Illustration Awards - Shortlisted Book Cover category
“Bob Servant, Hero of Dundee”
2010
Association of Illustrators Images 34 - Silver Award
“Garden Detectives” for the National Museum of Scotland
“Working Drawings” Conference and exhibition
Sheffield University - Keynote speaker