Jillian Tamaki

Jillian Tamaki is a Canadian American illustrator. She draws graphic novels. Tamaki received the Printz and Caldecott medals and the Governor General Award for Children’s Literature Illustration. She has also been published by The New York Times, The Guardian, Esquire, and National Geographic. Drawn &amp; Quarterly and Penguin Books have published her works.
Early Life.
Tamaki was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She grew up reading Archie comics and horseback riding, eventually making Zine comics in high school. 
Tamaki is mixed race. Her father is Japanese Canadian and mother is Egyptian American. Her childhood neighborhood was mostly white people. Tamaki was the only mixed race student at her school. She draws many different people in her pictures. She thinks it helps other mixed race children feel comfortable. 
Education.
Tamaki went to the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD). She graduated in 2003. Her training was very traditional. She was not allowed to use color until her 3rd-4th year. She learned anatomy in her first year. She used her computer in her 3rd year. She learned a lot about how to draw at ACAD. 
Tamaki still draws by hand. She does not use a computer. She adds color with her computer. 
Career.
Right after college Tamaki worked at a video game company. It was called Bioware. 
She moved to New York in 2005. She was 25 when she moved. 
Tamaki started teaching at Parsons School of Visual Arts in 2007. She enjoys teaching. 
Books.
Tamaki has published many books. Two of her books are "Skim" and "This One Summer". She drew the pictures and her cousin, Mariko Tamaki, wrote the stories. Her she also wrote and illustrated "SuperMutant Magic and" "Indoor Voice". "Gilded Lilies" was her earliest publication. She originally published her illustrations online. 
She has drawn book covers for Penguin Books. Three of her Penguin book covers are embroidered art: "The Secret Garden", "Emma", and "Black Beauty". 
Tamaki's draws pictures for books by reading the author's descriptions. She receives the initial pitch and then elevates from there. She has described her illustrations as building a realm and expanding on it, and considers the behaviors of the characters when illustrating so she can create them best. When making books, Tamaki does her drawing at home. 
Personal life.
Tamaki lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. Her husband is Sam Weber. They went to college together.