The Kelpies Prize for Illustration – Previous winners

The Kelpies Prize for Illustration was launched in 2014 (as the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize). Find out more about our previous winners below, or click here to find out about the Kelpies Prize for Writing previous winners.

After taking a break from the Kelpies Prize for Illustration in order to participate in the Pathways into Children’s Publishing programme, we are delighted to be presenting the award once more for 2025! Find out about the shortlist here.

2022 Winner

Massive congratulations to Ramune Kregzdyte, the winner of the Kelpies Prize for Illustration 2022! After a break in 2021, we were delighted to be able to hold an in-person award ceremony at the Scottish Storytelling Centre this year.

As well as receiving a £500 cash prize, Ramune completed 9 months of mentoring with the Floris Books design team. She has since illustrated the cover of The Edge of the Silver Sea, and is currently working on an exciting new project for spring 2026!

Entrants to this year’s prize were asked to submit five illustrations for a children’s book about “Scotland’s Cultural Stories”.

2020 Winner

Leanne Goodall, a student from Argyll, was announced as the winner of the Kelpies Prize for Illustration 2020 at our first virtual award ceremony in May 2021.

Entrants to the 2020 prize were asked to submit five illustrations for a children’s book about “My Scotland”.

Leanne’s fantastic creatures captivated the judges. They were wowed by the beautiful renderings of Scottish landscapes, and the fluid movement captured in the compositions. The judges commended the sense of magic and wonder conveyed in each illustration, coupled with atmospheric depictions of iconic Scottish myths and legends.

Leanne is currently working with the Floris Books team on a very exciting project, more details coming soon!

2019 Winner

This year, for the first time, entrants were asked to submit a series of illustrations suitable for a children’s book rather than a cover design. Edinburgh-based illustrator and former teacher Aimee Ferrier was revealed as the winner of the Kelpies Illustration Prize 2019 at an exclusive award-ceremony at Edinburgh International Book Festival on Thursday 15th August. Author and illustrator Catherine Rayner was on hand to open the top-secret envelope and present the winner’s trophy.

Kelpies Illustration Prize – 2018 Winner

The Kelpies Illustration Prize 2018 challenged illustrators and designers based in Scotland to create a new cover for Soldier’s Game by Jim Killgore. Soldier’s Game is a remarkable novel of war, football and loyalty, based on the true story of Edinburgh’s ‘Hearts Battalion’. The book was chosen to commemorate the centenary of the First World War armistice.

The inimitable Vivian French joined us to announce the prize. In 2016, Vivian was awarded an MBE for services to literature, literacy, illustration, and the arts. And, the Scottish Book Trust presented her with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2018!

Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize – 2017 Winner

Edinburgh College student Aimee Ferrier won the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize 2017 with her personality-filled design for Elizabeth Ezra’s Kelpies Prize winner Ruby McCracken: Tragic Without Magic. The judges commended Aimee’s illustrative style for its appeal to the book’s readership, and loved the humour and detail in her illustration. Aimee worked with the Floris design team to produce the final cover.

For the second year running, Edinburgh College student Grisel Miranda won the People’s Choice vote and received a £75 cash prize.

Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize – 2016 Winner

Glasgow-based designer Darren Gate won the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize 2016 with his colourful, comic design for Mark A. Smith’s Kelpies Prize winner Slugboy Saves the World. The judges loved Darren’s bright, colourful and fun design which showed a good awareness of the audience for the book. Darren worked with the Floris design team to produce the final cover.

Edinburgh College student Grisel Miranda was voted this year’s People’s Choice winner and received a £75 cash prize.

Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize – 2015 Winner

Aberdeen-based Lewis Copland won the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize 2015 with his striking design for Allan Campbell McLean’s classic spy thriller The Hill of the Red Fox. The Gray’s School of Art student impressed the judging panel with the dynamic composition and bold typography of his design. Lewis worked with the Floris design team to produce the final cover.

Edinburgh College student Anna Elez Rodrigo, originally from Valencia, emerged as the People’s Choice and received a £75 cash prize. The Floris judges’ Highly Commended designer Brad Newman, a Canadian designer working in Aberdeen, also won a £75 prize.

Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize – 2014 Winner

In its inaugural year, Edinburgh-based artist Astrid Jaekel won the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize with her eye-catching design for Joan Lingard’s The Sign of the Black Dagger. Astrid’s design really stood out for the judges; they loved her sophisticated use of colour, as well as the way she used mirrored images of Edinburgh to hint at the story’s dual narrative. And Joan herself was equally impressed when she popped into the exhibition to see the shortlisted covers for her book!

Astrid worked with the Floris design team to produce the final cover.

Two commended designers, Mark Doyle and Victoria Pickford, also won a cash prize of £50 each. The judges loved the way Mark’s design captured the helter-skelter architecture of Edinburgh’s Old Town. They thought Victoria’s use of bright colour against a dark background conjured up the perfect atmosphere for the story.

Feeling inspired?
Find out how to enter this year’s Kelpies Prize for Illustration!