Awards
2025
Bologna BRAW âAmazing Bookshelfâ (
Ita and Squeak)
2024Good Childrenâs Book (Ulla Saar.
Ita and Squeak)
Good Childrenâs Book (Priit PĂ”hjala.
Dr. Tindiplekkâs Workshop)
2023
Edgar Valter Illustration Award, nominee
The White Ravens (Liis Sein.
Mona's Dad Has Some Ideas)
5 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit (Kairi Look.
Herring Disco)
Good Childrenâs Book (Kairi Look.
Herring Disco)
2022
Good Childrenâs Book (Liis Sein.
Mona's Dad Has Some Ideas)
20215 Best Designed Estonian Children's Books, special prize of the jury (Aino Pervik.
The Kite Spreads Friendship)
2020International Illustration and Book Design Competition âImage of the Book/Obraz knigiâ, Moscow, laureate
5 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit (Urmas Reinmaa.
Where Did You Find it?)
201925 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Kristi Piiper.
The Lovesick Basement Monster, the Vegan Blood Sausage, and Other Stories)
5 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit, Special Prize of the Estonian Graphic Designersâ Association (Kristi Piiper.
The Lovesick Basement Monster, the Vegan Blood Sausage, and Other Stories)
Edgar Valter Illustration Award nominee
2018, 2019, 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award candidate
201825 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Helvi JĂŒrisson.
What Letters Say)
201725 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (KĂ€tlin Vainola.
The Boy Who Drew Maps)
201625 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Indrek Koff.
I Am Doing Well)
5 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit, Special Prize of the Estonian Graphic Designersâ Association (Indrek Koff.
Nice)
Good Childrenâs Book (Indrek Koff.
Nice)
201525 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Grigori Oster.
Mischievous Mathematics)
5 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit, Tallinn (KĂ€tlin Vainola.
Sonya and the Cat)
Good Childrenâs Books (Contra.
Everyoneâs the Smartest; Kairi Look.
Piia Biscuit Moves In; Grigori Oster.
Mischievous Mathematics; Anti Saar.
Urmas the Maintenance Man)
2014The White Ravens (KĂ€tlin Vainola.
Lift)
Karl Eduard Sööt Childrenâs Poetry Award (Contra.
Everyoneâs the Smartest)
25 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Contra.
Everyoneâs the Smartest)
20135 Best Designed Estonian Childrenâs Books, Certificate of Merit, Special Prize of the Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Estonian Graphic Designersâ Associationsâ Special Prize for a young artist (KĂ€tlin Vainola.
Lift)
Good Childrenâs Book (KĂ€tlin Vainola.
Lift)
Exhibitions
2024Exhibition of Estonian and Spanish illustrators âReflectionsâ, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre
2023
VII Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT 2023), Estonian Museum of Architecture
Solo exhibition "Tötterman and others", Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2023)
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators âFox Spirit. Fox Charmâ, NadbaĆtyckie Centrum Kultury
2022
International exhibition of illustration "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Estonian National Museum, Latvian National Library
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Italy and Latvia
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Centrum Kultury Dworek BiaĆoprÄ
dnicki , Poland
2021Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves", Napoli, Rome, Frigento, Italy
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow; Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2021), Slovakkia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books IV", Mytishchi, Russia
Sharjah Childrenâs Book Illustrations Exhibition, the United Arab Emirates
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators âFox Spirit. Fox Charmâ, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn; Central Library of LÀÀne County, Haapsalu
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Tapa Public Library
2020Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Once Upon a Time" (Grimm's Fairy Tales), Tapa Public Library, Estonia; Gallery DeĂĄk17, Budapest, Hungary
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Vyborg, St. Petersburg, Russia; Kondas Centre, Viljandi
Joint exhibition of nominees for Edgar Valter Illustration Award, Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Tallinn; Central Library of Saare County, Kuressaare
Midsummer spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children's Literature Centre
"Picture World of Tales and Fairy Tales", Central Library of LÀÀne County
2019Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB, Slovakia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Once Upon a Time" (Grimm's Fairy Tales), Opole, Gdansk, Poland; Tapa Public Library, Estonia
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators âLeafing Through Estonian Childrenâs Books IIâ, Moscow, Kolomna, Russia
2018â2020 Exhibition of Baltic illustrators âRunning with Wolvesâ, London, the United Kingdom; Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn (âWolf Runâ); GdaĆsk, WrocĆaw, BiaĆystok, Warsaw, PĆock, Szczecin, Poland; Pordenone, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania
2018Exhibition of Estonian illustrators âRunning with Wolvesâ, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators âTra ghiaccio e fuocoâ, Rome, Pesco Sannita, Italy
2017Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators âLeafing Through Estonian Childrenâs Books Iâ, Moscow, Kolomna, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators âA Window into the Fairy Tale Worldâ, Haapsalu Cultural Centre, Haapsalu Childrenâs Library
2016Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustrators, âA Walk on the Path of Fairy Tale Together with Charles Perraultâ, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
2015â2020 International illustration exhibition, âItâs Always Tea-Timeâ, Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn; Riga, Latvia; Uusikaupunki, Finland; Gdansk, WrocĆaw, ToruĆ, ElblÄ
g, Poland; Berlin, Germany; Szczecin, PĆock, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Oxford, the United Kingdom; Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Vyborg, St. Petesburg, Russia
2015â2019 Exhibition of Estonian Illustrators, âOnce Upon a Time...â (Grimmâs Fairy Tales), Aosta, Anagni, Lagonegro, Bernalda-Metaponto, Corato, Matera, Roma, Lacco Ameno, Irsina, Siracusa, Sassari, Roma, Bologna, Italy; Estonian Childrenâs Literature Centre, Tallinn; Minsk, Belarus; KrakĂłw, ĆomĆŒa, BiaĆystok, Szczecin, PĆock, Warszaw, ElblÄ
g, GdaĆsk, Opole, Poland
2013â2014 Solo exhibition âMajahoidjaâ (Housekeeper), Tallinn, Mooste, Estonia
2002Exhibition of drawings and photographs with Lauri Saar, Tallinn, Estonia
2001Annual exhibition of artistsâ group Ydi, Tallinn, Estonia
Exhibition of the Estonian Academy of Artsâ (EAA) Finno-Ugric expedition, âThe Water-Bird Peopleâ, Belgium
1999â2001 Exhibitions of the EAA Finno-Ugric expeditions, Tallinn, Tartu, Estonia
Ulla Saar (1975) is an illustrator and graphic artist. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts in product design. Her first illustrated book Lift achieved immediate widespread recognition and was listed in the 2014 White Ravens catalogue. Since then, every one of her books has received international attention. Saar practices a contemporary, design-like approach to book illustration: her spirited and playful art is often more a part of the workâs overall design than free-standing pictures.
