 McCaig was born in Santa Monica, California, but spent most of his younger years in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.He later moved to Great Britain and attended the Glasgow School of Art., but returned one summer to California work at Korty Films, where he contributed to Sesame Street cartoons and a trailer for the 1983 animated film "Twice Upon a Time".Returning to the UK, he began a career as a freelance illustrator; his work there includes the cover for Jethro Tull's ("The Broadsword and the Beast") and cover and interior illustrations for Ian Livingstone's 'Fighting Fantasy' books.