From 1955 to 1960 Uhlig studied at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Dresden, from 1961 to 1963 he was master student of Hans Theo Richter at the Deutsche Akademie der Künste, Berlin. In 1965 he set up a studio in the "Künstlerhaus" Dresden-Loschwitz. In 1966 Uhlig began with painting pictures of painters and received the "1. Preis der Pirckheimer-Gesellschaft für kleine Graphik" in Hamburg. From 1966 to 1969 he created numerous lithographs following literature. Uhlig started a new beginning with coloured works. From 1975 on works in bigger format were created in which he chose especially landscapes, still lifes and pictures as themes. From 1980 to 1984 Uhlig travelled to Glowe/Rügen, where he created watercolour works and drawings of nature. In 1987 he received the Käthe-Kollwitz-Preis der Akademie der Künste of the GDR. In 1989 he was guest lecturer at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Nuremberg. In 1990 he undertook short travels to the USA, Paris, Denmark, Amsterdam and to the Provence. In 1991 he was visiting professor at the International Akademie für Kunst und Gestaltung in Hamburg. His artistic work was accompanied by several honours and prizes, e.g. he received the 2nd prize at the Biennale in Sao Paulo and the gold medal at the 10th Norsk International Print Triennal Fredrikstad. In 1995 he followed the call to professorship at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Dresden. In January 1996 a great part of his work was destroyed by a fire at the "Künstlerhaus" in Dresden-Loschwitz.