Siski Kalla

Siski Kalla – Designer

Children’s books are my passion! I love to bring stories to life with whimsical, joyful, fun and cute watercolour-based illustrations.

Overview

I absolutely love working with art directors and directly with authors on their books. When a story and the characters resonate with me it makes the entire process seem like fun and I enjoy spending time in their 'world'. I especially enjoy illustrating quirky, sweet or funny characters, and I love illustrating animal characters too. Giving them personality is challenging but I enjoy that!

I've illustrated several children's books, creating magical imagery for I Love You This Much! for Wonderbly Publishing, and sweet, tender illustrations for I Don't Like Birthday Parties for Trigger Publishing, among others.

Character is key when I am creating art for children's books and I try to illustrate the story while allowing the art to create a narrative too. I use bright colours and especially light and shade to create atmospheric scenes and evoke emotions. When viewers look at my art I want them to be transported to another place, and to wish they could be inside one of my paintings. My passions are nature, animals, children, food and travel.
Services
Fiction
Chick Lit Middle Grade Picture Books
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction
Languages
English
Certifications
  • ICB: illustrating children's books, Lilla Rogers Illustration Agency

Work experience

Self-employed

Feb, 2023 — Feb, 2023 (27 days)

I have now done three covers for Claire and thoroughly enjoyed each one. They are middle grade adventure stories with a magical nature them. Just wonderful to read and illustrate the covers for!

Clavis Publishing

Jan, 2023 — Jun, 2023 (6 months)

Wrote and illustrated a children's picture book for Clavis Publishing. Gertie is not ALL dogs, was released earlier this year in Dutch, and will be released in English next year (2024).

Little Steps

Jan, 2023 — Apr, 2023 (3 months)

Illustrating the third book in the Hop Lola Hop series. This one is based around Christmastime and was wonderful to illustrate, just like the others.

Clavis Publishing

Jan, 2023 — Apr, 2023 (4 months)

I wrote and illustrated a book titled Gertie is not ALL Dogs (in English), which is to be published by Clavis Publishing and released in Dutch next year, with the English version to follow.

Self-employed

Aug, 2022 — Nov, 2022 (3 months)

This exceptional and beautiful poem was a joy to work on. It's about a little girl (or boy! See below) who can't seem to 'be' what others expect her to be. When it gets too much, she heads to the forest to speak to the trees. And there, even though the trees don't answer back in words, she finds her happy place. I immediately connected with the message of the poem and it was wonderful to illustrate.

Available with a boy main character or girl, as well as children with different skin colours and hair.

Self-employed

Mar, 2022 — Aug, 2022 (5 months)

Illustrations for this wonderful uplifting and humorous take on when a mother becomes unwell, and how positive thinking and helping her feel good will help everyone to feel better.

Self-employed

Jan, 2022 — May, 2022 (4 months)

A delightful imaginative rhyming story about a little girl who wonders where all the spiders in her home come from... and how to gently put them back outside! With a friendly spider hidden on every page for children to find!

Self-employed

Apr, 2021 — Oct, 2021 (6 months)

Various sports with young children enjoying them, with a lively rhyming text to encourage interest in sports at a young age.

Self-employed

Jul, 2020 — Nov, 2020 (4 months)

Working with Mindy Weiss, celebrity wedding planner, on two stories she has written about a flower girl for a wedding, and a ringbearer boy. This has been one of the most lovely jobs I've had to date. Such a pleasure to illustrate! Mindy is a joy to work with.

Self-employed

Jun, 2020 — Sep, 2020 (3 months)

I'm just finishing illustrating a children's book for Trigger Publishing (imprint of UpsideDown Books). It's been wonderful working with the editor, Hannah, as we've collaborated on the composition and characters. It's a lovely story about a boy who doesn't like birthday parties and how he finds a happy solution to his problem.

Self-employed

Sep, 2019 — Dec, 2019 (3 months)

Colour illustrations for a new book by Wonderbly Publishing, called I Love You This Much! Such a wonderful experience working with this lovely team.

Self-employed

Jan, 2016 — Aug, 2019 (over 3 years)

Illustrations for a series of children's picture books published by an author in arabic; set of illustrations that were projected as scenery for a musical performance in the theatre; ongoing commissions for wall art and textiles.

Portfolio

Starlight

Hemsley, Becky

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Hop Lola Hop

Urban, Kathy

Illustration
Made with Reedsy
Hey! That's OUR Cave!

Mudgett, Felicity

Illustration
Made with Reedsy
When Mom Feels Great Then We Do Too!

Schwartz, Phyllis

Illustration

Siski has 16 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Claire N.

Claire N.

Oct, 2023

As ever, Siski has been dependable, excellent with her art and incredibly helpful throughout. Can thoroughly recommend her.
Claire N.

Claire N.

Jun, 2023

I have just recruited Siski for a third time, and will hope to do so for the rest of my children's book series. She is exactly the person I needed; competent, friendly, willing to listen and adjust her artwork accordingly (which isn't often needed!) and comes up trumps with her designs. Siski has been a joy to work with and I will miss her if and when I move on to a different genre of writing....
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Sarah K.

Sarah K.

May, 2023

Siski was a complete joy to work with and a consummate professional throughout a project that threw her a few unexpected curveballs along the way. She always delivered just what we needed, and when she thought there was an a different approach that would better serve the audience and the book, she was always correct. Her insight and guidance was key to the success of this project, and her abili...
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Siski K.
This project was a lot of fun! I fell in love with the text which was witty and imaginative, which made the project so enjoyable. Sarah was a considerate and creative art director/editor to work wi...
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Claire N.

Claire N.

Apr, 2023

I really could not have asked for a better cover artist. Siski was not only spot on with her design for both of my books, she has also guided me through areas where I needed help with the promotion. I cannot recommend her too highly,
Siski K.
It's a pleasure. These are the kind of stories I loved to read as a child, and still do, even as an adult! So they are fun to work on!
Mariana P.

Mariana P.

Feb, 2023

I cannot express enough my gratitude to Siski. She has brought my story to life, with her beautiful illustrations. Her professionalism, quality, and talent has been worth every penny! I love her work so much, that I'm planning to come back to her again for my next children's book! Thank you, Siski for making my experience incredible!
Siski K.
It was a joy to work on this sweet heartfelt story (also featuring one of my favourite fruits!). Mariana was a delight to collaborate with!

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