ILLUSTRATOR. ARTIST. AUTHOR, CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR.

About Leila

Hi there! I'm Leila, an artist and illustrator based in beautiful Somerset, UK. After stepping into professional illustration following a career pivot, I moved from digital to full-time traditional media. I worked with publishers and editors to illustrate children’s chapter books and picture books. Today however, I find my interests shifting and I am exploring editorials, surface pattern and packaging amongst other industries. My practice centers around colored pencil, pastel, and paint, bringing a quiet, cozy nostalgia and intimate visual storytelling to every piece. My work features a soft colored pencil and pastel texture embued in storytelling, with rich atmospheric lighting, and a cozy, folk-art-inspired sensibility. I am also exploring florals and botanicals.

I love seeing my artwork come to life across a wide range of projects—from editorial features and publishing to greeting cards, packaging, and surface design. When I'm not in my studio, you'll usually find me spending time with my son, enjoying a quiet cup of tea, or taking a walk with my dog. I'm so excited to collaborate on new creative ventures and bring your vision to life!

Smiling woman with long wavy gray-streaked hair wearing a floral blouse and layered necklaces indoors
CONTACT LEILA

  • “Working with Leila on two books was a great experience. She offered creative ideas that added real value to the stories, and her communication was always clear and easy. She delivered everything on time and showed strong professionalism. I would happily recommend her for future creative projects.”

    — Eva Mariën, Assistant Publisher, Clavis Publishing, Clavis Publishing | We Make Children's Dreams Come True

  • “Leila is a really talented artist with very good attention to detail. The artwork is amazingly vibrant and she was able to bring the characters in the story to life.Very good communication through the whole process, with sharing of rough sketches, coloured samples and final images. The delivery was on time as promised. Leila was happy to carry out any revisions if need.  Its always a pleasure working with Leila.”

    — Neha Sharma , Editor , Auris Tech

  • “Leila is a joy to work with. We have completed two books together and it was a fantastic experience. She is patient and very helpful, and we planned each page effortlessly. Her illustrations are amazing, They really bring the book to life. Each aspect is agreed throughout,  from a specific drawing to colour palettes. I would definitely recommend Leila as she is so talented at what she does and such a lovely person. She made my dream become reality.”

    — Lisa Jones, Author, Surprise / Christmas Eve.

  • “I have admired Leila’s work on Social Media for a long time and was thrilled when she agreed to design our Social Enterprise Christmas Cards. Leila communicated regularly through-out the process, she delivered to the dead-lines agreed and discussed each illustration throughout to ensure she was capturing what we wanted. Her professionalism and artistic ability made the experience both easy and exciting. I really hope that Leila will work for us again.”

    — Emma Saysell, Spectrum of Misconception

  • “Leila was very professional from start to finish. She did exactly what was asked of her on a tricky and precise project and I am very pleased with the outcome. She worked with patience and understanding throughout. I would definitely recommend Leila if you are looking for an illustrator.”

    — Rachel Taranaki, Author, The Worries.

  • “I had the pleasure of working with Leila. She made Little Lena and The Big Table come to life on the pages. She was prompt, knowledgable, and professional. I can only hope to work with her again on more projects the future.”

    — Maria Boucher, Publisher www.bigbellybookco.com 

  • “When I wrote “Little Lena and the Big Table”, I had a vague idea of what Lena looked like. Leila must've found a way to look into my brain, because the moment I saw the first artwork of Lena I knew my character was in wonderful hands. I couldn't have asked for a better collaborator. Leila's creative, hard working, generous. In short, she's amazing!”

    — Pj McIlvaine, Author , Little Lena and the Big Table

  • “I have worked with Leila on a couple of projects, firstly a paperback book which we published and secondly a children’s book. Not only is Leila a amazingly talented illustrator, but also has a great technical knowledge for creating the files in the correct format. I highly recommend Leila and look forward to working with her on future projects. ”

    — Scott Pearce, Publisher, www.scottpearce.co.uk

  • “I have truly enjoyed working with Leila. She communicates well, meets her deadlines, and puts a great deal of care into her artwork. She takes feedback graciously and her artwork is beautifully done. I have always been impressed with both her professionalism and her positive attitude. I would happily recommend Leila to anyone looking for a talented and reliable illustrator.”

    — Lara Law, Publisher, Lawley Publishing

GETTING TO KNOW LEILA

  • At 40, I launched my illustration career after a globe-trotting previous life—living in over 10 countries, speaking 3+ languages, and working across multiple industries. That rich background fuels every story I tell through art today.

  • Every design is hand-drawn straight from my imagination onto paper using traditional media like colored pencils, soft pastels, and Caran d'Ache Neocolor II, unless the client requests I use digital media, in which case I use procreate. (100% AI-Free)

  • Off the Drawing Board: I share my home studio with my Chiweenie pup Lili, I have a serious love for white coffee and lavender tea, constantly wrestle with my curly hair, and never leave the house without my pearls.

WORK WITH LEILA

PUBLISHED CHILDREN’S BOOKS

A book titled "Bear Loves Pears" by Leila Nabih, a partially visible empty baking bowl, on a wooden surface.

  • Do Not Let a Bear (2026) - Lawley Publishing

  • Holiday Hannah (September 2026) - Clavis Books

  • The Colour of Words (April 2026) - Clavis Books

  • Just So Stories (April 2026) - Sweet Cherry Publishing

  • Dr Doolittle (April 2026) - Sweet Cherry Publishing

  • Ten Hungry Dragons (February 2026) - Lawley Publishing

  • Counting Birds (2023) - Self Published

  • Bird Colouring Book (2023) - Self Published

  • Waiting for Santa (2022) - Self Published

  • Spot 5 Differences (2021) - Self Published

  • A colouring Book for Bear Loves Pears (2021) - Self Published

  • Bear Loves Pears (2020) - Self Published

  • The Worries (2020) - Babyopathy Essex

  • Little Lena and the Big Table (2019) - Big Belly Books Ltd

  • Surprise (2019) - Lisa Jones

  • Amanda’s Goes Exploring (2018) - Fonetti

  • Nursery Rhymes (2018) - Fonetti

  • Christmas Eve (2017) - Lisa Jones

  • Joy’s Sneakers (2017) - Self Published

  • Litt’l Red (2017) - Self Published

The word 'Fonetti' in bold, dark blue text on a light gray background.
A logo with the word 'auris' in lowercase black letters and an abstract multicolored wave design to the right.
Red square sign with a white outline illustration of a hand holding a glass and the word 'Clavis' written in white text.
Logo for Big Belly Book Co. with a large letter B, a star, and stylized text.
Logo of Lawley Publishing featuring an open book with a red heart in the center, and the tagline 'Kids' books with heart' underneath.