I’m Sivan Pail, an illustrator and character artist based in New Jersey, specializing in children’s books and playful illustrations full of personality.
I’m Sivan Pail, an illustrator and character artist based in New Jersey, specializing in children’s books and playful illustrations full of personality.
My work combines expressive characters, vibrant color, and humor, with close attention to emotion and visual storytelling. My experience includes illustrating published picture books, developing characters, designing covers, and creating book layouts.
I enjoy exploring what makes each character unique and building imaginative worlds that young readers can connect with.
A pool party for cats. Liquid cats float through the water, dive, sip drinks, and enjoy a lazy afternoon together. A little escape into an imaginary world of cats, filled with playful details and humor.
An illustrated spread from the published picture book Grandpa Tractor, showing Grandpa and his grandchildren walking together through a rural landscape. I developed the visual concept and composition from the manuscript, using expressive poses and individual character details to convey movement, personality, and warmth. Role: Illustration, visual concept development and graphic design
An illustration from the published picture book Grandpa Tractor, bringing Grandpa, Grandma, and the story’s imaginary creatures together on the porch of their home. I developed the visual concept and composition from the manuscript, combining an everyday setting with fantastical characters. Contrasting expressions, playful interactions, and small details add humor and personality to the scene. Role: Illustration, visual concept development and graphic designer
A whimsical illustration from the published children’s picture book Grandpa Tractor, featuring Grandpa, his grandchildren, and fantastical creatures floating among stars and oversized golden fries. I developed the visual concept and composition from the manuscript, using dynamic poses and a limited blue, purple, and yellow palette to create a playful, dreamlike atmosphere filled with movement and humor. Roles: Illustration, visual concept development, and graphic design.
A short, wordless comic created for “Avedot,” a group exhibition at Outline Festival in Jerusalem, 2024. The story is partly inspired by my first visit to Japan at age 20. The day after arriving, I got lost, with no idea where to go or how to find my way back-long before smartphones could show me the way. No one seemed able or willing to help. In the comic, this unsettling experience becomes an unexpected connection with a small street rat, also lost and unnoticed by those passing by. Two strangers, each overlooked, finally see one another. Roles: Illustration, concept development, and visual storytelling.
Editorial illustration for “Learning Humility,” published on The Times of Israel’s Blogs platform. The illustration brings reading, writing, and teaching together in a single, multi-armed figure, reflecting the article’s exploration of learning and teaching as interconnected activities. A warm, limited palette, textured linework, and floating Hebrew letters connect the visual concept to the text. Roles: Illustration and visual concept development. View the published article: https://www.twine.net/signin
Four custom illustrated icons created for Yalla Nedaber, a social skills card kit for children and teenagers. Each icon represents a stage of group development: Connections, Relationships, Depth, and Impact. I translated these abstract ideas into approachable visual metaphors, using a consistent drawing style and pairing each icon with its own color to distinguish the stages throughout the kit. Roles: Icon design, illustration, visual concept development and graphic design.
Illustration created for the exhibition Pride in Love, celebrating individuality, diversity, and equality. Each of the six characters has their own colors, features, and personality. No two are alike, yet they share the same space as equals. Together, they express a simple belief: we are all unique, and we are all human. Roles: Illustration and visual concept development.
An expression sheet exploring the emotional range of the same original character, including confidence, amusement, worry, and frustration. Through changes in the eyes, mouth, eyebrows, and head angle, I explored how to communicate different feelings while preserving the character’s distinctive features and playful personality. Roles: Character design, illustration and visual concept development
A pose sheet exploring the movement and personality of an original character, from confident balancing poses to awkward tumbles and quieter moments. I developed the character’s design, costume, and color palette, then explored how shifts in weight, posture, and expression could convey action and physical humor while maintaining a consistent appearance. Roles: Character design, illustration and visual concept development
A character lineup featuring a family of circus performers: a father, a mother, and their daughter. I developed the characters using a shared purple, green, and yellow palette, recurring costume details, and family resemblances. Contrasting proportions and silhouettes give each family member a distinct personality while keeping the designs connected within the same playful circus world. Roles: Character design, illustration and visual concept development.
Branding and design for a social skills card kit developed by a psychotherapist for children and teenagers, supporting both individual and group activities. I created the logo, illustrated icons, card layouts, instruction and activity cards, and packaging graphics. The visual identity combines friendly illustrations, approachable typography, and a distinct color for each of the four stages of group development, creating a welcoming and cohesive kit. Roles: Branding, logo design, illustration, graphic design and packaging design.
Founded an independent illustration brand featuring original cat-inspired characters, playful visual storytelling, and humor. Create illustrations for art prints, stationery, accessories, and other illustrated products. Develop each collection from the initial concept and character design through artwork, packaging, and final production.
Co-founded a creative studio providing graphic design and illustration for print and digital projects. Develop visual concepts, brand identities, custom illustrations, presentations, editorial layouts, and materials for campaigns, conferences, and events. Work directly with clients to translate their ideas and communication needs into clear, engaging visual design.
Designed packaging, brand identities, websites, digital materials, and presentations. Developed cohesive visual solutions across print and digital formats, with attention to typography, composition, and brand consistency.
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