Erla studied at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts from 1984-1988 and graduated in fine arts. During the summer 1991 she studied watercolour painting in the Trier Art College in Germany. After graduation she has worked as an artist, illustrating almost 40 children‘s books as well as teaching in the Kópavogur Art School.

​

In 1995, she was invited to participate in the Scandinavian exhibition of children‘s book illustrators in Norway. That same year, Erla received an award from the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), in recognition of her work on book illustration. She was also awarded for the best illustration of a children‘s book (Veislan í Barnavagninum by Herdís Egilsdóttir) in the annual competition organised by the publisher Vaka Helgafell and the Icelandic Children‘s Book Awards Committee.

​

In 1996 she was the Icelandic entry for the H.C. Andersen prize.

​

In 2001 she was honoured as the Artist of Kópavogur and received recognition from the Writers‘ Union of Iceland.