Illustrating a Personal Gift: A Case Study

I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Greg Fischer, who was about to become an uncle to his first niece, Sol. Greg wanted to create a personal and meaningful gift to celebrate her arrival into the world. To achieve this, he approached me to illustrate a children's book he had written, dedicated to Sol. The goal was to have the book completed prior to Greg meeting Sol.

Together, we decided on a concept where I would illustrate 12 images to accompany the heartfelt story Greg had hand-written in the original manuscript. The illustrations were to complement the text on the left-hand side of each page.

Deliverables included:

• 6 character designs, with two rounds of edits and changes allowed per character.

• A rough draft for the layout of all 12 pages, with two rounds of revisions per page.

• A 40-hour work agreement, with a timeline of six weeks to complete the project.

Materials used:

• Procreate

• Traditional Media

Project exchange: Client Feedback:

C: “First off, what do you think of the book?”

G: “I love it. It was so meaningful to create something heartfelt to share. Seeing my sister and brother-in-law read it to my niece are memories I’ll treasure forever.”

C: “When it came to illustrating a children’s book, what made you reach out?”

G: “Well, I knew that kids love pictures in children’s books, and it was important to have images that not only complemented the storyline but were also heartfelt. But I don’t have the ability to create those images myself. There were two things that stood out to me about you: first, I thought your style was phenomenal and versatile, and second, you seemed like someone who would truly understand my vision and bring it to life.”

C: “What steps did we take to ensure you felt you had a voice throughout the process?”

G: “It was a constant conversation. Every step of the way, I felt like you were incredibly proactive in asking questions and seeking input. So it was effortless—whenever I had feedback, you really took the time to engage with it thoughtfully.”

C: “How did we come to an agreement on budget?”

G: “It was pretty straightforward. I had a number in mind for what the project was worth to me, and you had a sense of what your time was worth. We were able to share those numbers and meet at a place that felt fair to both of us. I’m incredibly satisfied with the value I got out of it.”

C: “What was it like working together?”

G: “It was incredible. For one, you’re a phenomenal artist. I think you truly understood my vision and brought it to life. It’s inspired me to create more and publish additional books in the future—ones that I know wouldn’t be nearly as meaningful without your beautiful visualizations. I can’t thank you enough.”

Conclusion:

This project presented both challenges and rewards, each offering valuable lessons. The main challenge was working with a tight timeline while balancing other commitments. It required careful time management and realistic expectations. In the future, I would consider adding a rush fee or discussing project scope more thoroughly with clients to ensure I can meet deadlines without compromising quality.

On the rewarding side, I enjoyed the creative push of developing an aesthetic that matched the agreed style while bringing Greg's vision to life. The experience highlighted the importance of setting boundaries, both in terms of time and creativity. Establishing an edit limit per page helped keep the project on track, allowing us to finish on time within the 6-week deadline. Overall, this project was fulfilling, reinforcing the importance of clear communication, creative flexibility, and effective planning.