What started out as a fun camper illustration project turned into an opportunity to explore my illustration styles! Shallie from Set the Bar Rentals reached out for a custom illustration set of her business’s two adorable event trailers.

To first illustrate Shirley, her retro mobile bar trailer, I started out with my typical detailed approach, clean and precise. Personality still comes through but it’s very controlled and I think it has a certain elegance about it.

Then I felt a spurring on of inspiration and decided to give it another go and keep things quicker and loose.

The bottom illustration was the result – something I decided to call ‘sketch’ in comparison to my more controlled style which I’ve dubbed ‘tidy’.

Both styles have their unique personality and use. My Retro Camper illustration pack definitely utilizes the sketch style!

I took the same approach for the other piece – a modern little restroom trailer (such a smart idea right?!). The top illustration features my tidy style and the bottom is my sketch style.

Full disclosure – I do not paint all my commission projects twice! (Besides the ones I mess up or spill paint water all over…another story for another time) But when inspiration strikes, I’ve discovered it’s best to not try to thwart it!

I shared both with Shallie and she chose the ‘tidy’ versions as her final logos! She also shared this kind testimonial about her experience.

Rachel was such a pleasure to work with! She responded quickly and answered all my questions. She sent me a simple b&w [black and white] draft that I was in love with and even painted our mobile bar trailer in both “sketch” and “tidy” versions and let me choose between the two. I was extremely happy with the final product and can’t wait to get my original prints in the mail! True talent.

Shallie at Set the Bar 

Illustration on White 5×7″
Digitized Artwork Add On
Paper: Canson Bristol
Paint: Winsor & Newton Professional, Daniel Smith Artist, Poems About You