After my artist representative finalized the budget and timing for the project, he gave Virginia and Lee at Arnold Worldwide my contact information and told me to expect contact from them shortly. Soon after, Virginia sent me an email and scheduled a conference call between her, Lee, and myself. In the call, Virginia and Lee gave me a detailed overview of what the campaign was about and what they expected from me.

They explained that the campaign was focused on the 157th birthday celebration of the founder of Jack Daniel's Whiskey, Mr. Jack Daniel, and that my illustration style fit perfectly for the period of Jack's lifetime. My wood engraving style–done on scratchboard with pen and ink– gives the look of print material produced throughout the 19th century, the period when Jack was born and eventually established his distillery in Tennessee.

After our phone call, Virginia sent me an email with a PDF containing the comp shown here on the left, along with 3 other comps. (I began work on pencils for all the ads but will only show in this article the progress on the one shown here.)

What was needed from me for the ad shown at left:
1. Draw ribbons similar in style to what is seen on currency and in 19th century advertisements. The ribbons will be used as borders and as a framework for placing type. The type to be handled by the production department at Arnold Worldwide.
2. Draw filigrees to match those used on the Jack Daniel's labels that will be used as outside borders of the ads.
3. Render a portrait of Jack Daniel with a woodcut or engraving look.

Go to step 3 to see the pencil-sketch stage.