The client (art director) faxed me a transcript of the story and the layout for proposed illustration. Along with some notes:

1. Should look like brass
2. Title Rikki-tikki-tavi should stand out from the background, easy to read.
3. We will drop in type. (I decide to put in the type myself and make it part of the art.)
4. Should look like snake eggs (he's talking about the eggs in the bottom of the layout).

He also noted that he wanted to see a sketch before I began work on the final art, and he also gave me a date that he wanted to see it by. Of course, I had a deadline for the finished art too.

I wanted to put the photo of the mongoose into the art myself, but for some reason they wanted to do it themselves.