First I start with simple sketches to rough out an idea that I can work with and would work with the client. It was also around this time that I started to work to find a message that I wanted to send along with the image. The message I decided to go with was "As our branches grow, we remember who planted the seed. Thank you."
After getting the message worked out the way I wanted it, I worked up the image. I enlarged my small sketches so I could work at twice the print size so I could create a well rendered image. I do all of my ink work traditionally.