Project Delivered to: President of the USA commissioned by Legal Arts Inc.
Artists: James O’Reilly
Case Study Introduction
This was one of the most unique projects for Orb Art Studio. Our Client, Jim Gripp, President of Legal Arts Inc. approached Orb Art Studio for a graphic novel. The stakes were high as the graphic novel needed to tell the story of his client to the then president of the United States of America in order to request a legal pardon for a previous conviction. Specifically, the the project was a clemency petition for a complete pardon of a former American soldier.
The Challenge
Delivering a graphic novel for such a sensitive case was itself a challenge. As much as our Founder, James O’Reilly loved to work on this unique project, the stakes very high. The project had to tell the story in a convincing way to the President of Unites States of America. The pressure was high as completing the project was a race against time. The deadlines were tight as we had to anticipate the moods and behaviors of the president based on reports coming out at the time.
Our Approach
After discussing with the client, James finalized the format for this unique project. The artwork required a lot of working and reworking of the details for maximum effect. So, there were a lot of discussions & meetings between the parties. Our aim has always been to fulfill client’s expectations and for that, we usually go over and beyond.
Successful Project Delivery
After hours of dedicated work, the project was successfully delivered directly to the President. The artwork and presentation of the graphic novel had to balance professionalism and entertainment. It contained an image of the president presenting him a hero at the end. The drawing had to be professional yet flattering. We fulfilled the client’s expectation to make it attention grabbing but not too much like a comic.
Hear it from the Client
“James O'Reilly (Founder of Orb Art Studio) exceeded my expectations when he successfully completed one of the most unusual and high-stakes assignments I've handled in 40+ years of art direction: illustrating a "graphic novel" for an audience of one: the president of the United States. The project was a clemency petition for a complete pardon of a former American soldier. My challenge was to tell his story in the most compelling way for an executive who infamously refused to read more than a few paragraphs (regardless of how important the communication) and to appeal to the man's ego by making the president the hero at the end.
James chose the best style for a documentary-type story and tailored the illustrations for technical accuracy. While the petition was ultimately unsuccessful given the political climate of the day, Orb Art Studio's work was well received by legal counsel and everyone involved in the endeavor. I heartily recommend James and Orb Art Studio.”
- Jim Gripp, President, Legal Arts Inc.