BROWNSTONES to RED DIRT: postcard project Process

I was asked to participate on a really great Project by Vicki Saulls at BlueSky Animation studios. The piece I created will be part of an online auction, along side of some really fantastic artist. We all received these really cool bamboo cards to do work on. The theme was to illustrate something around the theme Pen Pals...but for me the core of the idea was about the kids themselves. Over coming adversities...It was simple and subtle and the nice tie to the diamond trade in Sierra Leone. Below are some scans of my process.

My original Sketch: