There were numerous practical considerations. The creative team at Willitts Designs combined their talents to Support Tom's vision. Thomas's initial sketches began with concepts like those shown on these two pages and evolved into the images seen in the line today. From the start, one thing was quite clear - Thomas had something very important to say artistically about the black culture, and he was bringing an exciting, fresh perspective to the project. During the initial year of development, Willitts Design's staff took the concepts in graphic line art form to a group of industry experts for feedback.
Advisors groups are a common practice in the collectible industry.
Their input can terminate or greatly modify a proposed project. While the advisors recognized and believed in Thomas' talent, they had serious doubts about what Willitts was trying to accomplish. They didn't believe there was a significant market for a line like Ebony Visions. Thomas further developed his ideas, and the Willitts staff presented them to a similar team at the South Bend International Collectibles Exposition in July 1994. The response was still tempered with caution.