reduce size of a drawing

Hi All:

I have a question regarding the best way to reduce the size of a drawing from possibly 8” x 10” to 1”x1”. I am going to hire an artist to draw a characture of one of my clients (similar to below)

http://krnlpanik.net/fotos/charactures/Alan_Characture.jpg

and use that as buttons for the website. I am thinking my options are to scan artist’s drawing into PS and reduce image, but I will definitely lose quality. Or I can retrace the drawing in Illustrator and develop a vector drawing, which I can resize . . . but how do I trace color?

Can you guys offer some input? And the best way to approach this?

Thanks!

If it were me, I'd save the scanned image as a .gif file. I don't really think you lose quality in that type of image - see attachment.
Just my 2cts. Hope it helps.

ok thanks. yeah I guess you could be correct. Ive rec'd other feedback and they say the same thing . . . I'll give it a shot. As long as I scan at high res, it shouuld retain detail . . . I hope.

Thanks!