The project proposal was one of the most unique challenges of Steven Salerno‘s career: to illustrate a new mini picture book featuring one of the most well known and beloved characters in picture book history, Madeline.
Yes, that Madeline, the brave, charming little girl who lives “In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines,” with “twelve little girls in two straight lines.”
It all began in 2019 when Steven was contacted by Denise Cronin, executive art director of the publishing house Viking Press (Penguin Random House), who posed the question: Would he be interested in the special project of purposely mimicking the impressionistic and whimsical style of famed author/illustrator of Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans? Steven began creating a series of test sample illustrations purposely mimicking the Madeline style. He was well aware he would be working in the background, and the project would not really do much to further his own artistic career. But he became confident that he could do an excellent job of emulating the Bemelmans drawing style, perhaps better than anyone else and felt a kind of obligation to take on the role of artistic guardian of the Madeline character. He said, “Yes.”
Steven goes on to explain,”Posted here are a few of my very early test illustrations purposely created in the distinctive Bemelmans Madeline style, before the entire project was actually even official. Also posted as a sneak peek are a handful of my sketches and also some of the final illustrations for LOVE from Madeline, the first book in the series, which is slated for a release date in February 2022, as well as for the second title in the new series, Madeline’s ABC Book, slated for a release date in summer 2022.” There will be a total of five books in the series.
To read more about the project and see more images go to Steven’s blog.