This is "Re-Sendakify"

This is in response to Elizabeth Bird's call for submissions to "Re-Sendakify Sendak!"  Here, we have Miroslav Sasek (1916-1980), famous for his "This is" series of picture books.  Sasek's books have a way of drawing readers in with his cheerful tone of someone experiencing a place with wonder and amusement.  Just imagine how he would take us on a tour of Maurice Sendak's, Where the Wild Things Are.  It might go something like this:

So here we are.
There are many wild things living here - dozens with yellow eyes, gnashing teeth, terrible claws - and there is a king of the wild things.  This one is called Max.

The cover is loosely based on, This is Paris.  Below are works in progress, as well as images that inspired the drawing above, which is pen and gouache on bristol.

WiP - inking in text over blueline

WiP - after mask removed

Surrounded by reference materials and cup 'o java!

This is Paris, p.12

This is Paris, p.50