PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: 5 new MADELINE picture books, published by Viking Press… (and I created the illustrations in the style of the original creator, Ludwig Bemelmans)
B for BRIDGE -Madeline balancing on bridge railing -illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This illustration is for a new picture book Madeline’s ABC’s (Viking Press), the 2nd title in a series of 5 new Madeline picture books.
Back in 2020 I signed the contract for a very interesting picture book project -to illustrate a new picture book featuring one of the most well known and beloved characters in picture book history, Madeline. (Subsequently in 2021 I signed a multi-book contract to illustrate 4 more Madeline picture books & board books.) Yes that Madeline! From the classic picture book of the same name -having the famous opening line: “In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.” You know the story!
See a video posting about this special MADELINE project on Steven’s YouTube.com channel.
My career as an illustrator has never been to imitate another artist’s style. However back in 2019 Denise Cronin, then the executive art director of the publishing house Viking Press (Penguin Random House), posed the question to me: Would I be interested in the special project of purposely mimicking the impressionistic and whimsical style of famed author/illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans for a series of new Madeline picture books? (With the official permission of the Bemelmans estate, of course!)
FYI: For those who don’t know Ludwig Bemelmans (born 1898 - died 1962), he was a well established illustrator/travel writer who had already penned & illustrated a number of picture books for children when in 1939 his little gem of a picture book entitled, MADELINE was first released. It’s about a brave, charming little girl in a yellow hat living in an old Paris boarding school along with eleven other girls -and always under the watchful eye of the towering Miss Clavel. It grew into a hit, striking a popular note with both children and adults… and over the years became one of the most loved and memorable characters in children’s picture book literature. The first Madeline picture book in 1939 was followed by four more Madeline titles before Bemelmans’ death in 1962, and then a sixth title was released posthumously in 1985.
I seriously mulled over this unusual project offer that had unexpectedly come my way and expressed interest in doing it. First I created a series of test sample illustrations purposely mimicking the Madeline style -to show Denise Cronin at Viking Press as well as the people of the Bemelmans estate that I could successfully handle the aesthetic requirements of this unique project. But then nearly six months went by and I didn’t hear anything further from Viking Press. I just assumed the entire Madeline project never obtained a green light. I was busy with other picture book projects anyway. Then in late May 2020 I was officially offered the Madeline project.
So I said YES… and certainly not for the notoriety because very few people will even be aware I’m the contemporary artist in the background creating the illustrations for these new Madeline picture books in the graphic style of the originator. Nor would this project really enhance my own picture book career arc. My ultimate reason for taking on this project was simple. Because I knew I could do an excellent job of emulating the Bemelmans’ drawing style, perhaps better than anyone else, and I also felt a kind of dutiful obligation to take on this role of artistic guardian of the Madeline character -by hopefully imbuing a strong sense of Ludwig Bemelmans’ wonderful graphic sensibilities into the illustrations for these new picture books! I have always admired and respected Bemelmans’ artistic vision and since these new books were going to be produced with me or without me I figured I should be involved to ensure the illustrations are done well!
Initially Viking Press wanted me to immediately begin work on this first Madeline picture book (entitled LOVE from MADELINE) in order to complete the final art by September 2020, but I was already busy with finishing a picture book for Christy Ottaviano Books/Macmillan plus then had to launch right into illustrating a new picture book for Little Bee Books as well. So Viking Press agreed to push their production schedule forward so the final art for LOVE from Madeline wouldn’t be due until April 2021, for a publication release date in February 2022.
The author of all these new titles you ask? The 5 new MADELINE titles are all written by Ludwig Bemelmans’ grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano.
September 2024 UPDATE: The first 4 new MADELINE books in this 5 book series have all been completed, printed, and released…
(1) Love from Madeline -released April 2022
(2) Madeline’s ABCs -released June 2022
(3) Madeline’s 123s -released Nov 2022
(4) Madeline’s SEASONS -released Spring 2023
The 5th title, MADELINE Says Be Kind was delayed a bit… I just completed all the final illustrations in September 2024 and so this final title is slated to be released in Spring 2025.
the covers of the 1st four titles released in the series of 5 new MADELINE picture books, illustrated by Steven Salerno. The 5th and final title in the series, Madeline Says Be Kind will be released in Spring 2025.
The entire project was a bit daunting to say the least! To illustrate Madeline and having to capture the look and feel of the originator’s style -with the added pressure of knowing that perhaps the witty and refined spirit of Ludwig Bemelmans was looking over my shoulder watching every stroke of the pen and brush I made!
above is a cropped detail view of one of the illustrations from the 5th title in the series, Madeline Says Be Kind, illustrated by Steven Salerno. Slated for release in Spring 2025. Here Miss Clavel is walking all twelve of the girls to school in the early morning.
Posted below are a few of my very early test illustrations drawn in the distinctive Bemelmans’ Madeline style, created before the entire project was actually even official. Also posted is a look at a handful of my preliminary sketches and some of the final illustrations from several of the books in the series.
FYI: the sketches were created with crayon and ink on paper, however the final illustrations were all created entirely digitally -which gave me the flexibility to draw and redraw lines over and over again if necessary, to ensure that I was capturing the essence of the Bemelmans’ distinctive drawing style.
Bedtime - an early preliminary test illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the stye of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This drawing was created digitally.
At the Zoo - an early preliminary test illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the stye of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This drawing was created digitally.
Brushing Teeth - an early preliminary test illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the stye of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This drawing was created digitally.
Madeline and Pepito -detail of a rough preliminary sketch created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This sketch was for the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press), the first in a series of 5 new picture books. (ink and crayon on paper)
Coming Homel -detail of a rough preliminary sketch created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This sketch was for the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press), the first in a series of 5 new picture books. (ink and crayon on paper)
Coming Homel -detail of the final completed illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. (the corresponding preliminary sketch is seen directly above this image. You can see that during the sketch stage the image was initially planned to be in just yellow & black, but the final illustration was created with full color.) This illustration is from the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press), the first in the series of 5 new picture books. (digital)
Sailing with a Friend -detail of a rough preliminary sketch created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This sketch was for the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press)
The Rescue -detail of a rough preliminary sketch created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This sketch was for the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press)
Bedtime -detail of the final completed illustration created by Steven Salerno, purposely mimicking the style of the originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans. This illustration is from the new picture book LOVE from Madeline (Viking Press)
TRUMP CONVICTED: The New Yorker magazine cover (almost)!
Trump Convicted -drawing by Steven Salerno
Back in the mid 1990’s I had a number of my B&W pen drawings purchased by The New Yorker magazine… which was through their art director then, Chris Curry. And as far I know only 4 of these drawings were published in various issues of the magazine. (At the time I was represented by the NYC illustration rep firm, Lindgren & Smith, but after 12 years we parted ways.)
Fast forward to summer 2023, and I decided it would be a great self-imposed project to try and have one of my drawings appear on the cover of The New Yorker, the most prominent editorial publication for highly creative drawn and painted cover art. (It would essentially be a shot in the dark though, considering how many vastly talented artists and illustrators also are making a cover submission attempt each and every week.) So, I began sending my proposed cover art drawings via email to Francoise Mouly, the esteemed and influential art editor at The New Yorker since 1993. Over a period of about a year I created a dozen or so of my cover art images and sent them to Francoise. One of them being the drawing I have posted above -depicting ex-President Trump with his head and hands locked inside a wooden stockade- which I had created at the very beginning of his trial.
FYI I created this drawing digitally -but with a painted gouache texture as a background layer.
Trump was indeed convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on May 30th 2024, and a couple weeks prior to his conviction I was contacted by Françoise Mouly, expressing how much she liked my drawing of Trump locked inside the stockade. And she also explained that my drawing might possibly be chosen as THE cover art for the magazine IF Trump were to actually be convicted. However she was requesting a couple minor changes to my drawing: in the original art image the little padlock on the side of the stockade had a number “45” on it. And also in the original art the shadow under Trump’s feet was in the shape of the United States. Francoise requested those two elements be removed, which I did remove and submitted to her the exact same final drawing posted here. But I remember at the time thinking, what are the chances of Trump actually being convicted? Very slim I thought.
On May 30th 2024 when the news reported “the ex-President is convicted on 34 felony counts” I was shocked… But, unfortunately the The New Yorker’s final decision on which art image would appear on that week’s cover just did not go my way. My “Trump in a Stockade” was passed on, and instead another art image reflecting Trump’s conviction, one with a decidedly more humorous spin to it, was chosen for that week’s cover. As compensation though I was paid a healthy “sketch fee” for my drawing being in the final running as the possibly cover for that week.
Although disappointed I was also very happy to have come so close… and am continuing to send my cover art images to Francoise for her consideration.
above is one of my B&W drawings that appeared in The New Yorker back in the mid-1990’s …the cyclist.
above -Steven Salerno’s drawing: Women on Wheels
above -Steven Salerno’s drawing: Summer in the City
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: The Crayon Man picture book wins the prestigious 2020 Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature
The Crayon Man -The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons (nonfiction) written by Natascha Biebow & illustrated by Steven Salerno -published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, has won the 2020 Irma Black Award for excellence in children’s literature.
The Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature (Irma Black Award) goes to an outstanding book for young children—a book in which text and illustrations are inseparable, each enhancing and enlarging on the other to produce a singular whole. The Irma Black Award is unusual in that children are the final judges of the winning book. Thousands of children in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and the United Arab Emirates participated in the voting process. (This year the award ceremony scheduled for Thursday, May 14th 2020 was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic)
see Steven’s blog post on making the illustrations for The Crayon Man
an illustration created by Steven Salerno for The Crayon Man… depicting Edwin Binney in his chemical factory which produced black pigments, black inks and black dyes -until the day he invented the first COLOR crayons just for kids.
This picture book follows the success story of American inventor Edwin Binney -manufacturer in the early 1900’s of black inks, black dyes, and black pigments -until the day he was inspired to invent and produce the first smudge-free COLOR crayons made just for kids… which he and his wife named CRAYOLA Crayons. The initial box had just 8 colors and cost 5¢. Crayola Crayons went on to become one of the most iconic and popular brands ever.
“Salerno’s illustrations reflect the formality of the era, which he playfully disrupts with splashes of color: in one spread, a line of pigment-spattered workers end a day of crayon experimentation. Readers are likely to be fascinated by the process of “grinding, grinding, grinding up rocks and minerals into fine powders” and the rich colors that result” -Publishers Weekly
“Biebow’s first nonfiction picture book flows with conversational smoothness ... The attractive full-page -and, accordingly, brightly colorful - illustrations mix realism and whimsy" - Booklist
"In this chatty, engaging picture book, Biebow provides the historical context around the invention of Crayola crayons....What [Caldecott Medalist] Jon Klassen achieves emotionally in his characters' eyes, Salerno manages with eyebrows here" -Kirkus Reviews
-2020 Winner of the Irma Black Award, Excellence in Children’s Literature
-2020 Best STEM Books award list
-Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (MD)
-A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
-2019 An Amazon “Best of the Month” selection in Children’s non-fiction
-North Carolina Children’s Book Award list
-CFSID Horned Toad Tale Award list (TX)
-Charter Oak, Children’s Book Award list (CT)
-Beehive Award for Children’s Informational Books, Honor Book (UT)
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: giant window display graphics for on-site promo of One Hill South
^ above -featuring one section of the on-site display which depicts a cropped close-up detail of one of my scene illustrations, this one focussing on a couple at a restaurant bar.
The Related Companies/ One Hill South
Back when the Time Warner Center first opened years ago, located at Columbus Circle in NYC (but now named the Deutsche Center), I was commissioned by the developer, The Related Companies, to create a series of illustrations for their magazine print ads promoting all the new retail shops located in the TWC. It was a terrific assignment. Then many years later I was again commissioned by The Related Companies, this time to create illustrated window display graphics promoting their new residential apartment building complex in the Capitol Riverfront section of Washington DC... named ONE HILL SOUTH (on K Street). I created three 4-panel scenes which were reproduced at 9 feet tall x 76 feet long in total! I created the art images in Adobe Illustrator, as the vector-based images were required in order to enlarge them up to the full window size. Posted here are some detail views of the actual window installations on-site, as well as views of some of the illustrations I supplied to them. It's cool seeing my images reproduced so large!
^ above -this section of the window display depicts a man shopping at a neighborhood market, with the Capitol building seen in the distant background.
^ above -this section of the window display is a cropped close-up detail of a scene depicting a cafe with a romantic couple enjoying a drink, accompanied by their pet dog.
^ above -this is one of the 12 illustration panels I created for the project... which depicts a man zooming off to work on his scooter, and in the background is the Nationals Baseball Stadium.
^ above -this is one of the 12 illustration panels I created for the project... which depicts several chefs intently working in a neighborhood restaurant.
^ above -the view of all 12 panels created for the project: (top)morning, (middle)daytime, (bottom)evening. Once installed on site, the printed display graphics totaled 9 feet tall x 76 feet length.