Illustrator & Picturebook Maker
The myth behind the name of the Greek capital, Athens; a story of a precious gift that wins the children's hearts.
A series of five illustrations for the issue on Greece with Baika Magazine, June 2024.
A Japanese myth about Amaterasu for Baïka Magazine.
Baïka is a magazine that comes out every three months and it invites children on a mesmerising journey to a different country every time. It explores ethnic and cultural diversity, a truly beautiful editorial project for children!
Out in France in June 2023.
This is a very special authorial book that I had the pleasure to make with Tochitza Publishing.
It is a carefully curated compilation of places in my hometown Sofia, that are particularly familiar to the Sofianer, much more than the visitor/tourist. The book is not a city guide but a love letter to Sofia.
The whole project is inspired by my sketches of people in Sofia, and I thought that it was crucial to include them in the book. This little twist to the book is making it a playful invitation to observe, listen, engage into conversations with the people that we casually meet on our way, in the ever-so-stimulating streets of Sofia.
Not only have I included actual sketches, but quotes, too. Real quotes that I have overheard on my walks, snippets of wisdom and humour, things that have moved me, provoked me, made me feel alive.
This book is a celebration of the life out there, on the street. The city and its people, portrayed in a raw but also gentle way, with all the love and attention that I could give.
The book has received an incredible response, the reactions of the readers were beyond my expectations, and I can hardly express how happy I am. My purpose was to give dignity to this underrated capital and its inhabitants, and people have shared with me that it has indeed given them laughter, tears, memories, nostalgia, hope and contentment. The latter is especially important to me, because acceptance and thankfulness for what we have is a very noble feeling.
The municipality of Sofia has helped us financially with the realisation of this book and has furthermore organised an open-air exhibition with all the artwork for the celebration of the 145 years of Sofia as Bulgaria's capital.
The Bulgarian media has talked about the book on the National TV (BNT), the National Radio (BNR), and many more independent newspapers and magazines.
This project was nominated for the prestigious national award "Hristo G. Danov" in the category "The Art of Book Making" in 2024.
BNT News, (time 27:30) & BNT Interview
“Drawing is the fundamental language of the illustrator. In its many forms and guises, it underpins the practice of illustration, whether or not the finished work appears ‘drawn’. In Drawing for Illustration, teacher, illustrator and writer Martin Salisbury elucidates key aspects of this vital discipline, moving from the basics of line, tone and composition to book illustration and graphic novels, advertising art and reportage.
Featuring more than twenty renowned illustrators on their creative processes, alongside a range of contemporary and historical sketchbooks and projects, this volume is an inspiring, authoritative companion for anyone seeking to develop a personal visual language.”
I have been honoured to be featured alongside artists like Yann Kebbi, Alexis Deacon, Pablo Auladell, Alex Scheffler, Isabelle Arsenault, to say a few.
This book is marvelous and I dive in it with wonder — a book to treasure for everyone who, like me, loves telling stories and loves drawing.
Cover by Isabelle Arsenault.
Published by Thames&Hudson.
Improvised concert
We teamed up with my sister, Maya, for an improvised show with life drawing and double bass playing at The Traveller's Club, in Sofia.
The Sofianer is a collaborative art project that invites artists from Bulgaria and the world to create a collection of covers of the imaginary magazine The Sofianer as a tribute to the cult covers of The New Yorker magazine.
I was happy to be among the winners of the 2023 edition.
An open-air exhibtion was held with the finalist posters in the heart of the city, in September 2023.
This illustration is part of my book “My Sofia and Other Folks” (working title) published with Tochitza Publishing, 2024.
Misé Misé, 11 contes ivoiriens de la Comoé is an anthology of tales from Ivory Coast, meticulously collected by Camille Lavoix from the inhabitants of Kakpin, a village bordering the second biggest natural park of West Africa. It is crossed by the river Comoé, bringing a rich biodiversity to the park, thus making it a UNESCO World Heritage site. But more than that, it is the home of beautiful tales where tiny animals are as honoured as the big ones that we are so used to think of when we hear of the African Savanna. Indeed, a little crab is sometimes braver than a lion, and stronger than an elephant! There is much to take from these stories, which we are happily preserving in this book in the midst of an endangered oral tradition.
The picture book has become, from the beginning, a hybrid book. Meaning that the author and I are portraying two parallel realities; one of the villagers (the inhabitants of Kakpin) and one of the animals within the tales. It is hybrid because it is at the same time a silent picture book and a tales book. Its structure is divided into three sections, allowing the reader to indulge into experiencing the tales as they have been experienced by the locals. I have put all my efforts into making the reader part of the crowd of curious listeners in the Kakpin village.
Published with La Joie de Lire in French speaking countries (Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, French speaking Canada).
This work has been selected in the finalist illustrators list by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (a list of 318 illustrators from 3873 participants), 2022.
A hipstery and healthy way to colour your lips, or how to come up with blonder hair for the summer, this is what the beetroots and the turmeric have to offer (among many other benefits, naturally)!
The word induli is from xhosa, a South African language, and it means hill.
Induli is a wordless picturebook that tackles the theme of rebellion. The story’s circular narrative eventually brings us to the restoration of peace and friendship.
It is inspired by Jesus’s parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32.
More about the concept behind the picture book, you can read in the Victoria and Albert Museum blog.
Elected Student Illustrator of the Year Runner-Up at the V&A Illustration Awards 2020.
The Wave is inspired by my picturebook Induli.
Articles announcing the winners:
Articles announcing the nominations:
A poem by Blake Nuto, published with Flying Eye Books, 2022
In this heart-warming, poetic story, a father and child share the last few moments of quiet before the school year begins. They take the time to notice each detail as they spend their special day together – from making a special pancake breakfast to noticing each spider’s web and falling feather. A moving story for parents to share with their little ones as they take their first steps into school or nursery.
"It is about the end of those slow meandering days that exist between grownup’s and children before the first school bell rings. It is a celebration of idleness, a grieving and acceptance of time and a love-letter to the young and budding heart that beats beyond our bodies. " - Blake.
Available in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and NZ.
Published in German with Ueberreuter Verlag.
WORD TROUBLE, my first authorial picture book, based on my personal experience as an immigrant child in France. It tackles themes such as language barriers, communication and the initial loneliness of an immigrant.
When Ronnie moves to a new house, in a new country, he’s excited to make friends. But when he introduces himself to everyone at nursery – “My name is four. I am Ronnie years old.” – the other children can’t help but giggle. His words are all mixed up! Ronnie misses home and laughing with his old friends. But new doesn’t stay “new” for very long and soon Ronnie understands that language isn’t the only way one can share life with others!
Published with Walker Books, 2023.
Translated into Dutch with C. de Vries-Brouwers Publishing.
Translated into Danish with Turbine Publishing.
