Joe Mathieu

 Joe   Mathieu  ( Born January 2 3, 1 9 4 9  ) is a freelance artist who has provide d illustration s for  SESAME STREET   book s  & merchandise since  1 9 7 2  , a year after graduating from the Rhode Island School o f Design. Mathieu r e member s : " I spent the y ear following graduation building u p my portfolio . Then I went to New York City  & I was scare d to death .  SESAME STREET  was just start in g & wanted someone young & new to set the style for their boo k s, that ' s how I ended u p at  Random House  . That led t o  JIM HENSON  & t h e  Muppet s  , & the n we really got going , I could n ’ t believe h o w fast . "

Some notable title s i n clude  Cookie   Monster  &amp; the Cookie Tr e e ,  The  Ernie  &amp;  Bert  Book  &  The Exciting Adventure s of  Super   Grover  which was adapted into a video story book. He also provide d art work for the adaptation of  SESAME STREET  episode 1 8 3 9  published as  I  ' ll Miss You, Mr . Hooper  & the  1 9 7 8   special   Christ mas Eve on  SESAME   STREET .

His most extensive contribution s have been to  The  SESAME   STREET  Dictionary  i n 1 9 8 0 , & hundred s o f feature s & cover s for  SESAME STREET   Magazine  over the year s. The dictionary feature s illustration s for 1, 300 word s over the course of 250 p age s. When the book was re distribute d in volume form , Mathieu provide d additional art work for that a s well. It has been printed in a Dutch translation & was re issue d in English in 2 00 4.

As an early illustrator for  SESAME STREET , Mathieu helped set a precedent for character style. This is evident in the 1 9 7 9   Character Style Guide  which was put together as a reference point for licensors on how the  SESAME STREET   Muppet s  should b e rendered. Around 2 00 4 , Mathieu made t he transition from his traditional reflective a r t , to a digital medium. Most of his work for  SESAME STREET  book s  after this time has been digitally rendered at some point in the creation process.

He has also illustrate d other  SESAME STREET  merchandise, such as the lyrics poster s for  Sing Your self Silly !  &  Monster Hit s !  ,  SESAME STREET   Live  program book l e t s , & a 1 9 8 3  collectible  Chris t mas   plate  made b y Gorham.

Other chil dren ' s boo k s have include d  T he   Eye   Book  ( 1 99 8  ) &  T he Tooth Book  (  1 9 8 9  ) by  Theodor Geisel  under the pen name Theo. Le Sieg. He also illustrated book s based on  The Wubbulous World of Dr . Seuss  :  T he King ' s Beard  &  The Gink . His affection for  SESAME STREET  i s evident in  Busy City , a non -  SESAME STREET  book written by Mathieu featuring a set visit to t he C T W production. I n  Elmo  ’ s Lift - &amp; - Peek Around the Corner Book  from 1 99 6 , Mathieu drew  Baby Natasha  reading 1| 1  of his book s ,  Big Joe ' s Trailer Truck  from  1 9 7 4.

Quote s

 * "  JIM HENSON  was the art director — he  sat down wit h me & explained to me what  he  wanted .  He  gave me free rein to watch the show be in g tape d, which I did a million time s . I had carte blanche to visit the  Muppet  morgue — literally a morgue o f o ld  Muppet   puppet s  . I watched how personality was breathed into the  puppet s  b y t he  puppeteer s  . I use d to go to the show taping s , alone for the most p art , & s it t here & sketch . We did n ’ t have a color TV , no t ape machine s . I had to draw in real time . "
 * "  Big Joe ' s Trailer Truck  was my 1| 1 st big solo thing . I ' m an illustrator & I had an opportunity to write a book . I never wrote a book before, but I guess I was just hot because of my association to  SESAME STREET  . I did n ' t have a lot of time to make up a town , so I just drew the town I lived in . I did n ' t think everyone would recognize i t , but they did . That really too k off , it was translated into a dozen languages , which I never dreamed of . That was my big h it . I had so many opportunities to work with great  write r  s . I even did a couple of  D r . Seuss  book s . "
 * "  I  f ought [ digital illustration ] every inch of the way . Talk about getting out o f your comfort zone — I could n ’ t even send a n e - mail . I tried everything I could to trick peo ple, but the fact of the matter i s , if it ’ s on paper , the young art director s  did n ' t want to see i t . They ’ d never see n paper art before . They wanted to do change s on finished art , which for years w as sacred . You had to make changes in the sketch phase . There was no way an  illustrator  could compete without working i n digital . The rules ha d change d dramatically over night . I t became harder to find good paper & paint s . Paints I use d s i n c e t h e '  6 0 s  ( & ) t he companies , went out o f business . I had completely embraced digital ork , I never wanted to see a bowl & brush again . I never wanted to go back t o a ll t hose limit a t i on s . "
 * " I have to be ready to do either 1 [ traditional or digital ar t ] . It ' s a different look, for certain things the traditional way is more appropriate . You can do a really beautiful book traditionally for a few that can afford i t . But the mass market is there for k i ds like we started catering to with  SESAME STREET  . I can still do my very best work digitally , & the book can be treated more casually . I like do in g both . In the end , traditional style h as a certain depth , soft ness , subtle ty t hat ’ s no t quite i n t h e digital world . "
 * " My name is pronounced either the Ame ri can  way or t he  French  w a y .. . My father, who was in the 5th Marine division on Iwo Jima , would only allow t he  A m e r i c a n  version . I like either , but although my family always use s the  A m e r i c a n  pronunciation , I always quietly prefer r ed the  French  . I will normally use the  A m e r i c a n  unless I am i n  France  or Canada . Please your self o n t his on e . "

External l ink s

 * Official site
 * Norwich Bulletin Q & A