Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess ~Charles Vess
–published 2009
–Dark Horse Books
–200 pages
–5/5 stars
The long-awaited (especially by those of us who waited through several scheduled and missed release dates) art book by Charles Vess finally saw publication a few months back and it seemed prudent to resist urges to tear right into it so that I could save it for the Once Upon a Time Challenge. It was a good choice…a great choice. This wonderfully designed book of wonders was the perfect book to begin the challenge with, and on Sunday, March 21st I spent a long afternoon basking in the warm glow of one of the best fantasy illustrators alive today.
I said ‘wonderfully designed’ and meant it. From the size of the book to its page weight to the design elements used within, including wonderful endpapers like the one pictured above, this book as a physical object is a work of art that demonstrates a true respect for the images contained therein.
One of the design elements that I really enjoy is the vellum pages that begin each chapter of the book. You can see a hint of color peeking through the image above. Each of these translucent pages beautifully showcases the pen and ink work of Vess and overlays the painted version of the same image. It is a fun window into two of the steps of the creative process.
Vess has a distinct style that is equally breathtaking in penciled, painted, and pen and ink pieces.
The attention to detail, the sense of movement, the muted tones…there is just something about the works that spring from the heart and mind of Charles Vess out onto the page.
One of many, many things that I enjoy about Vess’ art is the way he symbolizes magic in his art, for example the ring of stars surrounding the faerie woman’s hand in this painting. You see similar stuff in his paintings for Stardust.
Another distinct thing about Vess’ work is his trees. There are a particular handful of incredible illustrators who each have a unique ability to capture not only a look, but an essence of trees. Alan Lee, John Jude Palencar, and Charles Vess are at the top of the heap in this respect.
I really wanted to make my time with Drawing Down the Moon, and the start of my own personal Once Upon a Time quest, an event, and so to accompany the reading I chose music that fit my mood that day, in this case the Kate Rusby Live From Leeds DVD.
Imagine my genuine surprise at coming upon page 80 of the book to see the image The Unquiet Grave, and the description below the title.
I just love it when unexpected coincidences like that happen. Serendipity! Life is certain full of surprises that make me chuckle in delight.
This image from the Small Beer Press chapbook by Theodora Goss is one of my very favorite Vess pen and ink works. I hadn’t notice until preparing it for this post just how phallic the tower and its placement are! LOL!
The above image is from a brief scene in the Neil Gaiman/Charles Vess book, Stardust, and I love it. I only wish in this book they had put it on a fold out rather than split it across two pages. On the other hand, I appreciate the desire to put it in the book in a large format so that the viewer can appreciate all that is going on in the image and the sheer majesty of that tree. Seeing it this way makes it easy to imagine how long one would have to walk away from it before it would disappear from view.
So many of Charles Vess’ images reward a second look…and a third…and a fourth…
Who wouldn’t want to spend some time in the store above? Each time I look at the image I see something different. I hadn’t realized until I read this book that Vess plays with some of his art, inserting various non-standard fairy tale elements like Japanese anime characters and, as in the image below, Neil Gaiman and the artist himself.
Each year Tori Amos works with RAINN to produce a calendar including images from various artists. I really like what Vess did with the image below. Something I hadn’t noticed, but that Vess pointed out in the book, is how the front piece of this image, of the fairies in the lower left hand corner, are from the same image of the horse and rider shown earlier in this post.
One of my all-time favorite Vess images is this one, Twa Corbies. The color and clarity of line work, particularly in the faces of the two characters, seems a bit different from many of his other pieces.
I have always found this woman particularly beautiful. I love the colors that he chose for this image, the autumn feeling, and of course the crows.
One of the chapters of the book shows many of the poster images Vess has done for a local theatre company. I couldn’t help but include this one for the very fun musical, Into the Woods.
When I saw this poster for the Virginia Highlands Festival I couldn’t help but think what a perfect image it is for the type of reading the challenge embodies, as well as reading in general.
Without a doubt I believe this is a book that anyone who is a fan of the work of Charles Vess would find a real treasure. It isn’t often that I would confess a book to be worth more than I paid for it, but this is certainly one that I consider a real bargain. Kudos to Dark Horse, all delays are forgiven, this is a beautiful book.
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This book is a selection for the Once Upon a Time IV Challenge.
This is gorgeous. I can just imagine you pouring over it on that lovely afternoon. What willpower you have, to have waited for the Challenge to open this treasure!
Thank you for sharing – it is wonderful.
Qugrainne: It helped that Jeff actually said that he was going to save his copy for the challenge. I thought it was such a great idea to steal from him that I was motivated to hold off.
Oh wow, can I scream in delight? This is fantastic. More than fantastic. You really have a gem in your collection.
How absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Looking through all these pictures, at first they didn’t appeal to me. But then I got to the magic shop one, or at least what looks to me like a magic shop. It’s beautiful, reminds me of The Magick Cauldron in Houston, and the art is exactly what I love. It seems this artist is very versatile, and now I want to get my hands on this after all!
Amanda: That Magick Cauldron sounds like the kind of place I’d like to visit!
Sprite: You’re welcome.
Harry: Scream away! I was so thrilled that this FINALLY came out. Vess has been so prolific and this was a long time coming.
Very nice indeed, Carl. You’ve inspired me to look through some of my books of illustrators.
I’ve always adored Charles Vess’s work. He, Bernie Wrightson, Alan Lee & Paul Smith were early artistic heros of mine. I’ve got a couple of his signed limited edition prints & the comic shop i frequent gave me the “Books of Magic” promo poster which i have framed hanging in my crafts/junk room. I’ve got an earlier edition collection of his work, but, somehow this one totally escaped my notice. Gonna have to rectify that! Thanks for sharing as always.
SGist: Wow, it sounds like you have some really nice treasures of your own. I missed out on some of the signed prints that he had up for awhile, long ago, on his site and every so often I kick myself for that.
Richard: That’s great…so long as it doesn’t interfere with any honey-do list you might have going! 🙂 Don’t want your wife coming after me!
You’d really have a fit if you knew how cheaply I got them. As in really cheap, from a comic shop in Memphis about 20 years or so ago. ^_^ I also bought a Bernie Wrightson print from his woodblock artwork for the Illustrated Frankenstein he worked on. I keep intending to frame them and get them hung up on the walls so that I can enjoy them 24/7.
SGist: Lucky you! I’m always happy when I hear that someone got something cool and didn’t have to mortgage the farm to get it. I completely understand the framing thing. I have a lot of stuff I’d love to get framed. Just don’t have the bucks to do it right at this point. But will someday…
Absolutely amazing pictures! So detailed and the colors. So glad you decided to share this one. Adding it to my list of “wants.” 🙂
You are welcome, Robin. My photographs of the books pages don’t do justice to the works. The lighting wasn’t the greatest when I took them, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to share a few of the images with everyone.
What a wonderfully beautiful book…. Now I want a copy LOL!
Okay, finally made it to the comment box…sorry but I had to look at the images about 15 times each first. I’m sure you understand. 🙂 I must get this book! He truly is one of favorites…absolutely everything he does is pure beauty. (He actually left me a comment one time at nothing of importance–and yes, I’m still star-struck. 😉 )
(Btw, I left you a comment on your last post. I don’t know if you ever saw it, but in case you didn’t, I just wanted to tell you again how much that post meant to me. Honestly, it was such an incredible gift at a time I really needed it.)
I do hope you and Mary and Tori have a beautiful Easter!
I’ve come back to this marvelous post a couple of times, wondering what to say about these spectacular illustrations. And all I can say now is “Wow!”.
I just got my copy of this book today, it was waiting for me when I got home from work and I’m so happy! I haven’t opened it but will in a few minutes. The image from “Stardust” you posted was the one that made me fall head over heels in love with Vess’ work. When I turned the page and first saw it the image left me fascinated and I sat and looked at it for a good ten minutes before continuing with the story. I’m off to enjoy it!!!
Vess has been a favorite of mine since I picked up his Ballads and Songs collection and he sealed the deal with me when he created Stardust along with Neil Gaiman.
As Carl mentioned I picked up this book and saved it for the challange as well. I finished it this past week and it’s a 5/5 in my opinion as well. Truly a top notch production by Dark Horse for a top notch creator.
Jeff: I’m pretty sure Stardust was my first exposure to his work. Like you, that sealed the deal.
Lynn: Hooray for you! I have no doubt you’ll enjoy it.
Susan: I know the feeling. It isn’t always easy to describe how someone’s work affects you, why it is good, etc. “Wow” covers it very well.
Debi: Ah, how cool that he commented on it. Vess actually responded to a comment I left on Irene Gallo’s site, although it wasn’t a meeting of the minds. He kind of put me in my place, or tried to, when I said something negative about some Tolkien art that she posted there. It didn’t change my opinion of him or his work though, we just disagreed, as all human beings have a right to do when it comes to subjective things like art.
I need to get back over to that other post and answer you. You all have a happy Easter as well!
Astaryth: It is a good investment, in my opinion. Well worth the price. 🙂
Carl – regarding the issue of framing things but not having the dough, here’s what I try to do: rather then thinking “I’d like to frame that but it will cost a lot, I just plan to have two things a year framed and set aside a little each month towards that (I just make an entry in the check register “4 framing” and subtract the amount). Then when the time comes, the money is there, pretty painlessly, and I can head to the framing shop, not worrying about the cost, just excited to get something I love framed and up on the wall.
Richard: That is the same way I plan to approach this once I get a few more things paid off. The Dave Ramsey plan has really changed my thinking about setting money aside for things like this and we’ve been doing a lot more planning. I must say that it feels nice to actually set aside money, like you say, and then not have any worry or guilt when it comes time to actually use the money for what you’ve been planning for.
Yeah. Ballads and Sagas was first for me because I saw Jeff Smith, Charles Vess and Linda Medley back on their Trilogy tour in Chicago many years ago. I still have the issue of Ballads and Sagas Vess autographed for me that I bought from him at the con. I just bought it back then for art it wasn’t until many years later that I appreictaed it for the stories as well. If you haven’t read that collection I know you’d enjoy it Carl.
Absolutely gorgeous.. you must have a great scanner they look wonderful here. 🙂
That was kawai 😛
Happy Easter, everyone.
I have loved Charles Vess since I first saw his work illustrating all the Shakespeare stories in Sandman. I especially adore his Midsummer Night’s Dream fairies who violate every expectation in just the best way (and echo some really brilliant theatre productions of the play with non-standard interpretations). He’s just so playful and joyful. Love that.
I’m worse than you and Richard R. both.
I keep a little notebook with frame sizes in it & a tape measure. While out flea-marketing, if i run across a frame with glass that’s got decent lines & is CHEAP! I purchase it. Take it apart, paint either black or pewter and then (after a trip to Hobby Lobby for acid free matboard) I frame things myself. ^_^
It’s amazing what you can do with a can of spray paint and some elbow grease. I figure that once i find some frames i’m gonna be out about $25 to frame three prints. 24 x 30 frames are averaging about $8 at the flea markets around here right now. Nice wooden frames, glass and some truly hideous artwork!!!
wow what a great idea. The only thing I’d change is to refinish the wood by dipping and gently scrubbing it with a refinishing brush, as I prefer wood tones to painted ones. But a great idea!!
Richard: Happy Easter to you as well!
SGist: Great ideas! I do frame some stuff myself, but for some pieces I prefer spending the money to have it framed professionally, if I can get a good price.
Caitlin: That is my favorite arc in the Sandman stories and I am thrilled they won the World Fantasy Award for it.