It’s live!
Today is the day! Drawing Down the Moon is officially out and in the stores. It’s a hefty 200 pages, mostly full color and a whole lot of fun to look at. Almost as if you can could hold my life (at least so far) in your hands. Here’s my first review: BOOKLIST Magazine, Jan. 1, 2010 issue *Starred Review* Drawing down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess (Dark Horse Books) One of contemporary comics’ classiest acts, fantasy artist Vess is even more stunning as a book illustrator. It ‘s altogether fitting, then, that book (and poster) illustration looms large in this gorgeously produced retrospective album (the heavy, translucent section frontispieces are especially impressive). Vess provides his own, very economical notes, which downplay technique in favor of autobiographical and art-appreciative remarks, the latter about his beloved influences, beginning with Arthur Rackham and Aubrey Beardsley, both of whose fluidly slender figures have their ilk in Vess creations. He also lauds the premier Victorian painter of fairies, Richard Dadd , whose mastery of crowded compositions Vess thoroughly learned; comics artists Hal Foster and Russ Manning, renowned for the ornate and graceful vigor of their work on Tarzan and Prince Valiant; and