Notes from the Studio

I’ve been rather quiet on this blog over the last few weeks but now I can tell you why. DC/Vertigo, besides re-issuing the hardcover edition of Stardust (with loads of new material), will also be producing a number of pieces of supplemental merchandise, among them a sculpture both designed and executed by myself. Ever since completing the art for the initial edition of the book way back in 1998, I’ve ‘seen’ this sculpt in my head and now, after a few long weeks, its resting on my front desk in 3-D form. I began with this sketch which I ran past Georg Brewer over at DC, who has certainly helped make this idea a reality. I wanted to partialy recreate the by now iconic image used on the current trade paperback of Stardust; Evaine crouching by a dark pool of water surrounded by various fairy creatures. A cicular sheet of cobalt blue glass becomes my pool and the entire piece rests on a base of mahogany (or something that looks very like it). For my working material here I’m using sculpy. Yes, the very same stuff that kids use in school. Mold it into the shape you want and then

I thought that I’d let you know that this Sunday (12/10/06) I’ll be signing books at Abingdon Virginia’s new, independent bookseller (and coffee/tea shop) Zazzy’Z from 1 until 4 pm. This is part of our Downtown Merchant’s holiday celebrations with shops open and specials flying all the way up and down Abingdon’s Main Street. If you can’t make it and want to phone in a book order for my signature here’s their phone number 276-698-3333. Copies of many of my books will be on hand as well as a limited supply of several out of print editions. There’s absolutely no limit to my signatures. See you all there! Charles

A little added extra weight to my workload is this project. I’ve designed a 14 x 200 ft mural that is being completed as a community wide art project on the walls of our neighborhood cinema. The same cinema I might add, where there will be a regional, gala premier of the Stardust movie with all proceeds going to various charities. So right now Pat Jessee, a local arts adminstrator, and her crack team of artists (young and old, short and tall, etc.) are transfering my drawing of various characters out of the past 100 or so years of (mostly) animated films up onto the exterior walls of the Abingdon CineMall. Due to the vagaries of the weather the work is going slower than any of us would want and I’m sure the owner, Steve Weston is wondering when this madness will be complete. But what’s there already is looking very lovely indeed. We WILL have the project completed in time for the movie’s release I’m sure. Here are my drawings for the left side of the building. I’m presenting them as a series of details, as the actual art is rather too long to show in one piece, executed

I just thought that I’d give all of you a heads up to several books that are now available in bookstores everywhere that feature my art. First up is the Fables original graphic novel, ‘1001 Nights of Snowfall’. This is a full color, hardcover collection of graphic narrative tales written by series creator, Bill Willingham. Snow White, as ambasador from the Land of Fable, spins exotic tales from her past each night in an effort to ellude the Sultan of the Arabian Nights deadly decree. Each tale is drawn/painted by a different artist, a veritable whos who of comic art; John Bolton, Jill Thompson, Brian Bolland, James Jean and others. My particular friend and artist extraordinaire Michael Kaluta and I collaborated on some 20 pages that bookend the various tales. Here is a link to an essay with me explaining this collaborative process, step by step (you’ll have to scroll down the column about half way). http://igallo.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_igallo_archive.html **** The gorgeous, oversized, first volume of the Absolute Sandman collection is a stunning production on all counts. A lot of attention was lavished on this volume in an effort to correct the myriad art and text mistakes that had crept into previous

In my effort to meet publishing deadlines, right now I’m having to constantly juggle multiple jobs and this week was a Stardust week. Its been almost 10 years since I completed 175 paintings for the initial edition of the book but now the fallout from the movie has brought me back to that visual world. Besides a new hardcover edition of the actual book, Paramount Studios is asking for art to use on their promotional website and Titan Publishing is producing a ‘Making of…’ the movie book and they also want some art from me. After a bit of mental adjustment and a quick re-read of the text I was happily conceptualizing scenes that for either deadline or textual reasons I wasn’t able to complete the first time around. Here are a few. I was really happy to get a chance to re-conceptualize the Village of Wall as I thought that my earlier depictions of the place were far to ‘normal’. Neil’s descriptions spoke of a ancient village with one building built on top of another and all of them leaning into each other in an effort to remain upright and defy gravity. So this time, I think I got