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 all manner of literary fantasists, starting with the Scots and English ballad makers and the Shakespeare of A Midsummer Night‘s Dream, which Vess has rendered in both comics and an illustrated edition of the full text. He doesn’t mention, but we see, the Pre-Raphaelites, Tenniel, Klimt, the Brandywine School illustrators, Maxfield Parrish indeed, the entire folkloristic, romantic tradition of opulent, musical, balletic illustrative art in his work. No wonder he’s the preferred artist of premier modern literary fantasists Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, and Susanna Clarke, the last of whom contributes an aptly breathless, yet not giddy, introduction.
– Ray Olson
It is available now at your local book or comic book store and on Amazon or B&N.com (at 25% off). If you would like a signed book right away you can order a copy from Malaprops (a fabulous independent bookstore) in Asheville NC. Call this 800 number to place an order: 1-800-441-9829. When I was there last Friday I signed as many of their stock as I could. Say hello from me if you do give them a call, okay?
Enjoy,
Charles
11 thoughts on “It’s live!”
Hooray! I’ll be off to my local shop to get this right away. Thanks for all your hard work, and I can’t wait for many more years of the same!
Yaaaaaay! Can’t wait to get my copy! 🙂 Congrats Charles- it’s been a long time coming.
Received mine in the mail today from Amazon! Really lovely Charles, I can’t wait to sit down and spend some time with it!
Hi Charles – I’ve got mine on order (have been looking forward to having my own ever since seeing the galleys at IMC!) Speaking of IMC – I’m still hugely appreciative of all of your input, demos and presentations there. I’d love to send you a holiday/thankyou card? Do you have a PO box or other address you’d be willing to share?
Such an awesome book! Worth the wait for the extra material….only things that sucks is amazons shipping, book is nice and dinged up…oh well, was probably going to buy multiple copies anyway!
What an awesome book.
I got it last week and started reading and enjoying the artwork. And I still am.
Congrats Charles, this book rocks.
Happy Holidays
Fons
I am super excited to get the new book!! It looks lovely! I also really love the name, “Drawing down the Moon”. I have such a fixation with the moon.
I just read “The Book of Ballads”, which is really awesome, captivating and so so very sad. I wrote about the book on my blog, if you are interested: http://theartofapril-anna.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-dream-in-puppets-and-book-of-ballads.html
I did end up buying the illustrated copy of “StarDust”; it’s lovely, I have not sat down and re-read it yet with the images for extra stimulus (my mind is very imaginative though, so I saw a movie in my head when I first read the novel), but I have taken the time to look at the artwork. Very inspiring, great work!
Happy holidays! I wish you bright blessings and happy adventures in the coming new year!!
Cheerio;
April-Anna
http://www.aprilanna.com
Thank you one and all for your kind comments on my book. In truth I do feel a bit ‘naked’ having it sit on bookseller’s shelves so all the encouragement from you guys the better.
If any of you feel like writing a review over on Amazon that would be just ducky.
April-Anna I do plan on exploring your site soon. Thanks for the link.
Best,
Charles
Left a review on amazon…
do you have a time frame you hope to get your 2010 appearances on the site? i’d like to make it out to abingdon again some time in the summer or fall but would like to try to make it around an event you’ll be attending. thanks!
Your book is beautiful! The Barnes and Noble signing here in Johnson City was snowed out, so my husband bought one on a trip to Malaprops . Are you going to schedule more bookstore appearances/signings? We bought autographed copies of “Drawing Down the Moon” and “Blueberry Girl”, but we missed seeing you at the bookstore appearance. Thank you for creating such a wonderful collection of your art.
Mr. Vess,
I Just received my copy of “Drawing Down the Moon” this week. I am glad that you included so many black and white inks. Will you have a 2010-2011 appearance schedule out any time soon? I would love to have my “Drawing Down the Moon” signed at some point (currently living in NC).