View source for Charles Vess

{{short description|American fantasy and comics artist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image = Portrait of Charles Vess in his studio 2013-01-05.jpg
| caption       = Charles Vess in his studio, Green Man Press, in [[Abingdon, Virginia]].
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1951|06|10}}
| birth_place   = 
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| area          =
| art = y
| collaborators = [[Neil Gaiman]], [[Terri Windling]] and [[Ellen Datlow]], [[Charles de Lint]]
| alias         = 
| notable works = {{Plain list|
* ''The Book of Ballads and Sagas''
* ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]''
* ''[[Stardust (Gaiman novel)|Stardust]]''
}}
| awards        = {{Plain list|
* [[Hugo Awards]]: 2019 Best Professional Artist, Best Art Book
* [[Locus Awards]]: 2019, 2023 Best Artist, Best Art Book
* [[Inkpot Award]]: 1990
* [[Eisner Award]]: 1991, 1997, 2002
* [[World Fantasy Award]]: 1991, 1999
* Comic Creators' Guild 1993
* Silver Award (Comics Industry) 1995
}}
| website       = [http://www.greenmanpress.com www.greenmanpress.com]
}}

'''Charles Vess''' (born June 10, 1951)<ref name="CBG">{{cite web|last=Miller|first=John Jackson |authorlink= John Jackson Miller|url=http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays |title=Comics Industry Birthdays |work=[[Comics Buyer's Guide]] |date=June 10, 2005 |location=Iola, Wisconsin |accessdate=December 12, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356/http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays |archivedate=February 18, 2011 |url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> is an American fantasy artist and [[comics artist]] who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His influences include British "Golden Age" book illustrator [[Arthur Rackham]], Czech [[Art Nouveau]] painter [[Alphonse Mucha]], and comic-strip artist [[Hal Foster]], among others.  Vess has won several awards for his illustrations. Vess' studio, Green Man Press, is located in [[Abingdon, Virginia]].

He has received numerous awards and honors for his work including the 2019 and 2023 Locus Award for Best Artist and the 2019 Hugo Awards for Best Professional Artist and Best Art Book for ''The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition''.<ref name="Locus2023">{{cite web | url=https://locusmag.com/2023/06/2023-locus-awards-winners/ | title=2023 Locus Awards Winners | date= June 24, 2023|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250727213554/https://locusmag.com/2023/06/2023-locus-awards-winners/|archivedate= July 27, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all }}</ref>

In 1991, his work with Neil Gaiman on the ''[[The Sandman (comic book)|Sandman]]'' comic short story "A Midsummer Night's Dream" became the first comic to win the World Fantasy Award.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-12-20-9104240093-story.html | title= Enter Sandman | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date= December 20, 1991|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20241111124634/https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/12/20/enter-sandman/|archivedate= November 11, 2024|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life and career===
Charles Vess began drawing comic art as a child. He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Fine Arts|BFA]] from [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] (VCU) in 1974. While at VCU, Vess' comics appeared in the ''Fan Free Funnies'', a comic tabloid published by the student newspaper.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/fff/|title= ''Fan Free Funnies'' volumes 1-3 (1973)|publisher =  [[Virginia Commonwealth University|VCU Libraries]]|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250123201952/https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/fff/|archivedate= January 23, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all|accessdate = May 28, 2024}}</ref>  His first professional position was as a commercial animator for Candy Apple Productions in Richmond, Virginia, which he held for approximately two years.

In 1976 he moved to New York City and became a freelance illustrator. He contributed illustrations to publications including ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'', Klutz Press (now an imprint of [[Scholastic Press]]), and ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]''. One notable publication from this early period was ''The Horns of Elfland'' ({{ISBN|0-915822-25-3}}) published by Archival Press in 1979, which Vess wrote and illustrated.<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Charles+Vess|title= Charles Vess}}</ref>

From 1980 to 1982 Vess worked as an art instructor at the [[Parsons School of Design]] in New York City. During that period, his work appeared in one of the first major museum exhibitions of science fiction and fantasy art, held at the [[New Britain Museum of American Art]] in 1980.

[[Image:Cover to Drawing Down the Moon, The Art of Charles Vess.jpeg|thumb|left|''Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess'' (2011). Cover art by Vess.]]

===Mainstream fantasy===
By the late 1980s Vess had found a niche in the world of fantasy comic art with publications such as ''The Raven Banner: A Tale of Asgard'' written by [[Alan Zelenetz]] and published by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1985, ''The Book of Night'', published by [[Dark Horse Comics]] in 1987,<ref name="GCD" /> and "The [[Warriors Three]] Saga" in ''[[Marvel Fanfare]] ''#34–37 (Sept. 1987–April 1988).<ref>{{cite journal|last= Ash|first= Roger|title= The Adventures of the Warriors Three|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue= 96|pages= 52–55|publisher= [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date= June 2017|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> He painted the cover of the debut issue of ''[[Web of Spider-Man]]'' (April 1985),<ref>{{cite book|last1 = David|first1 = Peter|authorlink = Peter David|last2 = Greenberger|first2 = Robert|author2-link = Robert Greenberger|title = The Spider-Man Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles Spun from Marvel's Web|publisher = [[Running Press]]|date = 2010|location = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|page =  118|isbn = 978-0762437726|quote = Having fantasy artist Charles Vess illustrate the first cover to ''Web of Spider-Man'' also announced that this [series] was something unique.}}</ref> wrote and drew a backup story in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #277 (June 1986),<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Manning|first1 = Matthew K.|editor-last = Gilbert|editor-first = Laura|chapter= 1980s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 154|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= In the issue's second story, written and illustrated by the talented Charles Vess, Spider-Man swung into a snowstorm in Central Park in order to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a diplomat.}}</ref> and crafted the ''Spider-Man: Spirits of the Earth'' graphic novel (1990).<ref>Cowsill, Alan "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 190: "The magnificent painted artwork of Charles Vess was the star of the show in this 86-page hardback graphic novel."</ref> In 1991 he illustrated the official comic-book adaptation of [[Steven Spielberg]]’s ''[[Hook (film)|Hook]]'' and had an eleven issue run (#129–139) as cover artist of ''[[Swamp Thing (comic book)|Swamp Thing]]'' by [[DC Comics]] in 1993.<ref name="GCD" />

===Collaborations with Neil Gaiman===
In 1990, Vess began one of his best-known collaborations to date, with writer [[Neil Gaiman]]. He illustrated "The Land of Summer's Twilight", one of the four episodes in the original ''[[The Books of Magic]]'' mini-series,<ref>{{Cite book|last= Irvine|first= Alex|author-link= Alex Irvine|contribution= The Books of Magic|editor-last= Dougall|editor-first= Alastair|title= The Vertigo Encyclopedia|pages= 38–41|publisher= [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn = 978-0-7566-4122-1|oclc = 213309015}}</ref> and worked on three issues of Gaiman's critically acclaimed ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' series.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1= Matthew K.|editor-last = Dolan|editor-first = Hannah|chapter= 1980s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 238|quote = ''The Sandman'' saw a variety of artists grace its pages. Sam Kieth drew the first few issues, followed by Mike Dringenberg, Chris Bachalo, Michael Zulli, Kelley Jones, Charles Vess, Colleen Doran, and Shawn McManus, among others.}}</ref> ''Sandman'' #19 ("[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]") is a meta-fictional adaptation of [[William Shakespeare]]'s play<ref>{{cite book|last = Bender|first = Hy|title = The Sandman Companion|publisher = DC Comics|year = 1999|location= New York, New York|pages = 74–88|isbn = 978-1563894657}}</ref> and in 1991, that issue won the [[World Fantasy Award]] for Best Short Story, the only comic book to hold the honor, as award organizers subsequently amended the rules to specifically exclude comics. Vess contributed eight drawings for a prose-based inset that appeared in ''Sandman'' #62 ("[[The Sandman: The Kindly Ones|The Kindly Ones: 6]]") and illustrated the final issue of the series, ''Sandman'' #75, a second Shakespeare adaptation ("[[The Tempest]]").<ref>{{cite web |url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|title= Comics You Should Own – ''Sandman''|first= Greg|last= Burgas|date= January 7, 2013|publisher= [[Comic Book Resources]]|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140410022316/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|archivedate= April 10, 2014|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He drew the covers for the ''[[The Books of Faerie|Books of Faerie]]'' spin-off series ''Molly's Story'' (1999).<ref>Irvine "The Books of Faerie" in Dougall, p. 36–37</ref>

====Stardust====
Between 1997 and 1998 the collaboration between Vess and Gaiman continued in the four-part series ''[[Stardust (Gaiman novel)|Stardust]]'', a prose novella to which Vess contributed 175 paintings. The series was collected and published in trade paperback form by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. ''Stardust'' won an [[Alex Awards|Alex Award]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/alexawards/annotations/2000alex|title= 2000 Alex Awards|year= 2013|publisher= Young Adult Library Services Association|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20131216233144/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/alexawards/annotations/2000alex|archivedate= December 16, 2013|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> from the [[American Library Association]]. It received a [[Mythopoeic Awards|Mythopoeic Award]], and Vess was given the 1999 [[World Fantasy Award for Best Artist]] for his work on the series.

In 1999, Vess's own [[Green Man Press]] produced a portfolio as a benefit for his wife Karen, injured in a car accident, titled ''A Fall of Stardust'', which contained two [[chapbook]]s and a series of art plates.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.neilgaimanbibliography.com/misc/afallofstardust.html|title= ''A Fall of Stardust''|date= n.d.|publisher= The Neil Gaiman Visual Bibliography|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120206011935/http://www.neilgaimanbibliography.com/misc/afallofstardust.html|archivedate= February 6, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

====Blueberry Girl====
Between 2004 and 2007 Vess adapted a poem by Neil Gaiman into a children's book, ''[[Blueberry Girl]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://greenmanpress.com/news/archives/185|title= ''Blueberry Wanderings''|first= Charles|last= Vess|date= July 2007|publisher= Green Man Press|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130525060731/http://greenmanpress.com/news/archives/185|archivedate= May 25, 2013|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all|accessdate= November 18, 2009}}</ref> The book was published by [[HarperCollins]] in 2009.({{ISBN|0-06-083808-6}})

===Tales and Sagas===
Beginning in 1995 Vess self-published a biannual series of comics entitled ''The Book of Ballads and Sagas'' through his Green Man Press.<ref name="GCD" /> In this series Vess illustrated adaptations of traditional Scottish and English ballads written by a variety of contributors, including [[Emma Bull]], [[Charles de Lint]], [[Neil Gaiman]], [[Sharyn McCrumb]], [[Jeff Smith (cartoonist)|Jeff Smith]], and [[Jane Yolen]]. Issues 1-4 were collected and published as ''Ballads'' in 1997. The work was reprinted as a hardback by [[Tor Books]] in 2004 with additional material, including an introduction by [[Terri Windling]].

===Collaborations with Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow===
Vess has illustrated a series of anthologies edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow, published by [[Viking Press]].  They are: ''The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest'' (2002), ''The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm'' (2004),  and ''The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales'' (2007).

===Collaborations with Charles de Lint===
Vess worked with longtime friend and writer [[Charles de Lint]] on at least half a dozen publications, including ''Seven Wild Sisters'' ([[Subterranean Press]], 2002) and related projects ''A Circle of Cats'' ([[Viking Press|Viking]], 2003), and ''Medicine Road'' (Subterranean Press, 2005, as well as a later edition by [[Tachyon Publications]], 2009), along with others mentioned above. In 2004 Vess did both a color cover and front page illustration and additional black and white interior illustrations for a 20th anniversary (signed, limited) edition of Moonheart, by de Lint (Subterranean Press).

=== Collaboration with Ursula K. Le Guin ===
Vess was chosen by Saga Press to illustrate ''The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition'' (2018), a compilation of all five Earthsea novels, as well as short stories, including some previously unpublished works.  During the process, Vess had a chance to work closely with Le Guin, translating her vision onto the page. Vess described their work together as a true collaboration, saying in 2018 "... I don’t think she believed me when I said I wanted to collaborate. But, after four years and lord knows how many emails, she sent me a copy of her latest book, her essay book, and her dedication to me was ‘To Charles, the best collaborator ever.’"<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.tor.com/2018/11/09/art-of-sff-charles-vess-on-working-with-ursula-le-guin-on-the-books-of-earthsea/|title=Art of SFF: Charles Vess on Working with Ursula Le Guin on ''The Books of Earthsea''|last=Moher|first=Aidan|date=November 9, 2018|website=Tor.com|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20231130132541/https://www.tor.com/2018/11/09/art-of-sff-charles-vess-on-working-with-ursula-le-guin-on-the-books-of-earthsea/|archivedate= November 30, 2023|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> The book was published in October 2018, and won a 2019 Locus Award for Best Art Book<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url= https://locusmag.com/2019/06/2019-locus-awards-winners/|title=2019 Locus Awards Winners|date=2019-06-29|website=Locus Online|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250429020536/https://locusmag.com/2019/06/2019-locus-awards-winners/|archivedate= April 29, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> and a 2019 Hugo Award for Best Art Book.<ref name=":0" />

=== Collaboration with Joanne Harris ===
In 2021 Vess illustrated [[Joanne Harris]]' ''[[Honeycomb (novel)|Honeycomb]];'' a collection of 100 interconnected fairy stories forming a [[mosaic novel]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maya C. James Reviews Honeycomb by Joanne M. Harris |url= https://locusmag.com/2021/04/maya-c-james-reviews-honeycomb-by-joanne-m-harris/ |website=Locus Online|date= April 29, 2021|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250602170248/https://locusmag.com/2021/04/maya-c-james-reviews-honeycomb-by-joanne-m-harris/|archivedate= June 2, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> Harris describes the process of working with Vess as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Working with Charles Vess {{!}} Joanne Harris |url= https://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/working-with-charles-vess/|last= Joanne|first= Harris|authorlink= Joanne Harris|website= joanne-harris.co.uk|archiveurl= https://archive.today/20250818040059/https://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/working-with-charles-vess/|archivedate= August 18, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref><blockquote>Through the lens of Charles' art, the Silken Folk of my stories are neither entirely human, nor overly insectile: and their beauty is slightly monstrous, yet altogether bewitching. I think illustrations give a different dimension to a text: translating them from simple print into the stuff of dreams (and nightmares). In the case of ''Honeycomb'', Charles has brought my  dreams to life. I can think of no finer magic than this.</blockquote>

==Influences==
In a 2004 interview, Vess cited among many artistic influences, beginning with the 19th-century British book illustrator [[Arthur Rackham]], saying,

{{blockquote|I discovered his work while I was still in college and immediately fell completely in love with it. His art, unlike a lot of other artists that I discovered at the same time ([[Maxfield Parrish]], [[Frank Frazetta]], etc.) I've never grown tired of. I always find myself learning new things every time I study it. But there are many others that have influenced me, among them: the Swedish illustrator [[John Bauer (illustrator)|John Bauer]], [[Howard Pyle]], the 19th-century German illustrator [[Hermann Vogel (German illustrator)|Hermann Vogel]], [[Alphonse Mucha]] (the father of [[Art Nouveau]]), [[Willy Pogany]], [[Kay Nielsen]], [[W. Heath Robinson|W. H. Robinson]], [[Hal Foster]] and [[Alfred Bestall]] (the British illustrator of the long running [[Rupert Bear]] series). Among the living I count [[Michael Kaluta]], [[Alan Lee (illustrator)|Alan Lee]], [[Brian Froud]], [[Lisbeth Zwerger|Lizebeth Zwerger]] and [[Terri Windling]].<ref>{{cite web |title= An Interview with Charles Vess|date= November 29, 2004|url= http://greenmanreview.com/book/interview_vess.html|archive-url= https://archive.today/20130216043219/http://greenmanreview.com/book/interview_vess.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= February 16, 2013|publisher= The Green Man Review| accessdate = January 7, 2013}}</ref>}}

==Exhibitions==
Starting in 1989 with "The Art of Fantasy and Science Fiction" at the [[Delaware Art Museum]] in Wilmington, Delaware, a series of gallery exhibitions have featured Vess's artwork. The gallery show "Storyteller" appeared in 1992 at Frameworks Gallery in Bristol, Virginia. The following year he showed work under the title "The Mythic Garden" at the Open Air Birch Garden in Devon, England, and "The Magic" at Repartee Gallery in Park City, Utah.

In 1994, after he moved to southwestern Virginia, a local museum asked Vess to organize a show which became The DreamWeavers: a travelling exhibition of 15 fantasy artists from a variety of fields including children's book illustrators [[Jerry Pinkney]], Dennis Nolan, [[Gennady Spirin]], [[Ruth Sanderson]] and David Wisnieski; comic book illustrators [[Michael Kaluta]], and Vess himself; science fiction/fantasy book jacket artists Dawn Wilson and [[James Gurney]]; commercial book illustrators [[Scott Gustafson]], [[Brian Froud]], [[Alan Lee (illustrator)|Alan Lee]] and Alicia Austin, and fine artist [[Terri Windling]]. The show ran from fall 1994 through summer 1995.

Since that time Vess's work has appeared in gallery showings and museum exhibitions including:
* "The Tempest" Spring 1996. Four Color Images Gallery, New York City
* "Stardust" Spring - Summer 1998 [[Cartoon Art Museum]], San Francisco.
* "Good Goddess Arts Exhibition", Johnson City,  and Abingdon, USA, March 1998, 1999, and 2000.
* "Into the Light," Comic Art Symposium, Avilles, Spain, Fall 2000.
* "Fantasy, Visionaries of the Fantastic" Turin, Italy, Spring 2002.
* "A Circle of Cats," 153W Bookstore & Gallery, Abingdon, Summer 2003
* "Ancient Spirit, Modern Voice," (Co-curator and participating artist) The DeFoor Centre, Atlanta, Spring 2004.
* "[[Earthsea]] Imagined" Massillon Museum, Massillon, Ohio, Spring 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bestthingsoh.com/event/exhibition-earthsea-imagined-by-charles-vess-2018-04-08-massillon-oh.html|title=Exhibition - Earthsea Imagined by Charles Vess|publisher=Best Things Ohio (AmericanTowns Media)<!--AmericanTowns is one word, cap T-->|accessdate=May 11, 2018|archivedate=May 11, 2018|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20180511150250/https://bestthingsoh.com/event/exhibition-earthsea-imagined-by-charles-vess-2018-04-08-massillon-oh.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Awards ==
* [[Inkpot Award]]: For excellence in comic art, 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/inkpot.php|title= Inkpot Award Winners |publisher= Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120709055558/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/inkpot.php|archivedate= July 9, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[World Fantasy Award]]: Best short story, 1991 for ''Sandman'' #19, by [[Neil Gaiman]] and Vess.<ref name=locus>{{cite web|url= http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit50.html#1852|title= Neil Gaiman|year= 2011|publisher= [[Locus Publications|The Locus Index to SF Awards: Index to Literary Nominees]]|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20131014232309/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit50.html#1852|archivedate= October 14, 2013|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lambiek.net/artists/v/vess_charles.htm|title= Charles Vess|date= June 9, 2012|publisher= [[Lambiek|Lambiek Comiclopedia]]|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20121112134903/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/v/vess_charles.htm|archivedate= November 12, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Eisner Award]]: Best Single Issue, 1991 for ''Concrete Celebrates Earth Day'', by [[Paul Chadwick]], Vess, and [[Jean Giraud|Jean "Moebius" Giraud]].<ref name="Eisner1990s">{{cite web |url= http://www.comic-con.org/awards/1990s-recipients|title= 1990s Eisner Awards Recipients|year= 2013|publisher= [[San Diego Comic-Con International]]|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130823041631/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/1990s-recipients|archivedate= August 23, 2013|url-status= live|df=mdy-all|accessdate= October 25, 2013}}</ref>
* Comic Creators' Guild: 1993 Best Cover (''Dark Horse Presents'' #75).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/non-american.html|title= Comics Creators Guild Award |publisher= Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20131024235559/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/non-american.html|archivedate= October 24, 2013|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Silver Award (Comics) 1995, Spectrum Annual of Imaginative Art.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.sfadb.com/Spectrum_Awards_1995|title= Spectrum Awards 1995|date= August 10, 2012 |publisher= Science Fiction Awards Database|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140503225744/http://www.sfadb.com/Spectrum_Awards_1995|archivedate= May 3, 2014|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Eisner Award: Best Penciler/Inker, 1996 for ''The Book of Ballads and Sagas'' and ''Sandman'' #75.<ref name="Eisner1990s" />
* World Fantasy Award: Best Artist, 1998 for ''Stardust'', written by Neil Gaiman.<ref name="locus" />
* [[World Horror Convention]]: Artist Guest of Honor<ref>{{cite web |title=Past World Horror Conventions |url=https://www.worldhorrorconvention.com/past-whcs/index.html |publisher=World Horror Convention |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref>
* Eisner Award: Best Painter/Multimedia Artist, 2002 for ''Rose'', written by [[Jeff Smith (cartoonist)|Jeff Smith]]
* World Fantasy Award: Best Artist, 2010.<ref name="locus" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html |title=Award Winners & Nominees |year=2013 |publisher=World Fantasy Convention |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015020014/http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html |archivedate=October 15, 2013 |url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
*[http://www.thehugoawards.org The Hugo Awards]: Best Professional Artist, 2019 <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url= http://www.thehugoawards.org/2019/08/2019-hugo-awards-announced/|title=2019 Hugo Awards Announced|last=Cheryl|date=2019-08-18|website=The Hugo Awards|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250608064445/http://www.thehugoawards.org/2019/08/2019-hugo-awards-announced/|archivedate= June 8, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref>
*The Hugo Awards: Best Art Book, 2019 for ''The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition'', illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)<ref name=":0" />
*Locus Awards: Best Artist, 2019 <ref name=":1" />
*Locus Awards: Best Art Book, 2019 for ''The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition'', illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)<ref name=":1" />
*Locus Awards: Best Artist, 2023 Winner.<ref name="Locus2023" />

==Comics bibliography==
===Aardvark-Vanaheim===
* ''[[Cerebus the Aardvark|Cerebus]]'' #196 (1995)

===Archival Press===
* ''The Horns of Elfland'' (1979)

===Cartoon Book===
* ''[[Rose (comics)|Rose]]'' #1–3 (2000–2002)

===Dark Horse Comics===
* ''Book of Night'' #1–2 (1987) 
* ''[[Dark Horse Presents]]'' #75, 78 (1993)

===DC Comics===
* ''[[The Big Book Of]] Grimm'' #1 (1999)
* ''[[The Books of Magic]]'' #3 (1991) 
* ''[[The Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]'' #47 (2000) 
* ''[[Fables (comics)|Fables]]: [[1001 Nights of Snowfall]]'' HC (2006) 
* ''Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' [[Stardust (Gaiman novel)|Stardust]]'' #1–4 (1997–1998) 
* ''[[Promethea]]'' #4 (1999) 
* ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' #19, 62, 75 (1990–1996)

===Green Man Press===
* ''The Book of Ballads and Sagas'' #1–4 (1995–1997)

===HM Communications===
* ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' vol. 1 #12, vol. 2 #5, vol. 2 #6, vol. 3 #7, vol. 8 #6 (1978–1984)

===Marvel Comics===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #277 (1986) 
* ''[[Conan the Barbarian (comics)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' #163 (1984) 
* ''Conan the King'' #20 (1984) 
* ''[[Epic Illustrated]]'' #5, 8–10, 16, 21–22, 24, 27 (1981–1984) 
* ''[[Heroes for Hope|Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men]]'' #1 (1985) 
* ''[[Hook (film)|Hook Magazine]]'' #1 (1992) 
* ''[[Kull of Atlantis|Kull the Conqueror]]'' #4 (1984) 
* ''[[Marvel Fanfare]]'' #6 ([[Doctor Strange]]); #13 (Tales of Asgard); #34–37 ([[Warriors Three]]) (1983–1988)
* ''[[Marvel Graphic Novel]]'' #15 ("The Raven Banner") (1985) 
* ''[[Prince Valiant]]'' #1–4 (1994–1995) 
* ''[[Spider-Man]]: Spirits of the Earth'' HC (1990) 
* ''[[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]'' #400 (1989)
{{div col end}}

===Renaissance Press===
* ''The Forbidden Book'' #1 (2001)

===Spiderbaby Grafix & Publications===
* ''[[Taboo (comics)|Taboo]]'' #1, 4 (1988–1990)

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://www.greenmanpress.com}}
* {{ISFDB name|7228}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060314065051/http://interstitialarts.org/what/reflection_vess.html An autobiographical essay]
*[http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=529 Charles Vess] at the Comic Book Database
* {{LCAuth|n87938569|Charles Vess|23|}}
* [https://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=190 Charles Vess] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
* [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/namv8.htm#N406 Charles Vess] at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators

{{Eisner Award for Best Painter/Digital Artist}}
{{Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team}}
{{Inkpot Award 1990s}}
{{World Fantasy Award Best Artist}}
{{World Fantasy Award Best Short Fiction}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vess, Charles}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American artists]]
[[Category:American comics artists]]
[[Category:American comics writers]]
[[Category:American fantasy artists]]
[[Category:American illustrators]]
[[Category:American role-playing game artists]]
[[Category:DC Comics people]]
[[Category:Eisner Award winners for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior)]]
[[Category:Eisner Award winners for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team]]
[[Category:Hugo Award–winning artists]]
[[Category:Inkpot Award winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics people]]
[[Category:Parsons School of Design faculty]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Virginia Commonwealth University alumni]]
[[Category:World Fantasy Award–winning artists]]
[[Category:Writers from Lynchburg, Virginia]]
[[Category:World Fantasy Award–winning writers]]