Man At The Renaissance Fair # 4 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

After a day at the Renaissance Fair, Hob and Gwen head toward their car and it begins to rain.

Hob tells Gwen that he loves it because “most of the olden days happened in the rain.”

This man is one of the people who attended the Renaissance Fair and was caught in the rain.

He appears in Sandman # 73, on page 21, in panel 3.

This is a great portrait from Anna. I love her approach for this character. She captured him at the moment when he is running through the rain. He doesn’t look thrilled to be getting wet. Once again I love the blues that Anna used for this portrait and how she used a darker blue for the rain coming down.

Here is one of the many men at the Renaissance Fair…

French Soldier # 3 (illustrated by John Carmine)

Here is another French Soldier from the Fables And Reflections story, Thermidor.

This French Soldier is one of the soldiers looking through Johanna Constantine’s belongings in hopes of finding the head of Orpheus.

He appears in Sandman # 29, on page 6, in panel 1. He is on the right looking through a chest.

This portrait was drawn by John and he did a great job. I think he really captured the personality of the French Soldier, making him appear stoic and of noble bearing. I like the fact that this minor character has a personality that can easily be seen from this portrait!!!

Quorian (illustrated by Max Rugers)

In Sandman: Overture we learn of a small planet and on the southern continent a race of huge carnivrous plants live. These plants have limited mobility but have beautiful minds.

Quorian is one of those plants and when he slept he dreamed.

In his dream, he encountered someone he had never met before. He was a white flower on a tall stem with dark resplendent leaves. In his dream this flower knows that something is wrong, but is unable to find what is wrong. This tall white flower than catches fire and dies.

Quorian had never seen fire, but he knows immediately that this fire means death.

Quorian appears in Sandman: Overuture # 1 on pages 2-5

Max did a great job with this portrait. I really like the colors that he used and the blending of the greens and yellows. It makes this plant seem completely natural. The colors of the background are also very muted, and work well to contrast the character.

Paramedic # 2 & 3 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In A Game Of You, Barbie’s apartment building in New York is destroyed by a hurricane. Wanda, George and a homeless woman named Maisie Hill were killed. Barbie was inside the apartment at the time the building collapsed.

These two paramedics responded to the scene of the devastation. They helped pull Barbie from the wreckage and took her to the hospital.

Mary Gentian was filming a news report and she was getting in the way of the paramedics and hostile words were exchanged between the paramedics and the news reporter.

These two paramedics appear in Sandman # 37, on page 12.

In the published piece, the paramedics had very little personality; they were blank slates. Anna made these characters seem like people you might have seen before, or maybe even someone you know. Looking into their eyes, it is easy to come up with life stories for them.

The Black Guard # 9 (illustrated by Kai Martin)

I would like to welcome Kai Martin to the Sandman Portraits project!

I met Kai about a year ago at a local convention and loved his art. I commissioned a few drawings from him, which turned out to be the highlights of my convention. I immediately thought he would be a perfect artist for the Sandman portraits and I am happy to announce that he will be working on some portraits for us.

First up is a member of the Cuckoo’s elite army, The Black Guard.

The Black Guard were sent out in search of Barbie and her friends and bring them to the palace of The Cuckoo. At one point the Black Guard came close to finding them, but Barbie, Primando, Luz and Wilkinson hid under a snow drift and were able to avoid detection.

Eventually the Black Guard captured Barbie who was then delivered to the Cuckoo.

The Black Guard appears in several parts of the A Game of You Storyline.

Kai did a fabulous job with this portrait. I love the details that he put into this portrait and the darkness of the shadows surrounding this ominous character. This is a perfect portrait of this dark and mysterious character.

Secret Service Agent # 2 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In Worlds’ End, Brant Tucker wanders the hall of the inn and encounters a man known only as The Seeker. He is searching for a reality where Prez Rickard becomes president.

The Seeker tells Brant about Prez and his legacy.

Like all presidents, Prez had an entourage of Secret Service Agents who surround him at all times…even while he is jogging.

This man is one of the Secret Service Agents who jogs with Prez Rickard, the President Of The United States.

He can be seen in Sandman # 54, on page 11, in panel 1.

This is a wonderful portrait from Anna. She had really captured the attitude of secret service agents whose job is to protect the president. He seems stern and serious and his eyes are hiddent behind his reflective dark sunglasses. I really like the line work for this character’s face and hair and the details like the reflection in his sunglasses just add to the coolness of this portrait.

Citizen Of Baghdad # 13 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

The court of Haroun al Raschid was one of the wonders of the world and al Raschid ruled his kingdom with wisdom and compassion. Under his rule the city flourished and prospered.

This man is one of the many citizens who attended Haroun al Raschid’s court.

He appears in Sandman # 50, on page 5, in panel 2.

This is a fascinating portrait from Max. I love his take on this character. I like that this character is an old woman. Max also did something completely unique. Be used pieces from the published comic for the background. The pieces used are even from the panel where this character appears. I think this is a really fun touch to this portrait.

Raven # 37 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In The Kindly Ones, hundreds of ravens gather in the dreaming with the expectation of war and death.

As Dream goes to challenge the Kindly Ones, the ravens raise their eyes to the storm and wait.

This is one of the ravens. This raven appears in Sandman # 69, on page 8, in panel 3.

Anna did a great job with this portrait. This extreme close up is an interesting perspective and I like that the focus is on the Raven’s eye. The colors that Anna used work really well with this Raven and I like the addition of the bright blue spots of bright blue color pencil to add accents.

Here is Raven # 37…

Rider In The Sand # 4 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

In Soft Places, Marco Polo, Rustichello, and Fiddler’s Green sit in the desert and tell stories. Marco tells the story of the beginning of his journey while they sit around a fire and drink wine and eat sandwiches.

While they are talking they are visited by a caravan of riders in the sand. The leader explains that they are lost and trying to return to the True World, but have been searching for a very long time without success.

The Rider who seems to be their leader asked Fiddler’s Green what would happen when they found the True World. Would they return to the world on the day they left it and continue living their lies or would they crumble into dust and die of extreme old age.

Fiddler’s Green tells them, honestly, that he does not know what would happen.

At this, the Riders continue their search for a way home.

After they leave Fiddler’s Green tried to explain that they are trapped in one of the Soft Places, where the borders between Dream and reality has eroded or has not been formed, and with that Fiddler’s Green walks into the desert and disappears.

This is one of the Riders in the Sand.

He appears in Sandman # 39, on page 15, in panel 2.

Lukas did a extraordinary job with this portrait. He managed to add definition and details and set him in a time long before that of Marco Polo. He feels like he is a character lost from his own time in history. I really like the design of this character and the details he added to bring this character to life.

Bondage Girl # 21 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

In Brief Lives, Delirium is lost and wanders into a bondage club looking for a change.

In the club she encounters a woman named Lisa who looks a little like Death. Once she realizes that this woman is not her sister she becomes agitated and starts screaming that she wants her sister.

This woman is one of the women in the club who saw Delirium freak out.

She can be seen in Sandman # 41, on page 11, in panel 2.

I really like this portrait from Max. I love the contrast between her black outfit and white hair and pale complexion. Max also used some tape in this portrait and it adds an interesting “fractured” texture to this character and portrait.

Movie Premier Guest # 12 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

Foxglove attends the A Day In The Park movie premier. She has a song on the soundtrack and is a guest at the premiere.

This woman is one of the more recognizable guests at the movie premiere. She is sitting in front of Foxglove and to the right. She looks distracted, perhaps because the movie, according to Foxglove, is horrible.

Who is this woman? Is she a celebrity? I get the feeling that she may be an actress based on her appearance and her clothing, but we will never know for sure.

She appears in Death: The Time Of Your Life # 2, on page 2 in panel 2.

I really like Anna’s approach to this character. She has a classic Hollywood feel about her and I like that. Her hair is absolutely fantastic and the sideways glance is a wonderful touch. This portrait gives me the impression that this woman is indeed an actress and is attending the premier of this movie.

French Soldier # 8 (illustrated by Steve Rolston)

After Louis Antoine de St. Just and Maximilien de Robespierre were arrested and sentenced to death, this French soldier was one of the men who escorted Robespierre to the guillotine.

Robespierre was put to death on July 28, 1794 in The Place de la Revolution. This French soldier was present at the execution.

He appears in Sandman # 29, on page 23, in panel 4.

This is another great portrait from Steve. I like the tightness of the lines and details he used when drawing this character. I also like the expression on this character’s face. He looks like he’s up to something, which I appreciate, given that he is at the execution of Robespierre. This is definitely a fun portrait.

Worlds’ End Patron # 37 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

While Brant wanders Worlds’ End the storm rages outside. As lightning illuminates the sky, Brant counts the beats between the appearance of lightning and the sound of thunder.

When the rumble of the thunder echoes through Worlds’ End, this little guy, along with a group of his friends, is frightened.

This Worlds’ End Patron appears in Sandman # 55, on page 1, panel 7. He is directly in the middle with his back away from the window watching Brant walk away.

I like this little grub guy and I like Max’s portrait for this character. Max gave this grub a more feminine quality and a more serene appearance instead of the frightened expression we see in the published comic.

Japanese Man # 22 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

The Onmyoji wandered the streets, homeless and crazy after the Fox took her revenge on the murder of her lover, the Monk.

This man is one of the many people who passed the Onmyoji by as he sat on the streets in rags

He appears in the P. Craig Russell adaptation of The Dream Hunters in issue # 4, on page 27 in panel 2.

Anna’s use of watercolor is perfect for this character. I love the blue used for the background. It helps highlight the Japanese Man. I love his hat and the shadows around his face. It’s details like that that are often taken for granted, but they impress me and add a lot to the portraits, in my opinion.

Here is Japanese Man # 22…

Homeless Man # 1 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

In Brief Lives, Delirium is lost and in the streets of London.

She is sitting with Mary Canby, a homeless woman, asking for spare change.

There are several other homeless people on this particular street and this man is one of them.

He can be seen in Sandman # 41 on page 6, in panel 1. He is standing in the shadows of a doorway, trying his best to avoid the rain.

I like Max’s portrait for this character. In the published comic, this character is barely more than a darkened silhouette. Max took the shadows of the doorway and incorporated them into this portrait. We get a good impression of this character but his features are still mostly hidden in the shadows. I like the line work on this character’s face and the short jagged lines of stubble on his chin. Those subtle details really add a lot to this portrait.

Baku # 17 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

There is a tale that is told about a Monk and a Fox. Perhaps it is a fairy tale and perhaps a Monk and a Fox really fell in love and when the Monk was murdered the Fox took revenge for the death of her lover. We will never know for sure, but it has been said that sometimes if you dream and journey to the distant regions of the dreaming where the Baku graze you might catch a glimpse of a Man and a fox walking across the plains…

This is one of the Baku that grazes in the distant regions of The Dreaming.

The Baku appear in the P. Craig Russel version of Dream Hunters…in issue # 4, on page 29, in panel 1.

This is a fascinating portrait from Anna. She chose to do an extreme close up of this Baku and I like the details, particularly the blueness of its eyes. The various shades of green are amazing and I love the texture added by the use of water color. This is another great portrait from Anna.

Dreamer # 17 (illustrated by John Carmine)

As Dream battles John Dee, in order to prevent the destruction of the dream world, all of the sleepers of the world are affected by the instability of dreams.

This man is one of the many people who is asleep and feels the horrifying effects of Dream’s struggle to regain his stolen ruby. His sleep is haunted with the darkest nightmares.

This Dreamer appears in Sandman # 7, on page 14, in panel 4.

One thing that really impresses me with this portrait is that I can almost sense the nightmares on this man’s face. The line work around his eyes give me the impression that his sleep is troubled. John did a great job with this portrait. The character is a major character in the Sandman series, but John gave him life through this wonderful portrait.

Eucrasia (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

In Worlds’ End, Klaproth, Petrefax, Eucrasia and Kyrielle are trapped in the Inn waiting for the storm to pass.

Petrefax was Klaproth’s apprentice. Eucrasia and Kyrielle’s relationship to Klaproth is not known. Are they also apprentices? Could they be his assistants? Perhaps they are family members, maybe his daughters. Maybe these two women are Klaproth’s lovers. We do not know and will probably never know.

Eucrasia appears in several issues of Worlds’ End. She appears in Sandman # 51, 52, 55, 56.

This is one of my favorite portraits from Lukas. The amount of details in this portrait is very intense. Eucrasia’s hair is highly detailed and feels very real and untamed. I love the lines around her face and her expression. She seems wild, but reserved. I love this portrait.

Here is Eucrasia…

French Soldier Driver (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

When Johanna Constantine is captured by the French soldiers Louise Antoine de St. Just comes to “rescue” her, but instead takes her to the Luxembourg, which is a prison for political prisoners.

This soldier is driving the carriage that takes her to the prison.

He appears in Sandman # 29, on page 8, in panel 1.

Anna drew this character with a lot of compassion. This French Soldier has very sad eyes and I really like that for this character. I imagine that he is familiar with the Luxembourg and is saddened to see a woman being taken to a prison where the sentenced citizens are usually executed.

Corpse From Rachel’s Dream # 3 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

In the Destruction story from Endless Nights, Rachel has dreams of the world ending. Sometimes it’s by fire, sometimes by ice and sometimes the deaths are caused by some disease.

In one of Rachel’s dreams, she sees the corpse of this woman, along with many others, while walking through a shopping mall.

She can be seen in Endless Nights in the Destruction story, “On The Peninsula” on the first page in panel 4.

This is a wonderful portrait from Max. I love that this portrait is done in pencil with spots of red. It definitely adds a sense of horror to this portrait. The starkness of the portrait intensifies the minimal use of color. I really like this portrait!!!

The Thing That Walked The Earth # 13 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In the time of the Monk and the Fox, there were many Things That Walked The Earth that “we rarely see today. There were all manner of entities, beings, wraiths, and creatures, both kind and malevolent.”

This is one of the Things That Walked The Earth.

What is this creature? Is he some sort of demon or a creature from Japanese mythology? I don’t know, but he certainly looks cool.

It appears in the P. Craig Russell adaptation of The Dream Hunters, in issue # 1 on page 22, in panel 1.

Anna did an amazing job with this portrait. I love the texture that the watercolor adds to this portrait. The perspective of this portrait, a close up, really helps give some details to this creature’s face. The blank white eyes are frightening and give it an eerie appearance. I really like this portrait from Anna!!!

The Black Guard # 10 (illustrated by John Carmine)

In A Game Of You, Barbie is pursued by the Cuckoo’s elite army, The Black Guard.

The Black Guard were sent out in search of Barbie and her friends and bring them to the palace of The Cuckoo. At one point the Black Guard came close to finding them, but Barbie, Primando, Luz and Wilkinson hid under a snow drift and were able to avoid detection.

Eventually the Black Guard captured Barbie who was then delivered to the Cuckoo.

The Black Guard appears in several parts of the A Game of You Storyline. This particular member of The Black Guard appears in Sandman # 35 on page 7 in panel 3.

John did a fantastic job with this portrait. He used watercolors on this portrait and it really adds a sinister vibrancy to the character. I also really like the blackness inside the helmet and the penetrating red eyes. I love this portrait!!!

Greek Citizen # 36 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

After the death of Eurydice many of the people who attended the wedding also attended the funeral.

This man is one of the people who attended Eurydice’s funeral while Orpheus watched from the cliff above.

He appears in the Sandman Special # 1, on page 17 in panel 2.

I like this portrait from Max. This character has a very uniquely shaped face and it’s unlike any face we’ve seen before in a Sandman portrait. I really like this character’s hair and his nose. I also like the colors Max used for this portrait. I like how the background really contrasts with the character.

This is a pretty awesome portrait for a pretty obscure character.

Shop Girl (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

When George opens his chest and releases the starlings they seek out the sleepers. The starlings land on the sleeping women and their dreams turn to nightmares.

Wanda’s dream starts innocent enough. She is in a shop admiring the dresses and this shop girl offers to give her all the dresses she would like.

This woman is the shop girl from Wanda’s dream.

She appears in Sandman # 33, on page 12, in panel 2.

Anna adds so much personality to her characters. I can hear the Shop Girl’s voice just by looking at Anna’s interpretation. She does such a nice job adding details in the background to give an idea of the character’s role in the story.