http://www.drawger.com/edel/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:34:33 EST FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://drawger.com/_images/drawger_leo_logo.gif http://www.drawger.com/edel http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=13093

I was asked by Varoom!, the illustration magazine based in England, to create a cover for their current issue.  The topic of the issue is all of the new illustration that is coming from various parts of the world.  The main idea that came to my mind was of a figure that embodied various cultures (Chinese, Latin American, Indian, Russian).   With that as a starting point, I got to work.



Lately, I've been trying some new ways of working, some of it including collage.  I've been painting random shapes, flower, animals, etc. on paper, cutting them out, and bringing them together into several collages.   I decided to start off like this.



Collaging and moving around all of the elements allows me to try different compositions, vary placement of items, find different meanings and so on.  Below is more of the process and various details.















The inside of the Varoom! issue also includes an interview and photo of my studio



]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:34:33 EST http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=13075

This Friday I'll be at the Society of Illustrators Book and Editorial show to receive a Gold Medal for this painting, "Krampus".   Looking forward to seeing Monte Beauchamp there, the art director for the Krampus project.  Thanks to Monte for asking me to contribute and to all the judges for selecting this work.  Below are several other illustrations that were selected for the exhibition.  The show and opening are open to the public, here is more information on the exhibit.







]]> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:43:58 EST http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=13011

This is a selection of recent work done for a variety of publications.   The illustration above is a cover on the high rate of crime in Kansas City in 2011, published by The Pitch, the city's alt-weekly paper.





This one is a full page illustration for Ebony magazine on the topic of child sexual abuse in the African-American community.   Some other sketches below. 





The images above and below are a full page and spot for a story running in Newsweek magazine.  The story is about the treatment of employees on cruise ships.  Many of the employees are from very poor countries and are treated like slaves on the ships, working seven days a week, paid very little, and often times forced to stay on the ships when they want to leave the job.







Cover art for a research magazine on the topic of medical marijuana in California.   Some of the sketches below.





This long horizontal image was published in The New Yorker magazine's 'Talk of the Town' section, featuring a Rwandan film titled "Gray Matter"

]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:06:52 EST http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12931

I've made a selection of my posters available online, please check out this link for more details on purchasing.  I usually sell these through galleries or at certain events, have just started to sell them online.   Please e-mail me directly if you'd like to buy a set at a discounted rate: edelrodriguez@gmail.com.   Thanks!



]]> Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:52:11 EST http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12924

This is a selection of recent portraits published in a variety of magazines.  The portrait above is for an article in the current Mother Jones about Rick Perry's support for the death penalty in Texas.  "During the past 11 years, Perry has presided over 238 executions, including the infamous case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was put to death based on a dubious arson investigation. In a September debate, Perry famously said that he had lost no sleep over the possibility of an innocent man being executed on his watch."



I'm doing a bi-weekly illustration for a column in the Washington Spectator.  This one was on Newt Gingrich's reputation as a bombthrower.



I worked on a feature story expsé about Tiger Woods in a recent edition of Golf Digest.  Here are two portraits from the issue.









]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:33:14 EST http://www.drawger.com/edel/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12869

Chike and the River is a story originally published as a children's book by the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.   It is now being released in the United States as a fable with a series of about 15 of my paintings published throughout the book.  I spent much of last Fall working on this project with art director John Gall at Random House.   It was great to see the entire book put together.   It's now available through most stores or online here at Amazon or here at Barnes and Noble.  Below is some info about the book along with the images found throughout the story.  The paintings are acrylic on paper, about 12" x 16", some originals are available here through my illogator store.   “This light work by the boundlessly talented Achebe follows Chike, an 11-year-old boy whose adventures comprise neat little life lessons . . . . Rodriguez’s charming illustrations add texture to a classic children’s story.” –Publishers Weekly   "Eleven-year-old Chike longs to cross the Niger River to the city of Asaba, but he doesn’t have the sixpence he needs to pay for the ferry ride. With the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on a series of adventures to help him get there. Along the way, he is exposed to a range of new experiences that are both thrilling and terrifying, from eating his first skewer of suya under the shade of a mango tree, to visiting the village magician who promises to double the money in his pocket. Once he finally makes it across the river, Chike realizes that life on the other side is far different from his expectations, and he must find the courage within him to make it home. Chike and the River is a magical tale of boundaries, bravery, and growth, by Chinua Achebe, one of the world’s most beloved and admired storytellers."





























]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:10:23 EST http://edelr.com/?section=news&article=16 "Farewell to Grace", 48" x 24", acrylic on canvas.  Shown as part of "Scenes from The Hereafter" at Copro Gallery in Los Angeles and featured above in the new edition of Blab!, edited by Monte Beauchamp, blab-world.com

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