Jan 31, 2011
At this years SEMA show in Vegas, while attending the event with a friend and skilled craftsman, Bob Thrash, we ran into an artist who’s work Bob had admired for quite some time, Ed Tillrock. Ed’s work and formal training in architectural illustration has somehow melded into a passion for anything on wheels. His work stood out to me not for it’s size or use of pencil or shading, but the extreme amount of detail and perspective. Perspective only gained from being around and/or riding motorcycles or driving cool cars. Ed refers to himself as a “Pencil Specialist“, and had been an illustrator in the Chicago area for over 30 years. In Ed’s words, “my love for hot-rods goes back to my childhood. When i was 6 or 7 my dad took me to my first car show/swap meet at the local Ford dealer. In the swap meet area was a Model A 5 window coupe body! For less than $100 bucks! I begged my dad to buy it but to no avail. I could see it finished in my mind. Chrome reverse, wide whites and a big honkn’ engine. However, the pencil would have to be my creative outlet for a while!”.
Ed’s works is not a photographic replica. It’s his interpretation of what he sees in his minds eye. The artwork is an outlet for him. And while he’d like to own all the cars and motorcycles he’s drawn, it’s just not possible. However he is able to take ownership of the piece by laying down some graphite using a pencil technique he developed and still uses today, pencil on illustration board. As Ed talks about his renderings you get drawn not only into the actual piece, but also in to the emotional elements that surround the piece. As Ed says “it’s like seeing an old girlfriend, or going into a house you once lived in when I see a piece i’ve drwan. All the chips, dents and nicks…which is always a bit odd for me and catches me off guard. I try to make my artwork feel as though i am part of the picture, not just standing there viewing a static image, but able to touch it, hear the engine rev as you go through the gears.” I think we would have to say Ed has not only taken himself to that “place” but also taken those of us that own or have seen his work in person. Great work Ed. To see more of Ed’s work or to purchase some, check out his site HERE. And for a video interview of Ed, click HERE.
