“Terracotta.” All images © Sam Rodriguez, shared with permission
Sam Rodriguez sorts his works into three categories: nouns, verbs, and typography. Nouns comprises his portraits that zero in on a singular person and their expressions, while verbs takes a step back to portray figures in action. Typography is more abstract and centers on letterforms and graphics informed by Rodriguez’s early forays into graffiti.
These classifications help the San José-based illustrator “bring order to the chaos of making art,” freeing him to focus on the stories he wants to tell. Employing bold, chromatic palettes, Rodriguez superimposes symbols, signs, typography, cartoons, and patterns atop his subjects as a means of expression. The frenzied additions visualize the sitters’ unseen preoccupations and interests, whether it be a childhood love for Dragon Ball or verdant, cabbage-like clusters sprouting from a figure’s eyes.
In addition to his personal projects, Rodriguez has worked with dozens of brands including Adobe and The New Yorker and is currently collaborating with MF Doom on a collection to celebrate the 20th anniversary of MM…FOOD. He also recently released Human 2.0: A Celebration of Human Bionics with author Patrick Kane, a richly illustrated book about the incredible advancements in medical engineering.
You can find an archive of Rodriguez’s work and follow his upcoming projects on Instagram.
“Erny”
“Ampersand”
“Shelter in Place”
“Eglantyne”
“Flores-Ent”
“Specs”
“Song of Wind”
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