Derek Riggs
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox artist
Derek Riggs (born 13 February 1958)<ref name="Popoff 6">Template:Cite book</ref> is a contemporary British artist best known for creating the band Iron Maiden's mascot, "Eddie".
CareerEdit
Born in Portsmouth, England, Riggs is a self-taught artist, both in his traditional painting and in his digital work.<ref name="Popoff 6"/> He began drawing and painting as early as he can remember.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He also attended art school, but he was expelled after complaining about the course.<ref name="Popoff 6"/> Riggs' most famous achievement is his work with Iron Maiden and his creation of Eddie, the band's mascot and subject of their album and single covers.<ref name= "Wall 133"/> Riggs' first picture of Eddie was originally entitled "Electric Matthew Says Hello,"<ref name="Popoff 18">Template:Cite book</ref> and was actually painted for a possible punk cover.<ref name="Popoff 21">Template:Cite book</ref> Iron Maiden's management came across it while looking through Riggs' portfolio,<ref name= "Wall 134">Template:Cite book</ref> and asked him to add hair to the figure to make it look less punk-like.<ref name="Popoff 21"/> The resulting picture was used for the debut album, Iron Maiden, released in 1980, and Riggs went on to work with Iron Maiden throughout the 1980s and into the '90s, creating many of the band's famous album covers.<ref name= "Wall 133">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1992, however, the band decided to accept contributions from other artists for their next album, Fear of the Dark, resulting in much less input from Riggs in recent years.<ref name= "Wall 289">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Needs update
For a long time, Riggs did his paintings with acrylics and alkyd, which is a fast-drying oil-based paint. However, after realizing the chemicals were affecting his health, he switched to digital painting in the early 1990s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His choice of software include Bryce, Strata Studio Pro, and Photoshop.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Riggs has also designed the cover of World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden, the self-titled debut album by the all-female tribute band, the Iron Maidens, a piece which was inspired by the Killers album, featuring a similar "Kinky Sex Shop" which featured in the Iron Maiden artwork.<ref name="Popoff 168">Template:Cite book</ref>
He has also worked with Iron Maiden lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson for his album Accident of Birth,<ref name="Popoff 128">Template:Cite book</ref> Stratovarius for their album Infinite,<ref name="Popoff 149">Template:Cite book</ref> Gamma Ray for their Power Plant album,<ref name="Popoff 138">Template:Cite book</ref> Artension on their 2004 album Future World,<ref name="Popoff 166">Template:Cite book</ref> Gillman on their 2003 album Cuauhtemoc,<ref name="Popoff 163">Template:Cite book</ref> and with many other bands and companies most of which are featured on his website.
Riggs currently resides in Riverside County, California, US.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref><ref name="Metal Swap Meet">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> He has seasonal affective disorder.<ref name="Metal Swap Meet" />
TributeEdit
As a fan of Iron Maiden, game designer Tim Schafer named the main character of 2009's video game Brütal Legend Eddie Riggs, which is a combination of Eddie The Head and Derek Riggs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>