Political Cartoon: Democrat Double-speak

What is Democracy?

Is voting a mere formality?

Does anyone sincerely value the democratic voice of the people?

My Four-Day Burning Man 2016 To-Do List/Plan in Water Color Paint and Sharpie

I made this wee list and planner for my last four days before leaving for Burning Man.
As it was, I was disorganized and unprepared, but this little colorful list kept me inspired and more or less on-track. All the extraneous, creative stuff (sewing new clothes) went by the wayside, leaving only the large strokes to focus on: shopping, packing, checking on basic needs like shelter and bed.

The addition of a caricaturing gig to my week-before-burning-man schedule, was both a godsend, and a monkey wrench in the gears. It ended up going for four hours, which helped me to afford my share of the rental car I drove in. But, of course, it delayed me in getting ready, and in leaving. With the looming gig, I could not run myself ragged, and had to be well-rested. When it was extended to four hours, I knew I would not likely get out that Saturday night. Sure enough, I was finally able to leave Monday, at 3 in the morning.

I will be better organized and prepared next year.  In any case, may I do it with style and some color!

GO!
Burning Man Prep List Plan 2016

Someone else's caricature of me.

A young man drew this for me at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, back in the early 2000's. Their caricature booth had all the amenities: four drawing stations, with cameras and overhead screens for the audience. This guy, having learned that I was a caricature artist too, busted out three amazing caric's of me.  This was one of them, which I still cherish as one of my favorite portraits of all time.

Well, ok, it's a little worn, and could use a frame, but anyway...

David Fleischmann in caricature
by ????

Photo, for reference.

Caricatures: Katie, Joe, and the cats, Sudo, Tina, and Plop.

After all the political posts, I'm taking a break by posting some artwork and photos of beautiful Laguna Beach.

I completed a series of drawings in exchange for a weekend stay in Richmond, California.  They were done precisely to specifications.  The commission was completed a bit late, and one of the cats, who had been on his last leg, had since passed away.  He became the kitty ghost in the drawing below.

Katie, Joe, and the cats, Tina, Sudo, and Plop.

Sudo

Tina

Plop

Katie and 

Hillary and her Trolls Unite the Party, Political Cartoon

Send Out My Trolls to Unite the Party!
political cartoon
copyright 2016
David Fleischmann
the free radical

Hillary and the DNC have attempted to unite the highly fragmented Democratic party using internet trolls, for which a million dollars were budgeted.  The Internet is a tool of open dialogue. Paying people to express political opinions is poisoning the waters.  Her aggressive measures will never unite the party.  Nagging Bernie Sanders supporters for not supporting Hillary is not a strategy for winning the race in November.  In my opinion, it is Bernie or no one.

Voting Goalie, Political Cartoon

Our election system is designed not to allow the free vote, but to inhibit it.

Voting Goalie
Copyright Free Radical 2016
David Fleischmann

There were many anomalies in the voting process this year, principally in Arizona, where 5-hour lines, and voter suppression squelched the free democracy we once enjoyed.  Democratic voters had their party affiliations switched, without their knowledge or consent, so that they could not vote for the candidate of their choice.  Polling places had been closed down, and voters showed a record turnout, backing up the voting system and causing many to give up on getting their voices heard.  Not everyone is physically able to stand in line for five hours.  The record turnout was blamed on voters showing up, by election officials, who themselves were clearly complicit in suppressing the vote.  Additional outrages followed in other states like New York, where 126,000 people from Brooklyn had their affiliations switched.

Exit polling has become a fine science, and anytime there is a deviation of more than a few points between exit polls and official tallies, it is an indication of monkey business in the vote count.  This election, many states were off by more than a few points, indicating a systemic failure of our vote counting system.

To date, there have been no statements from the establishment democrats about voter suppression, election fraud, or any such dirty tactics that they always scream about when republicans use them.

Alice in Wonderland- Themed Mixed Media: Water Color & Ink

I accepted an art challenge to create Alice in Wonderland- themed art using abstract watercolor splotches as the base, under-painting or prompt.  These two pieces emerged from the splotches pictured below each piece, splotched by my artist friend.  I saw the characters within, and used pen, marker and paint to bring them out.

The Rabbit, from Alice in Wonderland
mixed media, watercolor, ink on WC paper
Jan. 2016

under painting for rabbit

Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland
mixed media, watercolor, ink, marker
Jan. 2016

under painting for Queen of Hearts

Vision Sketch: Boxy figures

 

 

Another one of those images that drifted into my consciousness as I was on the edge of dreaming. Once again, I make no excuses for what I see, nor how I interpret it.  Enjoy it, or not. 

 

Cartoon: Anti-apocalyptic Warning

An old 'toon I did.  

copyright Free Radical

Drawing: Guy Falling or Rising

I made this drawing many years ago.  Just a guy floating along in space, or falling away from or towards the light.  You decide.

Color Whirly Spiral

This image accompanied a get-well card I made once.

Color Drawing: Metal Pipe

Another still life of a piece of cannabis paraphernalia. This using black and red ballpoint pen, and pink, yellow and green highlighters.

Metal Pipe
pen
1997

Drawing: Landscape of Advertising

Here's an old one.  I didn't know at the time I'd want to keep it forever, so I just drew this on whatever piece of paper was closest, which was a bit of printed stationary from the company for whom I had been temping.  Anyway, it's a cartoon metaphor of the world taken over by advertising.

Landscape of Advertising
pen
1997

Drawing: Mess ii

Another old still life I did back in my old bachelor pad days, around '96, '97.

Mess ii
Pen
1997

Ink Drawing: Paraphernalia, 1997

I drew this with a ball-point pen in my bedroom almost 20 years ago.  This was my first bubbler, along with some other basic properties recognizable to the user of cannabis.  The woodwork was hypnotic and a pleasure to draw in that state. I had recently become inspired by the work of R. Crumb, and his trademark crosshatch style. 

Paraphernalia
Pen
1997

Sketchbook Page 28 More Scribbling and Whirlies

Just filling up the page with lines, patterns, value (shading), shapes, symbols.  In ink.

Scribbly Whirly
Ink
2014

Sketchbook Page 27: Ink Scribble Design

More of the same style of whirly abstract I've been showing lately.  This in pen.

Whirly Scribble Design
Ink
2014