January 2008 Archives

So, I just got around to posting this illustration I did for the front of our Viewpoint section on Sunday. I did caricatures of all the candidates and assembled them in Photoshop for the final design. I purposefully chose muted colors because color in our print addition traditionally doesn't turn out all that well. Wouldn't you know it, I pick up Sunday's paper and everything is lined up properly and the color is bright and clear. Sometimes I feel like color for newsprint is a crap shoot. You never really know how it's going to look. I'll post the individual black and white caricatures later.

Just in case anyone missed it.....

You can always find one of these on my drawing board right next to the area where I draw. It's a place to put the pen or brush on paper before I actually make marks on a working cartoon. I keep these because, as you can see, they develop into a strange abstract mess. Horizontal, vertical, it doesn't matter what way I look at these things. I always have a weird feeling inside that says "you made that." Clearly, it's not representational and means absolutley nothing, which is why I kinda like it.

I liked this idea and wanted to take it further by having the "pincher" part of the drawing be things that actually pinch, like a lobster claw, a clothes pin or a mouse trap . To do something like that I would usually look for a reference by finding a good photo of a lobster and then set about drawing it. I just didn't have the time yesterday to get that done so I went ahead by using my own hands as a reference. It worked out okay but I usually want push an idea as far as possible. In the end I had to settle because it was late in the day and I could feel my deadline putting me in a pinch.

Obama is doomed now! After receiving the kiss of death from Mr. John Kerry it's hard to imagine him going much farther in this presidential race.

It's good to see the mayor of The City of Los Angeles out doing the work of the people. Aparently the people of the city look a lot like Hillary Clinton.

Keep in mind: After primary season is over we will have to endure another seven months of this crap. Among the many things destroying our republic, endless campaigning is certainly one of them. As soon as the candidates are done with this election they will be out again, begging for money in order to run for the next election. There will be no issues of substance, only personality and character. We will not be informed but entertained. The seasons will pass as talking heads and pundits endlessly opine and speculate while the electorate grows cynical and angry.

Arnold gave his State of the State address yesterday. It's interesting. He's always the one doing the right thing and it's everyone else in the legeslature that has to "get on board." There are escaped tigers lurking however.

There's nothing like a good ol' drying paint joke. Here's a reaction to the above cartoon I recieved today:

Now you’re basically down to taking cheap shots at Leno? Come on. Give me a break. You're saying the guy is totally not funny with or without his writers? That’s just a lie. Is this a way to elevate yourself? I guess 7 million viewers a night are all morons.

RJ Johnson
North Hollywood, CA

Here's a sketch I did last night while watching Obama's speech on CSPAN. I must say, if you want election coverage without the noise, graphics, tickers, charts, graphs, and endless clatter of yakking pundit-heads then CSPAN and CSPAN2 are the way to go. My head feels so much clearer, unclouded by the mindless partisan cable drivel and spin.

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for reading my blog in 2007. Here's a few of my favorite cartoons in no particular order.