I have been wanting to do some political art for a long time. The problem has always been how to create something that make a statement without being preachy or corny. A couple of really cool Christmas presents have prompted me to just take a crack at it. I got a nice set of Prismacolor markers and a book about the history of printmaking in Mexico. The markers make it quick, easy and fun to do lots of brainstorming thumbnails and the book provides a ton of political prints to get me fired up.
The hanging of Saddam really hit a nerve with me and inspired the current piece I’m working on. Not that I’m a big booster of Saddam, but his hanging seems like it will be a defining moment in this ongoing comedy of errors. I suspect his execution will be part of what we point to “victory” as we pack up and bow out of this one. I do appreciate the soldiers fighting over there, not so much the people that sent them.
Anyway, this is going to be a 3 color woodcut. Here are a couple attempts to sketch a likeness and a couple other “process” shots.
p.s. Concerning Yahoo!/Flickr and copyright issues: They told me to consult an attorney. Thanks for the tip, guys.