diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/system_monitor.py b/examples/pylab_examples/system_monitor.py
index 07110190a2c4..4d8c2dac24c5 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/system_monitor.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/system_monitor.py
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ def get_net():
 def get_stats():
     return get_memory(), get_cpu(), get_net()
 
-
-# turn interactive mode on for dynamic updates.  If you aren't in
-# interactive mode, you'll need to use a GUI event handler/timer.
-plt.ion()
-
 fig, ax = plt.subplots()
 ind = np.arange(1, 4)
+
+# show the figure, but do not block
+plt.show(block=False)
+
+
 pm, pc, pn = plt.bar(ind, get_stats())
 centers = ind + 0.5*pm.get_width()
 pm.set_facecolor('r')
@@ -44,10 +44,21 @@ def get_stats():
 for i in range(200):  # run for a little while
     m, c, n = get_stats()
 
+    # update the animated artists
     pm.set_height(m)
     pc.set_height(c)
     pn.set_height(n)
+
+    # ask the canvas to re-draw itself the next time it
+    # has a chance.
+    # For most of the GUI backends this adds an event to the queue
+    # of the GUI frameworks event loop.
+    fig.canvas.draw_idle()
     try:
+        # make sure that the GUI framework has a chance to run its event loop
+        # and clear any GUI events.  This needs to be in a try/except block
+        # because the default implemenation of this method is to raise
+        # NotImplementedError
         fig.canvas.flush_events()
     except NotImplementedError:
         pass
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/animation.py b/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
index 99b6c4d8d23d..f4ec996f469c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
@@ -971,17 +971,18 @@ def __init__(self, fig, artists, *args, **kwargs):
 
     def _init_draw(self):
         # Make all the artists involved in *any* frame invisible
-        axes = []
+        figs = set()
         for f in self.new_frame_seq():
             for artist in f:
                 artist.set_visible(False)
+                artist.set_animated(self._blit)
                 # Assemble a list of unique axes that need flushing
-                if artist.axes not in axes:
-                    axes.append(artist.axes)
+                if artist.axes.figure not in figs:
+                    figs.add(artist.axes.figure)
 
         # Flush the needed axes
-        for ax in axes:
-            ax.figure.canvas.draw()
+        for fig in figs:
+            fig.canvas.draw()
 
     def _pre_draw(self, framedata, blit):
         '''
@@ -1093,6 +1094,8 @@ def _init_draw(self):
             self._draw_frame(next(self.new_frame_seq()))
         else:
             self._drawn_artists = self._init_func()
+            for a in self._drawn_artists:
+                a.set_animated(self._blit)
 
     def _draw_frame(self, framedata):
         # Save the data for potential saving of movies.
@@ -1105,3 +1108,5 @@ def _draw_frame(self, framedata):
         # Call the func with framedata and args. If blitting is desired,
         # func needs to return a sequence of any artists that were modified.
         self._drawn_artists = self._func(framedata, *self._args)
+        for a in self._drawn_artists:
+            a.set_animated(self._blit)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
index e6d428fba997..010bcfc1daf3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
@@ -68,12 +68,9 @@ def draw_wrapper(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs):
     return draw_wrapper
 
 
-def _stale_figure_callback(self):
-    self.figure.stale = True
-
-
-def _stale_axes_callback(self):
-    self.axes.stale = True
+def _stale_axes_callback(self, val):
+    if self.axes:
+        self.axes.stale = val
 
 
 class Artist(object):
@@ -87,6 +84,7 @@ class Artist(object):
 
     def __init__(self):
         self._stale = True
+        self.stale_callback = None
         self._axes = None
         self.figure = None
 
@@ -124,6 +122,7 @@ def __getstate__(self):
         # remove the unpicklable remove method, this will get re-added on load
         # (by the axes) if the artist lives on an axes.
         d['_remove_method'] = None
+        d['stale_callback'] = None
         return d
 
     def remove(self):
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ def axes(self, new_axes):
 
         self._axes = new_axes
         if new_axes is not None and new_axes is not self:
-            self.add_callback(_stale_axes_callback)
+            self.stale_callback = _stale_axes_callback
 
         return new_axes
 
@@ -236,15 +235,16 @@ def stale(self):
 
     @stale.setter
     def stale(self, val):
-        # only trigger call-back stack on being marked as 'stale'
-        # when not already stale
-        # the draw process will take care of propagating the cleaning
-        # process
-        if not (self._stale == val):
-            self._stale = val
-            # only trigger propagation if marking as stale
-            if self._stale:
-                self.pchanged()
+        self._stale = val
+
+        # if the artist is animated it does not take normal part in the
+        # draw stack and is not expected to be drawn as part of the normal
+        # draw loop (when not saving) so do not propagate this change
+        if self.get_animated():
+            return
+
+        if val and self.stale_callback is not None:
+            self.stale_callback(self, val)
 
     def get_window_extent(self, renderer):
         """
@@ -608,9 +608,19 @@ def set_figure(self, fig):
 
         ACCEPTS: a :class:`matplotlib.figure.Figure` instance
         """
+        # if this is a no-op just return
+        if self.figure is fig:
+            return
+        # if we currently have a figure (the case of both `self.figure`
+        # and `fig` being none is taken care of above) we then user is
+        # trying to change the figure an artist is associated with which
+        # is not allowed for the same reason as adding the same instance
+        # to more than one Axes
+        if self.figure is not None:
+            raise RuntimeError("Can not put single artist in "
+                               "more than one figure")
         self.figure = fig
         if self.figure and self.figure is not self:
-            self.add_callback(_stale_figure_callback)
             self.pchanged()
         self.stale = True
 
@@ -804,9 +814,9 @@ def set_animated(self, b):
 
         ACCEPTS: [True | False]
         """
-        self._animated = b
-        self.pchanged()
-        self.stale = True
+        if self._animated != b:
+            self._animated = b
+            self.pchanged()
 
     def update(self, props):
         """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 0b3f8b20a738..50afb7bbfcc3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ def __setstate__(self, state):
             container = getattr(self, container_name)
             for artist in container:
                 artist._remove_method = container.remove
-        self.stale = True
+        self._stale = True
 
     def get_window_extent(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -2059,7 +2059,8 @@ def draw(self, renderer=None, inframe=False):
         if not self.get_visible():
             return
         renderer.open_group('axes')
-
+        # prevent triggering call backs during the draw process
+        self._stale = True
         locator = self.get_axes_locator()
         if locator:
             pos = locator(self, renderer)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
index c82e0f34850c..3a5fdb9b5efa 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function,
                         unicode_literals)
+from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 from matplotlib.externals import six
 from matplotlib.externals.six.moves import xrange
@@ -1690,6 +1691,13 @@ def __init__(self, figure):
         self.mouse_grabber = None  # the axes currently grabbing mouse
         self.toolbar = None  # NavigationToolbar2 will set me
         self._is_saving = False
+        self._is_idle_drawing = False
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def _idle_draw_cntx(self):
+        self._is_idle_drawing = True
+        yield
+        self._is_idle_drawing = False
 
     def is_saving(self):
         """
@@ -2012,7 +2020,9 @@ def draw_idle(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         :meth:`draw` only if idle; defaults to draw but backends can overrride
         """
-        self.draw(*args, **kwargs)
+        if not self._is_idle_drawing:
+            with self._idle_draw_cntx():
+                self.draw(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def draw_cursor(self, event):
         """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 073d6889f74a..4256a6d04503 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@
 docstring.interpd.update(projection_names=get_projection_names())
 
 
+def _stale_figure_callback(self, val):
+    if self.figure:
+        self.figure.stale = val
+
+
 class AxesStack(Stack):
     """
     Specialization of the Stack to handle all tracking of Axes in a Figure.
@@ -330,6 +335,7 @@ def __init__(self,
             xy=(0, 0), width=1, height=1,
             facecolor=facecolor, edgecolor=edgecolor,
             linewidth=linewidth)
+
         self._set_artist_props(self.patch)
         self.patch.set_aa(False)
 
@@ -543,6 +549,7 @@ def suptitle(self, t, **kwargs):
             sup.remove()
         else:
             self._suptitle = sup
+
         self.stale = True
         return self._suptitle
 
@@ -650,6 +657,8 @@ def figimage(self, X,
             self.set_size_inches(figsize, forward=True)
 
         im = FigureImage(self, cmap, norm, xo, yo, origin, **kwargs)
+        im.stale_callback = _stale_figure_callback
+
         im.set_array(X)
         im.set_alpha(alpha)
         if norm is None:
@@ -909,6 +918,7 @@ def add_axes(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self._axstack.add(key, a)
         self.sca(a)
         self.stale = True
+        a.stale_callback = _stale_figure_callback
         return a
 
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
@@ -997,6 +1007,7 @@ def add_subplot(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self._axstack.add(key, a)
         self.sca(a)
         self.stale = True
+        a.stale_callback = _stale_figure_callback
         return a
 
     def clf(self, keep_observers=False):
@@ -1044,8 +1055,10 @@ def draw(self, renderer):
         # draw the figure bounding box, perhaps none for white figure
         if not self.get_visible():
             return
-        renderer.open_group('figure')
 
+        renderer.open_group('figure')
+        # prevent triggering call backs during the draw process
+        self._stale = True
         if self.get_tight_layout() and self.axes:
             try:
                 self.tight_layout(renderer, **self._tight_parameters)
@@ -1117,12 +1130,11 @@ def draw_composite():
         dsu.sort(key=itemgetter(0))
         for zorder, a, func, args in dsu:
             func(*args)
-            a.stale = False
 
         renderer.close_group('figure')
+        self.stale = False
 
         self._cachedRenderer = renderer
-        self.stale = False
         self.canvas.draw_event(renderer)
 
     def draw_artist(self, a):
@@ -1272,6 +1284,7 @@ def text(self, x, y, s, *args, **kwargs):
     def _set_artist_props(self, a):
         if a != self:
             a.set_figure(self)
+        a.stale_callback = _stale_figure_callback
         a.set_transform(self.transFigure)
 
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
@@ -1348,7 +1361,7 @@ def _gci(self):
         return None
 
     def __getstate__(self):
-        state = self.__dict__.copy()
+        state = super(Figure, self).__getstate__()
         # the axobservers cannot currently be pickled.
         # Additionally, the canvas cannot currently be pickled, but this has
         # the benefit of meaning that a figure can be detached from one canvas,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/image.py b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
index 01e36e831785..bd5d459193d4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/image.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/image.py
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ class _AxesImageBase(martist.Artist, cm.ScalarMappable):
 
     interpnames = list(six.iterkeys(_interpd))
 
+    def set_cmap(self, cmap):
+        super(_AxesImageBase, self).set_cmap(cmap)
+        self.stale = True
+
+    def set_norm(self, norm):
+        super(_AxesImageBase, self).set_norm(norm)
+        self.stale = True
+
     def __str__(self):
         return "AxesImage(%g,%g;%gx%g)" % tuple(self.axes.bbox.bounds)
 
@@ -828,12 +836,12 @@ def set_filterrad(self, s):
     def set_norm(self, norm):
         if self._A is not None:
             raise RuntimeError('Cannot change colors after loading data')
-        cm.ScalarMappable.set_norm(self, norm)
+        super(NonUniformImage, self).set_norm(self, norm)
 
     def set_cmap(self, cmap):
         if self._A is not None:
             raise RuntimeError('Cannot change colors after loading data')
-        cm.ScalarMappable.set_cmap(self, cmap)
+        super(NonUniformImage, self).set_cmap(self, cmap)
 
 
 class PcolorImage(martist.Artist, cm.ScalarMappable):
@@ -1026,6 +1034,7 @@ def get_extent(self):
     def set_data(self, A):
         """Set the image array."""
         cm.ScalarMappable.set_array(self, cbook.safe_masked_invalid(A))
+        self.stale = True
 
     def set_array(self, A):
         """Deprecated; use set_data for consistency with other image types."""
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/offsetbox.py b/lib/matplotlib/offsetbox.py
index 932babbde485..a35403c9e369 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/offsetbox.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/offsetbox.py
@@ -187,6 +187,14 @@ def set_figure(self, fig):
         for c in self.get_children():
             c.set_figure(fig)
 
+    @martist.Artist.axes.setter
+    def axes(self, ax):
+        # TODO deal with this better
+        martist.Artist.axes.fset(self, ax)
+        for c in self.get_children():
+            if c is not None:
+                c.axes = ax
+
     def contains(self, mouseevent):
         for c in self.get_children():
             a, b = c.contains(mouseevent)
@@ -663,6 +671,11 @@ def add_artist(self, a):
         self._children.append(a)
         if not a.is_transform_set():
             a.set_transform(self.get_transform())
+        if self.axes is not None:
+            a.axes = self.axes
+        fig = self.figure
+        if fig is not None:
+            a.set_figure(fig)
 
     def draw(self, renderer):
         """
@@ -1041,6 +1054,8 @@ def __init__(self, loc,
     def set_child(self, child):
         "set the child to be anchored"
         self._child = child
+        if child is not None:
+            child.axes = self.axes
         self.stale = True
 
     def get_child(self):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index fd1a1d78ad81..0d13caf64f19 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -529,15 +529,16 @@ def make_active(event):
         figManager._cidgcf = cid
 
         _pylab_helpers.Gcf.set_active(figManager)
-        figManager.canvas.figure.number = num
+        fig = figManager.canvas.figure
+        fig.number = num
 
         if _INSTALL_FIG_OBSERVER:
-            figManager.canvas.figure.add_callback(_auto_draw_if_interactive)
+            fig.stale_callback = _auto_draw_if_interactive
 
     return figManager.canvas.figure
 
 
-def _auto_draw_if_interactive(fig):
+def _auto_draw_if_interactive(fig, val):
     """
     This is an internal helper function for making sure that auto-redrawing
     works as intended in the plain python repl.
@@ -547,7 +548,7 @@ def _auto_draw_if_interactive(fig):
     fig : Figure
         A figure object which is assumed to be associated with a canvas
     """
-    if fig.stale and matplotlib.is_interactive():
+    if val and matplotlib.is_interactive():
         fig.canvas.draw_idle()
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_tightlayout.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_tightlayout.py
index f8acede1f16a..9d43242ed9f5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_tightlayout.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_tightlayout.py
@@ -163,19 +163,20 @@ def add_offsetboxes(ax, size=10, margin=.1, color='black'):
     """
     Surround ax with OffsetBoxes
     """
-    da = DrawingArea(size, size)
-    background = Rectangle((0, 0), width=size,
-                           height=size,
-                           facecolor=color,
-                           edgecolor='None',
-                           linewidth=0,
-                           antialiased=False)
-    da.add_artist(background)
     m, mp = margin, 1+margin
     anchor_points = [(-m, -m), (-m, .5), (-m, mp),
                      (mp, .5), (.5, mp), (mp, mp),
                      (.5, -m), (mp, -m), (.5, -m)]
     for point in anchor_points:
+        da = DrawingArea(size, size)
+        background = Rectangle((0, 0), width=size,
+                               height=size,
+                               facecolor=color,
+                               edgecolor='None',
+                               linewidth=0,
+                               antialiased=False)
+        da.add_artist(background)
+
         anchored_box = AnchoredOffsetbox(
             loc=10,
             child=da,