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A Jewish StateLast night I finally watched Exodus, as research for my Seder-Masochism project. It was actually a much better movie than I expected. The film is mainly about showing a very hot young 1960 Paul Newman from various angles, mostly in sexy profile but sometimes portrait, but it’s also about the pressures that created Israel, and very sympathetic to the desire for a Jewish Homeland. Today, fortunately, we have this excellent alternative: Share/Bookmark
Last night I finally watched Exodus, as research for my Seder-Masochism project. It was actually a much better movie than I expected. The film is mainly about showing a very hot young 1960 Paul Newman from various angles, mostly in sexy profile but sometimes portrait, but it\'s also about the pressures that created Israel, ... January 27th, 2012 | Category: Israel, Jewish, philosophy, politics, Seder-Masochism | 3 comments
Ye Olde AnimationGuess what I found at my parents’ house in Urbana? A VHS tape called “NINA PALEY DEMO REEL 1998.” It contained my very first animation as an adult (my very very first was when I was about 13, but I’ve lost those Super-8 reels). I didn’t go to school, I just taught myself from books and asking friends. It helped that I was dating an animator; he owned an animation table, which I’d never seen before let alone used, and it was on that that I made this: For “Cancer” I drew, scratched and painted this directly on an old 35mm porn film. My boyfriend-at-the-time’s sister had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Music is the Del Rubio Triplets singing the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” Share/Bookmark Guess what I found at my parents\' house in Urbana? A VHS tape called \"NINA PALEY DEMO REEL 1998.\" It contained my very first animation as an adult (my very very first was when I was about 13, but I\'ve lost those Super-8 reels). I didn\'t go to school, I just taught myself from ... January 21st, 2012 | Category: Animation, Free Culture, TV | 6 comments
BLACKOUTIf anyone needs to download Sita Sings the Blues or copy Mimi & Eunice or anything from any of my web sites, including this blog, do it now because they’re all going dark for 24 hours in protest of SOPA/PIPA and the lobbyists and bought politicians who wrote them and will write the next stupid bills attempting to break the internet even after SOPA and PIPA “die” only to be resurrected zombie-like under new stupid acronyms. Although I’ll truly miss Wikipedia while it’s down tomorrow, maybe I’ll use the time to get some actual animation done instead of just “research.” Share/Bookmark If anyone needs to download Sita Sings the Blues or copy Mimi & Eunice or anything from any of my web sites, including this blog, do it now because they\'re all going dark for 24 hours in protest of SOPA/PIPA and the lobbyists and bought politicians who wrote them and will write the next ... January 17th, 2012 | Category: archive.org, blog, copywrong, Free Culture, questioncopyright.org, the interwebs | 2 comments
R.I.P. Hiram Paley, 1933-2012Some articles about my Dad here, here and here.
The passage of time is incomprehensible and very in my face this week.
Share/Bookmark Some articles about my Dad here, here and here. The passage of time is incomprehensible and very in my face this week. January 15th, 2012 | Category: grief, Parental Units | 11 comments
Life in the Ancient Middle EastI actually have been working this past week, I’m just nowhere near ready to share any animation yet. Here though is a still from a work-in-progress. Everything might look different in the final thing, but at least this is evidence I’ve been doing something.
Share/Bookmark I actually have been working this past week, I\'m just nowhere near ready to share any animation yet. Here though is a still from a work-in-progress. Everything might look different in the final thing, but at least this is evidence I\'ve been doing something. December 24th, 2011 | Category: Seder-Masochism | 2 comments
Crazy Little ThingI interrupt this series of Ziz iterations to tell you about a new book you are likely to enjoy. It’s called Crazy Little Thing: Why Love and Sex Drive us Mad, by Liz Langley. Why are you reading about it here on my blog? Because there’s a whole chapter about ME, that’s why! Apparently I am a paragon of how not to kill your ex in a tormented rage, and make a work of art instead. Most of the other profiles in the book are about people killing/maiming/permanently damaging their exes or themselves after breakups, but an alternative is to make a feature film, which is what I did and how I merited this sweeeet chapter. Also the book is well-written and funny, and you should read it.
Share/Bookmark I interrupt this series of Ziz iterations to tell you about a new book you are likely to enjoy. It\'s called Crazy Little Thing: Why Love and Sex Drive us Mad, by Liz Langley. Why are you reading about it here on my blog? Because there\'s a whole chapter about ME, that\'s why! Apparently ... December 16th, 2011 | Category: books, psychology, relationships, sex | 5 comments
Brown Outlines FTWSee, this is why I leave myself open to comments, even though they can cause discomfort. Sasha Rubel made an excellent suggestion. On areas that were already brown, I used gold outlines. Share/Bookmark See, this is why I leave myself open to comments, even though they can cause discomfort. Sasha Rubel made an excellent suggestion. On areas that were already brown, I used gold outlines. December 15th, 2011 | Category: Animation, design, Seder-Masochism | 6 comments
Ziz of a Different ColorTwo Zizzes, actually. The first has black outlines, which are thicker in the animated gif than the source file: The second has no outlines, reminding me of 1930′s travel posters. Maybe this Ziz is on its way to visit Palestine.
Share/Bookmark Two Zizzes, actually. The first has black outlines, which are thicker in the animated gif than the source file: The second has no outlines, reminding me of 1930\'s travel posters. Maybe this Ziz is on its way to visit Palestine. December 15th, 2011 | Category: Animation, design, Seder-Masochism | 2 comments
More Zizzy color
Slight improvements? Or exprovements? Either way, I’m still fiddling and posting the Ziz as it develops. I’ve only just learned that if you post a work in progress, everyone wants to tell you how to change it. Not once did I request advice, but advice is clearly what I’ll get if I post unfinished work (or finished work, come to think of it). I’m free to ignore any or all of it; everyone on the interwebs is just talking, they don’t have any power over me unless I give it to them. I can “take what I like and leave the rest” – and sometimes someone offers something useful. (Of course praise is always useful! It’s like water and sunshine to a plant.) Instead of criticizing the critics, which was my initial impulse, I’m remembering that it’s my choice to post these W-I-P’s, and my choice to accept or ignore people’s “helpful suggestions”, and that I’m actually in control here. If I can learn to do that here, I’ll be better at living with criticism elsewhere. As my daily prayer says:
So whether you’re criticizing or praising or ignoring what I post here, I’m benefiting by getting a little stronger and growing up a little more. And hey look – a ZIZ! Share/Bookmark Slight improvements? Or exprovements? Either way, I\'m still fiddling and posting the Ziz as it develops. I\'ve only just learned that if you post a work in progress, everyone wants to tell you how to change it. Not once did I request advice, but advice is clearly what I\'ll get if I post ... December 15th, 2011 | Category: Animation, creativity, design, Seder-Masochism | 4 comments
Ziz color test
This is a test. This is only a test. Share/Bookmark This is a test. This is only a test. December 14th, 2011 | Category: Animation, design, Seder-Masochism | 3 comments
Birdy Ziz II
I can’t stop! And I haven’t even added color yet. This one replaces the sin-wave wings with the stiffer wings I made before, adjusted for a 24-frame cycle. Share/Bookmark I can\'t stop! And I haven\'t even added color yet. This one replaces the sin-wave wings with the stiffer wings I made before, adjusted for a 24-frame cycle. December 14th, 2011 | Category: Animation, design, Seder-Masochism | 4 comments
Birdy Ziz
This one has a beak and a different mane, a whole new head design actually. Also: dotted lines everywhere. In case you’re wondering, all these modifications aren’t in pursuit of the Perfect Ziz. Any of the ones I’ve made so far would be plenty adequate for storytelling, and my motto is, “Adequate is Good Enough.” No, I’m just pulled along by curiosity right now. “What would happen if I did _______?” This kind of open-ended fiddling gets a lot of us artists in trouble – it’s addictive, and also “safe,” not risky like designing a whole new character, or actually telling a story, or moving on and getting a project finished. Hence my motto. That said, I’m indulging myself right now. Plus I’m getting great exercise ignoring criticism, something I’ll have to do lots more of in the coming years. Share/Bookmark This one has a beak and a different mane, a whole new head design actually. Also: dotted lines everywhere. In case you\'re wondering, all these modifications aren\'t in pursuit of the Perfect Ziz. Any of the ones I\'ve made so far would be plenty adequate for storytelling, and my motto is, \"Adequate is Good Enough.\" ... December 14th, 2011 | Category: Animation, creativity, design, Seder-Masochism | 3 comments
Another Day, Another Ziz
This one’s for Ravi Swami. It needed a little movement in the neck and head, but I thought the feathers were too much. Of course I might redesign the head, so all this will have to be re-done, but who cares, I’m crazy. Share/Bookmark This one\'s for Ravi Swami. It needed a little movement in the neck and head, but I thought the feathers were too much. Of course I might redesign the head, so all this will have to be re-done, but who cares, I\'m crazy. December 14th, 2011 | Category: Animation, design, Seder-Masochism | 2 comments
The Ziz With The Feathery Mane
Can I spend all day doing this? Without showering or leaving my apartment? Yes, yes I can. Now you know. This one has a feathery mane. Share/Bookmark Can I spend all day doing this? Without showering or leaving my apartment? Yes, yes I can. Now you know. This one has a feathery mane. December 13th, 2011 | Category: Animation, Seder-Masochism | Leave a comment
Ridin’ a Fast Ziz
Those previous Zizzes are 36-frame cycles at 24-frames-per-second; each cycle lasts 1.5 seconds. Above is a faster Ziz, on a 24-frame cycle. Because I left various components spaced per the 36-frame version, this one’s a lot more “active” – curvier, wavier, more energetic – as well as being faster. |