Never say, never. Two posts back I wrote that I wondered why I had brought the 20 tubes of gouache etc. Yesterday, I started painting an animated film! Now, I owe all I know about animation to my pal, Ruth Hayes (with a bit of help from Devon Damonte as well) and I am sure she will be surprised at this turn of events. One thing I learned from her is that one must always do a pencil test. This means (while I am not using a pencil) that I had to shoot a test somehow after I did some images (45 frames) to make sure everything was going to work. This morning with Marilyn’s help I rigged up a shooting station with a kitchen pan, a box of soap flakes, my jobi tripod, and iMotionHD on the iPhone to do just that. Here is my “desert island media” solution:
And here is my “pencil test” which consists of two loops:
I have a long way to go and of course, will not actually shoot the animated piece until I return (using a proper copy stand). The sound design will involve all natural sound and a Tahitian ukelele solo.
In other news: we were invited to a 60th birthday party at Lapita Village on Saturday evening. It was the latest we have been up and out in over a month. Marilyn snapped this photo of us as we were waiting for dinner to be served.
Our hosts were Debi (the birthday girl), Amy, Janet, and Lin–all part of a family reunion with Peter Owen at Lapita Village. 
During dinner we all were entertained by some Huahine dancers. Here is an animated sequence (from stills) of short section of one dance :
Finally, here is a photo that Marilyn took right before we got dressed for the party. 
She called it, “Comfy.”
We are in the second month of our stay, hurtling towards our return to sweet Olympia. My attitude towards clothing has become much more relaxed and frankly, I have begun swimming in my bra. My bathing suits are just too big and uncomfortable. What’s next?
Beach Bum with a Camera 
Go for it, Betsy! Thanks for the comment!
What a cool way to use goache! I just got mine out the other day for the first time in years…I have in my closet a big art show opening drawing (poster) of a reclining Hawaiian woman done on brown craft paper in graphite by Hawaiian artist Pegge Hopper. I got it at her studio for a nominal fee and want to frame it in my bedroom…but it needs a spot of red for my room…heretical as it seems I plan to use goache or pastel to “paint” an anthurium that she is holding red…I am terrified and have been practicing on brown paper sacks with goache!! I love all of these experiments!
This will be fun. I can’t wait to watchall those objects come to life. Did you see the picture of the coconut crab crawling up the garbage can? Fred posted it. Great work, Sal. Very interesting.
You two are so resourceful! I can’t wait to see this fully animated….and, of course, hear the soundtrack! I am also hoping for a sequel to Sheltering Palms. I adore the music…makes me nostalgic for something I can’t put my finger on. I keep expecting Mitzi Gaynor to appear on the set….maybe you should cast M for the role. I’m staying tuned in for more!
Love, Judith