[HTML table version removed; see GIF version]
the left panel was made with GIMP and Online Image Editor; the right was made with GIMP (after I figured out how to use it)
At some point I converted these backgrounds to "indexed color" (don't know how) -- this meant I couldn't change the color using the bucket fill (don't know why).
I learned from "help" that I could change the image "mode" from indexed to RGB.
That enabled me to add the background colors.
Update: Reposted the above at its intended size (500 x 500 pixels). The frames were made in GIMP and assembled in my old Windows GIF program. Earlier today I posted a 400 x 400 version assembled in Online Image Editor. It was resizing to fit OIE's 400 x 400 max dimensions and anti-aliasing, which is more tasteful but not what I intended for this GIF.
Update 2: Assembled the frames using GIMP and re-posted. I opened the frames (png files) as layers and exported as a GIF animation with the following items checked: (A) one frame per layer (replace)*; (B) 100 ms delay; (C) use delay entered above for all frames; (D) use disposal entered above for all frames. I left "interlace" unchecked. Per the help page: "Checking interlace allows an image on a web page to be progressively displayed as it is downloaded." Another thing I learned about GIMP: the pencil tool, which can be set to different widths, does not use antialiasing, so it's the tool of choice for pixel artists.
*Actually for a group of opaque frames the "disposal" doesn't seem to matter. The default is "I don't care."
So-called "art" GIFs were around in the late '90s -- I used to see them on Word.com. They were made mostly by graphic designers as opposed to self-identifying artistes. The above GIF came from there; the original was 102 x 128 pixels. I enlarged it to 400 x 400 using "nearest neighbor" resizing to preserve the sharp edges. Still, this is an incredibly small (19 kilobyte) GIF in terms of ecological impact, in case you are thinking about alternatives to binge-watching Mad Men. Not that you can look at this one for very long.
An installation shot of the "Forest Blob" animated GIF, shown with a projector, at the Honey Ramka opening last night.
Heuitae Yoon, who randomly came to the opening wearing that hat, was photographed by the stunned gallery.
Also, thanks to Diana Kingsley for this phone video documentation of the GIF: [1.3 MB .MOV file]
The crowd schmoozing makes an appropriate soundtrack.
