I wish you are not frustratedhas I am ;-),

In the 1.1.8 docs
createImage
"Creates a graphics context for this component. This method will return null
if this component is currently not on the screen."

Jean  Don Quichotte

=====================================================================
/*<applet codebase="."  code="ReturnNull" width=400   height=200 ></applet>
*/

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.image.*;

public class ReturnNull extends java.applet.Applet {

 Image offImage,i;

Dimension dimension = getSize();
   int abswidth = dimension.width;
   int absheight = dimension.height;
Graphics offG;

 public void init () {

   int[] pixels = new int [abswidth * absheight];
   int c;
   double radianConversion = (0.45 * Math.PI / 180.0);
   for (int index = 0, y = 0;y < absheight / 4;y++) {
     c = (int)(Math.abs (Math.sin((y + absheight) * radianConversion)) *
255);
     for (int x = 0;x < abswidth;x++) {
       pixels[index++] = ((c << 24) | (c << 16) | (c << 8) | 255);
     }
   }
   i = createImage (new MemoryImageSource (
         abswidth, absheight / 4, pixels, 0, abswidth));

System.out.println (1);  //prints

   offImage = createImage (abswidth, absheight / 4);
<=================================

System.out.println (2);   // dont prints

   offG = offImage.getGraphics();

   repaint();

 }
 public void paint (Graphics g) {
   g.drawImage(offImage, 0, 3*absheight / 4, this);

 }
}