It looks like I last time did one of these recaps was way back in 2022... Time for a fresh one!

Graduating from College

I'm now a college graduate! For the past four years I studied at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. I received my BFA in 2D animation this past spring! I feel so very fortunate to have gone to such a good school and to have studied alongside such talented folks. Here's to all that will come in the days ahead!

Rat-Racing Against the Clock - My Senior Film

When my senior year winter break ended in January, I was behind schedule on Rat Race. However, seeing that spring deadline on the horizon sobered me up. It was literally time to lock-in and get this done nowww.

I certainly owe it to this site and its community for moving me to be in a good spot by time I began work on Rat Race. In the preceding years by uploading my own work I managed to learn the in's-and-out's of making complete (though not always good) animations. When that time finally came to work on Rat Race, I felt more confident that it was a task that I was capable of undertaking. Things worked out in the end and the film got finished two weeks ahead of schedule.

After Rat Race was completed it was time to shop it around! Ottawa told me to pound sand, but Rat Race was able to find it's audience at some wonderful festivals. The Jersey Short Film Festival was one of them, which I really enjoyed going to while being joined by some of the friends who helped out with the film @gorbogobmin and @killah-d0lphin .

*I had not attended the awards ceremony for the JSFF as I was not expecting to win anything, only to have it revealed to me that I was awarded the best in my submitted category, and best rising star director! Needless to say I kicked myself that night for playing hooky

There was the Open World Animation Festival in Pennsylvania in which @chimpshrimpin and I attended, which took place at the Roxy Theater, an awesome art-deco era venue. For the last of them, there was the Portand Comedy Film Festival. I flew all the way to Oregon, a first for me, and had a great time and a lot of laughs there, and met some cool people too! I also got a Mountain Dew Baja Blast at the venue which was bangin'.

Meetups

In late 2023 I attended my first NG meetup, which was organized in my home state of New Jersey. I wasn't left hoping for another one for too long as another Jersey meetup was being organized. This time things got serious, this meetup was for Pico Day-- Newgrounds' own holiday (patent pending).

You can read more about my time at the Pico Day meetup in it's own newspoast here.

Sonic Shorts and Collaborations

When I heard Sonic Shorts by @thesonicparadoxteam were coming back I nearly flipped in my seat. I grew up on this stuff, lived on it, referenced it on the playground with friends. It irreversibly rotted my brain and sense of humor sure, but I don't freaking care those old volumes were gold! I applied to join the crew and got accepted. My short was about Sonic Rush and all the sounds Sonic would make doing those trick-moves. I also made Tails do the "Vegeta thumb pose" which is my favorite part.

Here's the link to the collab in full:

This year I also took part in a couple of other events! Tankmas Adventure returned, an interactive advent calendar. I have fond memories of taking part in 2021, and I was excited to have the opportunity to once again participate. My art was included on the Christmas Day present-drop, releasing alongside other talented artists! Here's the art I made, the alien hominids crash a feast of the seven fishes!

I also participated in the annual secret santa event! This is the gift I made for harutoch of her OC Haru Aoki:

I've been trying to have more patience in making standalone drawings, which includes this secret santa piece. Conveniently, this leads me to the next section:

Pushing for Detail

It's rare for me to upload standalone illustrations (My mind trends towards planning/working/thinking on animations instead I've noticed). An illustration lends itself to detail, moreso than an art style tuned to limited animation. I wanted to challenge myself this year with pushing myself in that regard. I made some of my most favorite drawings of my characters that I've ever done this year:

I still use the same roster of 6 or so OC's but hey one has to choose their battles hehe... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Coming Attractions...

I've also begun animation for my next online short, the next episode of my web series Hyper-Breakers! Aaron the cat and Todd the dog must find the final part to repair the gaming PC of Todd's little cousin. Have a looksie here:

*The Mac Mini pictured is not the gaming PC in question lmao

In Conclusion

Sometimes I feel as though I haven't done enough in a year's time, or that I've begun to stagnate. But, after writing what I've managed to do so far down on paper (or screen, in this case) that sense of tunnel vision is removed. This is to say that I consider this year a job well done! My new year's resolution more or less stays the same each year, which is to keep trying to improve myself as a person bit by bit. I think I've grown some this year and I'm thankful. I'm looking forward as to what's next. Thanks for tuning in all, Happy New Year!