The clock just keeps ticking away, doesn't it? But I've been working, working and working, probably harder than I ever have. Cranking down on this animation (should hit just under the 3 minute mark), and simultaneously learning a lot during its production; major skill creep is already settling in and I hate it when that happens. But it's both a curse and a blessing, since the next cartoon will be even better because of it!

I've been drawing a lot more right when this new year began--and though since about a month ago, I still have--I've been uploading less; I've been focusing my efforts on improving rather than publishing. Learning anatomy, character design, audio mixing and just everything I do in general. Part of me feels bad, but at the same time, I think it's worth the wait if what you make turns out to be solid, and then from there, things remain more consistently good. I've been streaming on both Twitch and YouTube one or two times a week, but again, this may drop down in quantity until what I'm capable of doing winds up looking a lot better. But we will see! I have fun streaming regardless.

Everything's constantly slowed down due to my full day time job, but you gotta rake in that dough somehow! I keep busy regardless, working hard and playing hard, as well as getting the minimum required amount of sleep in order to function throughout the day. Also working out to keep my bod in shape. It's been pretty nuts, but each night I go to sleep feeling accomplished, typically. It just sucks when it seems that "I'm dead" since I haven't been publishing normally. But you know what, years, or even days from now, this moment will no longer matter. Who cares if you have been publishing a lot when what you do isn't exceptionally great? Quality over quantity is the lesson. What you upload on your Twitter, Tumblr, or YouTube won't matter when no one cares about those websites anymore. What matters is improving and mastering your craft.

Short version of this post: I'm still working on everything! This animation should be done within a few weeks (and I MEAN IT this time, I said that last November or so but hurdles got in the way! I already explained why in previous posts)! I'm so excited, and on top of that, there's another animation that I put on hold that I can dig back up once this one's out, so the time that goes by in between the two will be minimal!

See you soon!

​-Ben

It's been almost a DECADE of Twisted year in reviews, WOWZAH! Here's to the ninth one: Twisted2021.

Although only one fully-finished cartoon was published this year, a lot has been in progress aside from it; 2021 began with me working on an alternative rock/metal (I'll let the listeners determine the genre when it's out) album. I have lyrics for a dozen songs finished and about half of them have been recorded and mixed, while the rest are still in the works! I spent months and months, on-and-off learning about pass filtering and equalization for each instrument as well as vocals (and have been learning more how to sing)! I've tinkered with audio editing for many years, but 2021 was the one where I really went all out with it. I still have much to learn, but overall I'm happy with how it's all coming out! The album should be released for free whenever I finish it, probably next year!

Also during the beginning of 2021, I started on my very first webcomic, Interromantica! My goal was to publish one chapter per month, but even the first chapter took me a lot longer than I thought it would. So I just left it as-is with one chapter. Had lots of fun making it and I liked the way it came out, and though I do have plenty of ideas for the consecutive chapters, for now it will be left to sit on its own. It just took up valuable animation time!

Speaking of animation, I started on a big battle sequence soon after the release of the first chapter; I hinted at it a handful of times this year as well as showed a preview of it late Summer, but it's still undergoing production. It got left on the backburner here-and-there as other projects and life stuff just kept coming up. But it's still going strong, and I can't wait to finish it! Having so much fun animating it.

One of the projects that interrupted it was one I did entirely from my free will, And the Final Smash Character Is..., which turned out to be the one and only cartoon uploaded for 2021. Knowing the final DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was about to be released, I hustled and got it out just a couple of days before Sora was announced.

JUST BEFORE THAT, however, since Madness Day 2021 was approaching and I knew I didn't have time to do a full Madness cartoon, I quietly released the first patch update to Madness Gemini, the game I made for Madness Day 2019. Added some effects, fixed some bugs, threw in a few extra music tracks, and updated the menu with a weapons and enemies database. Just made it a bit more playable and fun (I think, anyway), overall.

Afterward, I wanted to end the year with another cartoon, which... wound up not happening, sadly, because yet another roadblock approached: Adobe Flash Pro CS6, the program I've been using to animate for many years, finally took a dump on me; no matter what I tried, no matter what drivers I used, what settings I tinkered with, what I screwed around with with my drawing tablet... it was just too laggy. It seemingly started doing this out of nowhere. So, much to my initial dismay, I transferred my main animation software to Toon Boom Harmony 21. At first I was reluctant to doing this, as there were so many things I liked about Flash and I was just plain used to it. But, after just a couple months with my good friend Crashgen teaching me on how to use it, I got the hang of it and now I can't believe I haven't started using Toon Boom earlier! I really love it, progress has been so much faster with it! That being said, the learning curve slowed down production of the cartoon, so it won't be done until early next year. Following that? I'll get back to the battle animation.

Throughout all of this, I've been drawing! Feel free to check out my gallery to see what I released. I'm always trying to improve, and this year I like how a handful of some stuff I tried came out, overall. Still got plenty more to practice on, so get ready for 2022! Follow me here or any of my other social media pages that best suit you if you're interested! I may start doing commissions again down the line.

2021 was a good year. Strange and unexpected in many ways, but very great in others. I can't wait for what 2022 will bring, I AM SO EXCITED!! Get ready FOR VIDEOS AND SOME OTHER THINGS!! See you then!

-T4k

I'm working on a cartoon with a friend that should be released soon, I predict before 2022 (I'd like to say things like "in a couple of weeks" and "by the end of this month", but I should never make any promises; there's always crap that comes up). If you're wondering about the whole timeline of animations I've been cooking over this whole year, Spring is when I started a really big one (you can see a brief WIP of it in my Twitch promo video), and then August is when I started And the Final Smash Character Is... (I interrupted myself knowing the final SSBU character was about to be released). Following its completion in early October, I got back to work on the video I started earlier this year... until another idea was conjured.

If anyone was waiting on previously-started videos to be finished first, I understand how that can be frustrating; if I was working on something else and spent so much time on it, why put it on hold and start something else? Well, for starters, this new video is short and to-the-point. It's something I just found funny and was excited to animate. I hate having to wait so long to publish something, so my idea was to get something out short and sweet to hold followers over in between my bigger publications. I tried that recently, and its turnout was less than what I was hoping for. So here's me having another shot at it!

But then... software problems began to occur. Adobe Flash CS6 Pro, the animation program I've been using for almost a decade now, finally has started to have performance issues I can't find workarounds for. After weeks of looking for answers, I have officially changed my primary animation software to Toonboom Harmony 21. The transition has been far from smooth, and even after I got used to almost everything, the latest version of this software, also, has been experiencing compatibility issues and glitchy performance with some key features I'd hoped something so expensive would be able to do without problems. Overall, it's an improvement, but holy moly, progress slowed down drastically due to these speedbumps.

So, once again, a video I "hoped to crank out quickly to hold everyone over for the big video I have planned" has been taking much longer than I had anticipated. What a load of ass. Seriously, it's been making me a little sad. I love writing, gathering voice overs, animating and finalizing a cartoon. I've done this many times over the years and it just never gets old! But when software/hardware issues occur and life simply gets in the way... "it's frustrating" doesn't really do justice to the feeling I'm attempting to describe.

It's not just my software, either; life in general has been busy. Finances, relationships, physical and mental health, and on top of all that, trying to spend a bit of time a day relaxing instead of being a damn workaholic all the time... yikes, I just looked back at all the months that sped by this year... where the hell does all the time go? Granted, I'm glad I was able to find time to work on and finish some projects this year, and I'm happy with how a lot of my artwork turned out, but even then, there's been loads of things/characters I've been dying to draw lately, but I've been allocating all of my desk time on trying to learn this new software and getting this video done. As you may have already read, I have a much bigger one already in the works, more planned, and on top of that, so many other projects I want to do. I feel like I'm trying so hard to juggle around work, life, my health, and projects all while learning new programs and keeping myself up to date with the ever-growing updates technology is undergoing. Years ago I thought I was all set once I learned Flash and AS3, but now? I glanced back and realized I gotta drop the old and unravel the secrets of the new.

This post is getting long and I'm past my bedtime. Thanks to those of you who read these and who continue to watch and support what I do! Once again, see you soon.

​-T4k

Since last March I've been working on a big animation, but early last August I realized the final DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was soon to be released. So, I put it on hold and got to work on this video: And the Final Smash Character Is... It was close, but luckily I made it before the deadline (October 5th, when the real DLC is supposed to be revealed). I'm happy with how it came out, but damn, some parts took MUCH longer than I thought they would.

I'm at a crossroads. I finally went back to the project I paused, but part of me wants to release short videos every couple of months, rather than once or twice a year. But I think I'll just wait until something golden comes to mind before I hop on something like that.

Oh yeah, and regarding the streams... I know I announced I'd be doing them often on my Twitch, but I'm still trying to get a more active following before doing so (I've been doing some sporadic YouTube streams once every other week or so since I made the live stream announcement and trying to herd you guys over to Twitch. I attempted to stream there a handful of times, but the turnout was less than impressive). I've been in a situation where it's been difficult to stream, which is one of the reasons it's been so inconsistent and schedule-less, but hopefully soon that will change. I'll let you know in detail later.

-T4k

Heyo, good folks of Newgrounds! I've got a big cartoon in the works that's right on track to being finished, and if you'd like to see some sneak peeks along with some of the creation of it, come on down and give the Twitch a follow! I'll also be live streaming some of my artwork, and at times, my friends, Kalabor106, Saminat, Rambojoe, Crashgen, and maybe some guests, will be BSing around and doing sketch trades. You tell us what to sketch, and we may all just combat each other to recreate the best representation of what you order!

Click right here if you'd like to view my Twitch page. Thanks!

Ages ago I created a Twitch account but never did anything with it. However, from this day forward, that will all change; I'm going to be doing regular Twitch streams weekly soon! I figured why not, as when I'm under the pressure of an audience my progress tends to improve. The animation I've been working on since late Winter is going very well, and I wouldn't mind sharing its production with you guys! And of course, artwork streams will be done as well. I miss those good ol' YouTube streaming days I used to have a few years ago with the gang!

My Twitch account is here. Feel free to follow it! I will give you info on the schedule momentarily. In the mean time, KEEP KICKING ASS!

-T4k

Oh my golly wolly, time has just been flying by at an unimaginable pace that it's just unreal to me. I wanted to make a post updating you all on what's going on at the moment.

First lemme just say, 2021 has been a great year so far! Got a lot done and am currently getting a lot done, but it's like I turned around and nearly half the year was up in no time flat! It's just insane. I've been working pretty hard on drawings (you're always free to look at what I'm doing over in the Artwork page here) and trying to improve more than I have in the past few years. I mean, looking back, yeah, I have improved a bit over time, but I want to like, improve improve, you know? Like, instead of having that organic, gradual increase in skill, I want that noticeably night-and-day BOOM improvement. Getting there!

If anyone remembers the sequel to An Animal Crossing Tale, yes, that is undergoing production. I can't believe it's been almost exactly a year since I announced it. Script is finished and am almost done all of the voicework (getting multiple voice actors these days can be nauseatingly annoying... I don't know what happened to all of those voice acting forums I used to use). I wanted to get it finished much, much sooner, but all of the life stuff that went down such as the house renovations, working out and eating well, spending time with friends and family and an ungodly amount of time working to pay the bills... time really just slipped away. I wish I could make a living off of just doing the art and animation thing, but I only make extra scraps off of this, currently. I tried to raise awareness and bring back the following of the channel back in 2019, but as you may know, that didn't really work out! Still trying.

I have a cartoon in the works that is not Animal Crossing-related, and though I like how it's coming out and I think it's fun, we will see what actually happens (YouTube's algorithm is the most bizarre thing at the moment). Won't tell you what it is 'til it's done! Shouldn't be too much longer now (and no, it's not a Madness video... though I would like to make one for this Madness Day, I don't think I have the time this year. Maybe next year!).

Does anyone even wonder about InterRomantica? Probably not, as I basically didn't get a response when I uploaded it to Webtoons (or Webtoon? I don't know what the name of that damn website is). I like how the first chapter came out, and I'm glad I made it, but I have not yet worked on any additional chapters since its release, as I've been prioritizing my efforts on animation once more. It's been frustrating getting little to no reactions or feedback from what I've been uploading to my social media platforms lately. It makes me wonder if--or what--I'm doing wrong. But, that's why I've really been striving to improve this year!

Hope you've been having a good one (unless you're someone I hate, then I hope you get hit by a cement mixer today)!

​-T4k

Since a few weeks into 2021, I've been working on a webcomic I've had in mind for a while and published its first chapter today! Its primary platform at the moment is WEBTOONS, and you can read it here. Two dudes get drafted to live on the planet of Congloria, the most interracial planet in the galaxy. Their careers and dating-lives haven't been the most kind to them on Earth, but they might just have a chance with the aliens!

I'm trying to get this webcomic up on Tumblr as well, but the format I'm currently using is so janky I don't know if it's even worth it. It's difficult to navigate. But until then, WEBTOON will do! Thank you, WEBTOON, for providing a simple, good format for suckers like me to publish webcomics on!

In the meantime, I got a vidya in the works! Will upload it when it's done! :)

-Ben

This miserable excuse of a year is just about over, so I made my video talking about what I did during it! You may watch it right here.

In text form, I started working on my third Madness Day submission, Madness Magnification, when March hit, and got it submitted on time (unlike last year when I was late). During the Summer before it however, I released the first speed painting I did in a while of Min Min from Arms, as she was released as a DLC SSBU character at around that time.

I began working on a short that I wanted to release before the year was up, but then I accidentally formatted the drive I had the file on. However, I'm kind of glad that that happened because it was really dumb and I probably would have just embarrassed myself beyond belief if I ended up uploading it. Got a lot of practice because of it, too!

I've got some big projects in the works at the moment. Around the middle of the year I announced that one of those projects is a sequel to An Animal Crossing Tale, as that video started getting an additional wave of recognition this year. I've been very choosy about what I spend my time and effort on lately, as it sucks working so hard on something that the internet decides to not let anyone know exists once it's completed and published. I miss the way things were five years ago. But then again, five years from now, I'll probably be saying the same thing. Let's hope not!

I learned a lot this year, and the second half of it, for me, at least, was pretty great. Although 2020 sucked for all of us in general, it was actually better than my 2019, believe it or not. Here's hoping 2021 is just at least a little bit better! Thank you to everyone who spends the time to glance over the stuff I make! See you soon!

-Ben

It's that magical time of the year again; Madness Day 2020 is among us! This year, I published a Madness fan animation starring a MAG agent, Madness Magnification. Had some fun with it, but frankly I'm glad I'm done making it. To recap, from me, Madness Day 2018 brought Madness Frankfurterfication, and 2019, subsequently, the game Madness Gemini. Learned a lot from creating all of these, and to be honest I'm surprised I followed through with three annual projects in a row. But now with Magnification done, I feel freed up and ready to work on what's next! A sequel to An Animal Crossing Tale, perhaps? C:

Have a great one, all!

-T4k