A post for a New Year (look back at 2017)

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Where did the time go? It's already about to be 2018, and I'm still here wondering how in the world I've done so much this past year. A ton has changed, and yet so much remains the same. I'm still me, I've still got the best family and friends anybody can ask for, and the connections and people I've gotten to know on this website and the projects I've given for myself have helped me grow so much.

This year, I got to work on YouTube videos with friends like :icontheeditormlp:, :iconblackbird2:, :icontheoneaj:, :iconcosmo-star977:, :iconmibevan:, Mr. Left Turn, and my sister :iconbettinalevy:. I made my longest video EVER just this November (me and :iconripple-effect-mlp:s review of the MLP Movie) and I got to learn a more efficient way of editing my videos in general!
I made a couple art series that I'm really proud of (my February Shipart series and the Artist Training Ground series in August) and I've celebrated 12 different birthdays in 2017 by making personalized fanart, twice the amount I made in 2016!
I got to travel to Costa Rica with my dad and my sister, and Cuba and Canada this year with Pop Quiz (how about that, 3 countries that start with C), saw :iconraby5775: twice and :iconaeonofdreams: during my trip to Boston once again!
I've finally found what I can call my "signature" art style: hand-drawn+coloring digitally.
I've also found that I love drawing on rocks; you might say it's a gneiss hobby. Clapping Pony Icon - Maud 
I made the switch from Skype to Discord, and have spend most of my free time hanging out in different servers with friends.


AHH, NUMBERS...Let me count the ways
I made over 20 videos on my Bright Idea YouTube channel, a variety of song covers, parodies, unboxing videos, and animations featuring my awesome new Pun Shop/new home background made by :iconrancor-palmach:
I've amassed 1609 YouTube subscribers in total (up from 880 this time last year) and 99,030 YT channel views (up from 60,170).
I've reached 481 Deviant Art watchers (up from 312) and 39,764 DA pageviews (up from 21,144 last year).
Finally, I've reached 180 likes on the Bright Idea FB page (almost twice as many as I had last year).
:dummy:

PEOPLE WHO MADE ME FANART THIS YEAR!
Thank you to 
:iconmorphiusx::iconrobertwho::iconraby5775::iconrancor-palmach::iconconniethecasanova::iconsummer-sketch-15::iconmoshifan62::iconmidnighthour030::icontwilyx360::iconsuperstaredge96::iconed1229::icondetendobrony::iconhthom32::iconyanderefangirl20xx::iconkounkikenvtuber::iconrockfordvanhorn::icontheoneaj::iconcatchyartz::icontranzmuteproductions::icontheeditormlp::iconthefriendlyelephant::iconlifysdoodles::iconmbcmechachu::iconflor-de-liz4::icongengenblues::icondulceticecocoa::iconmibevan::icon736berkshire::iconfroggyman145::iconprofflyingjoemule::icontheeasterart::iconfoger3::iconlawleyj77::iconbrogararts::iconblackbird2::iconartkitty999::iconcountessmrose::iconaegann::iconashcatarts::iconmystiiera::iconbiancaroseg::iconofficialyugibrony::iconbluey-tew58::iconponymiku::iconpickfairy::iconmanicbulbs::iconcrimsonglow::iconflowereagletale::iconxanimextremexx::iconundertaleaulukka::iconbillyp-alabastoram::iconemeraldblast63::icondoraeartdreams-aspy::iconfirefall-mlp::icondserpentine::iconirisprismmlp::iconlightspeedphoenix::icontwisto-fatepooka::iconemithegoat::iconvector-brony::iconbookman-oldstyle::icondemonicwolfgirl1::iconmillarts-artworks::icondogi-crimson: and :iconsketchingmusic:

for making me all sorts of amazing fanart of all shapes and sizes. Over 60 different artists have tried their hand at my likeness or made me something cool just because, and I really do appreciate every single bit of fanart I receive. HUGS TO ALL! :hug:
(To see my fanart, just visit my favorites folder). Wink/Razz

ART SUMMARY!
These are my favorite picks from this year alone. It was hard narrowing these down to only one per month, since I did so many art pieces this year, but these I consider my best, most unique and artistically rewarding projects.
2017 Summary Of Art by A-Bright-Idea

HOW DID LAST YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS PAN OUT?
  1. Make more videos! I definitely did more of that in 2017, although some of the videos I was most looking forward to making last year (a Bright Idea/Bad Idea series and the 3rd Brony Song to name a couple) got pushed to the side in favor of other ideas. 
  2. Practice more traditional art. This resolution got done in spades! :D I've pretty much found a traditional drawing style that I enjoy, and I've gotten to practice my sketching and coloring skills to great effect, although I never did get to using those paints or coloring books from last holiday season. Ah well.
  3. Meet more brony friends in person! Well, I didn't exactly get the chance to go to a Brony convention this year, so the only online brony friends I could meet this year were :iconraby5775: and :iconaeonofdreams:. But on the plus side, I did make more IRL friends who just happened to be Bronies, so I'll just say that counts and call it a day! XD
  4. Explore more fandoms. Well, I haven't really strayed too far from the MLP fandom, but I did poke my head into franchises and stories like Undertale, Rick and Morty, Bob's Burgers, and the Marvel Universe. I've pretty much been too busy in my work outside of Bright Idea stuff to concern myself with the goings-on of other fandoms.
  5. Make money doing what I love. I at least got to get my feet wet through doing commissions for :iconarcfirefox:, :icontwisto-fatepooka:, :icondawnpromise:, and :iconanimadrawsart:. Thank you guys for taking a chance with me on my art, and for providing me with some extra spending money! :hug: I really hope to get better at finding and completing art commissions and making it more of a regular thing, so my time spent making artwork feels less like time wasted. ^^; As far as monetizing my YouTube channel, I'm still pretty far off from making that actually sustainable, since in over 2 years of making Bright Idea videos I've only accrued $20. Total. ;_; Maybe it's a sign I should look into another genre?

THIS YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
  1. Make at least 20 new videos (Bright Idea or otherwise). I've got plenty of ideas for my channel in terms of pony-content, and I'd love the chance to create more stuff like song-covers, skits, educational topics, and unboxing vlogs. But my specialty will still be parodies and puns!
  2. Create a brand new YouTube channel. I've had the idea for some time now to start a new series outside of my pony content, where I go over my thoughts and opinions on different aspects of film, storytelling, comedy, and music, which has the working title of "Annette-flix" (a play on my real name and the popular streaming service Netflix). I'd be starting from scratch, yes, but I'd also reach a broader audience and get to try something entirely new and make something that's all my own.
  3. Get over 5 different people to commission me this year. Since I've gotten way more confident in my ability to see a project to completion (such as the Artist Training Grounds), I think I'd be more than able to keep up with commission requests, if I can get them. I'll learn more about promoting myself, and I'll work on providing the best service and the most value possible.
  4. Attend BronyCon 2018 and meet more Brony friends IRL. This year I missed going to any MLP convention at all (since the Grand Brony Gala in Tampa unfortunately got cancelled, and is not coming back again in 2018), so I'm gonna go all out and plan on attending the biggest one of them all! As much as I enjoyed seeing all the vlogs and montages and hearing all kinds of stories from folks who went to BronyCon 2017, I regretted not being there myself to meet the movers and shakers of the Brony community as well as people I've known online for years now. This summer, I will be in Baltimore, just you wait!
  5. Spend less time binging on YouTube videos and staying up late. This resolution I'll need a ton of help with, especially from close friends I enjoy texting with (you know who you are). My terrible habits of staring at a computer screen for hours does me no favors in the sleep department, and this is something I want to improve in myself. More sleep for me means waking up more refreshed and energized for the day's events and better quality time spent with the important people in my life!

IN CONCLUSION:
Thank you for looking back at 2017 with me, it's been quite the adventure, and hopefully 2018 will be even more awesome.
As I always say, keep learning, keep growing, and always keep a lookout for more of those...wait for it...
Spotlight Lightbulb BRIGHT IDEAS! Idea Lightbulb Spotlight
A Bright Smile by A-Bright-Idea
© 2017 - 2024 A-Bright-Idea
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ProfFlyingJoeMule's avatar
Wishing you all the best for this year and hope it all comes true sis -hugs-