Diving into my experience with Pico Day, I didn’t really know what to expect. I grew up with plenty of Newgrounds media, but never ventured onto the site.
For a bit of context, when COVID hit, I think I was apart of the wave that ran towards the site, and for a small amount of time, I was posting my work. This was also the time where I was unfortunately in a friend group with someone who has a strong distaste for the site, and their passive aggression in regards to it messed with me mentally for almost a YEAR. I asked around, jumped into Jeff’s Twitter space, and he actually gave me some pretty good advice on how to take care of the situation. That individual is now out of my life, and I’ve never been happier.
But based on my experience with that said person, I think some can understand why I was so apprehensive to attend.
I found out about the event literally a day before it happened. I read about it thinking I wasn’t gonna be able to go, but I was very surprised to see that it was only an hour and 15 minutes away from where I’m currently living. Without hesitation, I called out of work, bought the ticket, and made some stuff to hand out for the next day. The drive was strange, considering I’m from the south and I’ve only been in the state for a year, but it was surprisingly really easy. By the time I got there, I was a little panicky about parking, but I was able to find a spot on the road. I have nothing but thanks for the individuals who ran the event, and were patient with those that were struggling to find parking.
Out of my car, and walking down the street, I make it to the venue and find a bunch of people with Newgrounds T-shirts on. We were all just kind of waiting patiently to get into the event, while everyone else was still setting up. For a second, I wanted to see if anyone needed help, but I didn’t know if I needed to be a part of that specific team in order to do that or not. While waiting, I start small talking with some people, I become acquainted with @stupidvampire, then a line forms to get in.
People start piling in within the hour, I meet @SmuggeryARugerry, sign his sketchbook, and root him on while he does push-ups. This is also around the time where I met Pelo. I was nervous to all hell, and I didn’t know why. I show him a painting that I made for him, and he loves it. He sadly couldn’t take it with him, but he was still really appreciative for it. + I got a photo with him!
After meeting him, it was getting closer to start going into the actual event. And I start to second-guess myself. I start to small talk with some folks that were blocking the door to prevent people from getting in, and I ended up helping them out just by chatting and being a boulder. I gave them one of my Zines, and we all just kinda hung out until it was time to get in.
Photo by Unknown
Edit by me
By the time it was time to go in, I’m handed some cards, and a couple of posters. By the time I’m sitting at a table to look at everything I got, that’s when the anxiety starts to kick in more. I’m watching all of these people pile in, a voice in the back of my head is just going “what are you doing here?…” I think I was just overwhelmed in the moment, but I start making my rounds around the room. I got to talk with a lot of people, and even got some great art advice while I was making my rounds. I even met a fellow artist who also does caricatures as a job, and I thought that was super cool.
Around this time, is when my head is pounding. I came to this event by myself, and I just kept staring around the room seeing all these amazing people.
I am my own worst critic, who isn’t?
When you’re in a room, surrounded by people you look up to, it can be a little intimidating.
I got some food to help with headache, and declared I was going to leave after I ate. But something in my gut told me to go back in, and I’m glad that I did. I was going to finish handing out my things and then leave, but obviously that didn’t happen.
While walking around, I stumbled across @Krinkles. I didn’t know who he was at first, until I saw his reaction to my Deimos doodle that I handed him. He and the person he was with, both really liked the drawing and gave me a couple of stickers in return. + I got a photo with him!
The Interaction between both of them felt really, really nice, and I started to feel a lot better.
Shortly after, I make my way back to the tables and meet @TallBird. We ended up chatting for 15ish minutes before we got separated in the crowds.
Once it was time for the showcase, I make my way towards the theater and find a seat. I was planning on sitting by myself, since I came here by myself. But TallBird gladly asks to sit with me. we both keep talking, and I briefly discuss my experience with finding the event, And how I was in a horrible friendship with someone who HATED Newgrounds, and almost messed it up for me. @Bellboy is listening nearby and comes to sit and chat with us. I’m told about their experience with the site and I just kinda look around the room while they talk. I felt really comfortable around this time, and I wasn’t even drinking. I was sober this whole event, and my headache was becoming a forgotten thing.
The showcase starting was hilarious. From the hoards of people chanting for Brandy to “sh*t YOUR PANTS”, to everyone cheering every time the same video played over and over again at the start of the showcase because of audio issues.
photo taken by @Caustic
I managed to watch halfway through the showcase, and I was absolutely astonished. Newgrounds has a wonderful animation/art community, and it gives me hope that I can someday become an Indie creator myself. I wasn’t seeing the individuals I was warned about, I was seeing a room full of really cool people just hanging out and having a good time.
I heard that @JohnnyUtah wasn’t there, which was kind of a bummer. If I saw him there, I think I’d want to thank him for the advice (even if he didn’t remember), and give him my drawing I did of Nighmare Cops.
Anyways, I think everyone in the room managed to give him a spiritual high five, as that song started to play between Him and Chris in the showcase. Everyone in the room sang-along, and I was in tears from laughing so hard.
Bellboy and TallBird ask me if I want to get pizza with them, and I say yes. But before we can go get pizza, we are sucked back into Pico Day as we wander around the room. I managed to meet Tom Fulp, and thank him for making a cool site. I meet @Spazkid alongside Bellboy and TallBird. Spazkid makes a testicl* joke from my username ‘TeethTesty’ and of course I laugh. He asked me how I got it, and I tell him that I found it through a randomized generator. I wanted to find something cool for username, and I like drawing teeth. So it fits.
We finally go get pizza, and we get a few other people from the event to sign our sketchbooks while we are eating. I arrived to this event thinking I would not make any friends, so sitting there with Bellboy and TallBird was pretty mind blowing. I went in alone, and ended up leaving with some friends. Call me sappy, but I think that’s just so awesome.
Me and TallBird go in one last time, and Bellboy stays until the very end.
We make our rounds to the table to get any last bit of stickers or posters. Earlier in the event, I got an unlabeled box of a reference head with Brandys permission. As someone who uses references a lot, this will definitely help me. As we’re getting ready to leave, Pelo spots me in the crowd and points to me, saying “You!”
And I respond with “me?”
He walks towards me and hands me his sketchbook. He’s trying to get everyone to sign it, so of course I oblige.
I approached Pelo a number of times during the event. One more time for an autograph, then another time for another autograph for my partner. I was in the mindset that I was going to leave the event, but I ended up staying because I was feeling better. Pelo was really cool to interact with, and I started to feel a lot more calm and comfortable around everyone in the room. While we’re were passing around Pelo’s sketchbook, I managed to meet the creator of Satina, Hannah Daigle. She really liked my glasses chain, and gave me one of her stickers.
While walking out of the event, me and TallBird meet Ninjamuffin. He signed our sketchbooks, took a look at our work, and I showed him a doodle I did him and Jeff a few years prior during a Twitter space between the two. He thought it was very funny. I bumped into Krinkles one last time and asked him to sign my sketchbook, and finally, I was given a short ride to my car by TallBird. I had parked on the street that I was too nervous to walk on by myself, I was very appreciative for the short ride.
I was appreciative for everything that had happened that day.
The entire drive home was just me thinking about the whole event, recalling it in my head. I had the stupid smile on my face, and a voice in my head that was telling me “I belong.”
My first event at something like this, but I have been to conventions before. I’ve met plenty of artists before these conventions, but I have never made the connections with those people like I have at Pico Day NJ. There are people outside of the Newgrounds community that will judge upon it as they will, but I’m happy to have been a part of it, and I’m glad to be a part of it.
I feel confident in my original stuff because of this experience, I feel confident in my art because of this experience. Everyone in this community supports each other, and I’m happy to be a part of that support and get that support.
And with TooManyGames and Wildwood coming up, I am so excited to attend more of these meet ups.
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This was long LOL. But for those that read through it, thank you for reading through it.
Thank you @BrandyBuizel @Tamag0 Coby, and everyone who set up and participated in this event. This was a life-changing experience for me, and I am happy to feel at home with Newgrounds 🫶
