by Michael Grantham

Created on: July 25, 2007   Last Updated: July 07, 2010

If you are anything like myself, and lets hope you're not, for your sake anyway, then you will have anything other than a long attention span and will often find yourself being distracted by anything beyond the task at hand. However, one thing the hyperactive mind of a tweaker always has time for, is cartoons, shorts and computer games (the better at wasting time and the more addictive and repetitive, the better).

When I first got the internet over 10 years ago now, you could have just imagined my excitement when I was first thrust into the cyber world and started discovering the massive amounts of animation and animation-based websites solely dedicated to the love of the art and its creation. With an ever ready source to fill my ever growing need for animation and animation-based games, I was as happy as a kid in a candy shop. However, what I later discovered, was not only could the internet provide me with the means by which I might indulge my love for the art, it also gave me a portal by which I might discover new styles and methods of bringing animation to life; many of which I had previously been oblivious to.
I have spent countless hours searching the internet for sites which provide amateur animation artistes, the means by which they might get their works viewed and recognized by a more international audience. After countless sleepless nights, I stumbled upon a site called newgrounds.com. Although relatively small when I first found it, I recognized instantly, the mass potential hidden within and the sheer love and passion the site's creators harbor.
From that one night all those years ago, newgrounds.com has now become one of my favorite websites on the internet and I cannot help but deny that I visit at least once a day and sometimes even more.
Essentially, the site itself is dedicated to the style of animation known as flash, which is utilized to create both cartoons and games. And it is without question that this one single site now holds, by far, one of the largest collections which might be found on the internet today. What's more, people who love newgrounds.com and the animations they host are able to sign up and become members. This is a great benefit, providing the flash animation creators feedback on their works and advice on how they might be improved. Further, it also gives users of the site the power to vote for their favorite animations by their favorite artists, thus determining whether or not that specific piece might become immortalized upon the site or cast out, never to be seen again.
Without question, this is one of the greatest pages on the net and is dedicated to providing free content to viewers and a place for young and up-coming artists to find a launching pad.
Over the years, the website has hosted a number of series and games which have gone on to become full length feature cartoons and even playstation 2 videogames, such as is with the case of Alien Hominid.
Come on and check them out for yourself.

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