@ash1car - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: What is it like living in the Misery Midwest? From your perspective, in what ways does life change as you get older? Do your goals and priorities change accordingly? What does it mean to have a goal, and do people sometimes choose poorly? How can a good goal be defined?

A: HA well, living in the Midwest can be pretty boring and remote. But hey, the low cost of living is nice!

Life changes a lot as you take on more responsibilities. It starts with school projects, then shifts to things like managing your home, family, and health. Your goals and priorities usually follow these responsibilities but also come from your passions. Everyone has goals, whether it's making money, doing something they love, or finding meaning in life.

Sometimes, people choose goals that aren't great due to social pressures or tough situations. A good goal keeps you motivated and aligns with your true beliefs, giving you a reason to get up in the morning. And it's totally okay for your goals to change as you get older!

Q: What do you think about the Internet? And how would you describe your experiences?

A: I believe that the internet is both a blessing, and a curse for society! My own experience with the internet I’d say is like a rollercoaster. One minute it’s fun, and the next you feel nauseous, lol. But you keep running back in line to ride it for the thrills.

Q: The story of how you create it you account on 1/1/22? How did you choose the name: 

ash1car?

A: In 2021, I started creating content under my ash1car accounts. I had only my YT and Twitter at the time and was thinking about what other sites I could post my stuff at, and then I remembered that Newgrounds existed. So I made an account on New Year's Day. The ash is the first three letters of my first name and the car is the first three letters of my last name, and using the 1 to add the space. I just wanted a username that was similar to my name but unique!

Q: What is NG about? From your perspective

A: Newgrounds’ catchphrase sums it up perfectly, “Everything, by everyone.” I’ve heard about Newgrounds in the past but didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until I wanted a fresh start on my art journey that I joined, and I’ve been amazed every day since. At first, I was slow to upload because I didn’t know how the site worked. Then I discovered the amazing world of collabs here. There’s always something for everyone, and it really feels like the best community I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone inspires me so much and gives me more motivation each day!

Q: How did you become interested in creating art?

A: I’ve been drawing ever since I was little! I always had a passion for it. But I believe I wanted to start taking art more seriously when I was 12. I was obsessed with Let’s Plays at the time and especially loved the fan animations people would make of Let’s Play YouTubers. It blew my mind when I found out that just one person could create stuff like that! So I started to make little fan arts and crummy animations with my mouse, and the rest was history. :)

Q: What have you learned about yourself creating animations? 

A: I’ve learned that animation is tough! It’s not easy, but it’s beautiful. I’ve been teaching myself how to animate for nearly a decade, and it’s still hard sometimes! Throughout this journey, I’ve discovered that I might be a bit stubborn. I’ve had my ups and downs with animation and even quit at one point, but I always came back to it.

Q: What does it mean to be an artist?

A: I think to be an artist is to call yourself one! But It’s also about creating emotions and feelings on a canvas. Or to just draw dickbutt. You have the power to create what you want!

Q: What is it like being the host of the Inuyasha Reanimated Collab?

A: It fills me with great joy and a sense of responsibility! This is my first time hosting a collab, and I’ve already met some amazing people involved in it. I’ve always wanted to host my own collab because I’ve participated in many before, both on YouTube and here, and they’re just so much fun! I decided to do a collab reanimating an episode from Inuyasha because it’s a show I really enjoyed watching, and I know many others do too. For some people, it even inspired them to start doing art or animations. Inuyasha is a fun, lovable series and a timeless classic!

Q: How did you become interested in learning about the ins and outs of computers? What do you enjoy about exploring coding languages, and what advice would you give for building custom PCs?

A: I’ve loved computers since I was young, taking coding classes in school and learning more through YouTube and books. Though I'm not an expert, I enjoyed making visual novels and websites for fun. My interest in PC building started when my HP laptop broke. Building PCs felt like creating something alive, and it was exciting to choose parts that suited my needs. My biggest advice for building PCs is to wait for sales around Christmas and New Year's to save money. I love the creativity and problem solving in both coding and PC building!

Q: How did you become interested in wanting to learn bass someday?

A: I just think it looks and sounds so cool!! I’ve seen people online playing bass guitars, and it wasn’t until I heard a bass cover song that I got inspired. The person playing the bass was also using a technique called “slapping,” which sounded so funky! I strive to master that technique one day.

Q: The story of how you became the third varsity player of your high schools girls' tennis team?

A: At the start of freshman year, I joined the tennis team at 14, having never played before. I ended up 3rd varsity because only two other girls joined. Competing in varsity was tough; some girls were so good they were aiming for sports scholarships. I lost every game that year. Once, a coach even called us embarrassments, but I didn't quit. The season ended with no wins, but I improved. The next year, I became 1st varsity. I wasn't alone this time; ten other girls joined, and we had a blast. We all knew we weren't great, but we had fun and supported each other. At our end-of-the-year tournament, we were placed in the JV league at the last minute instead of varsity, and we kicked everyone's butts. We had been playing on the highest difficulty, so when it switched to normal mode, we won! Despite losing over and over, it taught me that I had been improving every day.

Q: Why do you think people have this misconception about creating art—that it has to be perfect in areas like anatomy, composition, and line of action? Where does your perspective on expression and creativity come from? People don't have to stress about being perfect or worrying about others' opinions, because there are people out there who will appreciate and love your art exactly as it is. How do you know when it feels right to create art?

A: In real life and online, I've seen people argue about what makes art good or bad, focusing on things like anatomy and composition. "Oh, the arm doesn't bend like that!" or "Where's the composition? I don't know what to look at first!" But art is subjective. I think just making the attempt to draw is amazing, and that goes for any creative medium out there! Creators often know when something feels right because they can sense it.

Q: Your advice for what it means to be a person

A: You’re already one! But to be a “good” person or a “bad” person is all up to you. Treat others how you want to be treated, your actions define the kind of person who you are!