Hi there - I hope things are well for you!

I’ll be honest, I’ve been putting off writing this newsletter. I tend to do that with things that I find hard. I’ve not been sure what to say, and it’s been a feeling I’ve had for a few months now. I don’t like the idea of sending newsletters that don’t provide anything of interest or value but I now have a plan to address this.

New Newsletter Format

I am planning to rebrand the Brush Ninja newsletter. It will still cover Brush Ninja news, but it’s also going to have a focus on creative technology.

The newsletter will cover Brush Ninja and the other projects I am working on, and it will also be a monthly roundup of tools, apps, and inspiration for digital creators. Designed for fans of Brush Ninja and anyone who loves experimenting with digital art, gaming, and creative apps.

I’m still refining exactly what it will be and how it will work. Let me know what you think of this change by replying to this email!

Ninja Gifs

Last month I mentioned that I am working on a new animation website called Ninja Gifs. It’s going to be a collection of Gifs along with the ability to request a custom gif to be added to the gallery. I’m a little concerned that this will mean I spend all my time making animations, but equally that might be a good thing. It means I will be using Brush Ninja A LOT, and that can only mean finding bugs and things to improve.

Plus I will hopefully get better at animating, which is definitely a benefit since my long term dream is to make a cartoon series 😄.

Here’s a screenshot of the homepage as it stands.

## Beep8

I’ve also been working on something called Beep8. My background is in online videogames. I spent 11 years working at Miniclip.com making the games and the website.

Since the Flash plugin was retired I haven’t made as many games. This is because of a combination of becoming a Dad and working on Brush Ninja.

Beep8 is my answer to this. It’s a JavaScript retro gaming library that will allow me to make games quickly. I’m making it open source so that anyone can use it, and I’m also making a games arcade so that people can play the games I make.

Below is a screenshot of the first Beep8 game I will be publishing. It’s called Crate Crew and is a block pushing puzzle game.

Brush Ninja Secrets?

BTW have you spotted the secret area on Brush Ninja? I don’t think many people have found it but there’s something a little unusual going on if you know where to look!

See you next month!

Thanks. Let me know what you think about my plans by replying to this email. It’s nerve wracking changing things around - but hopefully it will be a positive change.

All the best - Ben

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