Best Animated Emoticonist – This emoticonist has created some of the best animated emoticons of 2012.
Best Static Emoticonist – This emoticonist has created some of the best static (non-moving) emoticons of 2012.
Best Chat Emoticonist – This emoticonist has created some of the best chat-friendly emoticons of 2012. Chat emoticons are generally smaller and have a more specific purpose to be usable in chats and forums, without breaking text lines significantly.
Best Newcomer – This is an emoticonist who created their first emoticon in 2012 and has shown great promise or exceptional skill.
Best NaNoEmo Participant – This emoticonist participated in NaNoEmo and produced the most amazing work for the event. To see the participants and their works, check out #NaNoEmo
Best Emoticon Group – This group should have been active through 2012 and helped support, promote, and feature the art of the community.
Best Emoticon Tutorial – The best tutorial covering emote creation, animation, shading, or other emoting skill uploaded in 2012.
Emoticon Project of the Year – The emoticon project that blew everyone away. Note that only finished or ongoing projects will eligible; abandoned projects will not.
Best Emote Plz Account – The best emoticon PLZ account created in 2012.
Best Emoticon of the Year – This is the top dog, the emote that blew the rest away last year.
Best Emoticon-Art – This piece should utilize top-notch pixelling, backgrounds, and a high level of animation (if any). As the category states, it should best represent to the dA community that emoticons can be art.
Best Chat Emoticon – This piece should epitomize chat-friendliness, sporting the best-of-the-best in both lovely looks and useability.
Emoticonist of the Year – This is the top award. This emoticonist has set themself apart from the crowd by creating wonderful emotes, as well as being an active member of the community.
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