Guff What I do.

2014 so far has been an interesting and difficult year. Unfortunately, life isn't easy at times and there are massive obstacles in my near future I need to overcome, they've proven to be emotionally draining and quite difficult to confront. I'm doing everything I can to help things a long but there's a real element of uncertainty that makes things a bit tougher than they need to be and it's going to continue to be difficult. Never losing faith though, it's just going to keep being uphill for quite a while longer.

Art-wise, I'm working at a few things at the moment. I wrapped up my 2nd Scoundrels issue early this year and if you missed it you can start reading it here. I had everything on my plate during the update rotation and had nothing short of a hellish time trying to get everything done on time. As a result I'm pretty much going to distance myself from Scoundrels for the rest of the year until I know I'll have time to really contribute again.

Right now though!

Most important current work is a big freelance job that's been a bunch of fun even though it's quite a lot to get through. I'm nearing my half-way mark with the workload and I've learnt a lot so far(including shining light on weaknesses I wasn't aware of before.)I'm grateful for the opportunity and I'm enjoying the challenge- it's not the kind of job you land easily so I'm quite eager to put the extra work in.

My focus on making sure I do a good and steady job on this has meant I've had to set a few other things to the side, including Felicity- which I hope to get updating again in early March. The other project I'm having to delay is Wayward, my story pitch I plan on getting under noses throughout the year. Time is the most important ingredient for a story so it's not a bad thing that I've had to delay production; the story is still taking a final shape and visually, I've barely scratched the surface. I'm keen to get started though, I've spent the last 8 years honing a craft and I feel like Wayward will be my first proper step towards showing what I can do.

The other active-project I have right now is doing odd bits of art for Yogscast And The Mystical Dreamtower, a 2d game that should be coming out on early-access(a BETA release of sorts)very soon. Games have always been my hobby and obsession so I've enjoyed my time working with Studio Flashback immensely, Games are goliath undertakings and it's hard to fully appreciate that until you're actually in the engine room helping piece it together. It's a craft I've always respected and admired but more so now having worked on this game and Rock Star Rising last year.

That leads me to another project beginning this year, all being well. The whole reason I began working with Studio Flashback on Yogscast And The Mystical Dreamtower was because I reached out to the founder about making a game together. That game hasn't begun just yet. But over the past year since asking, it has grown quite fully formed in my mind as a 2D platformer called Rascal N Tink. It's something that I'd love to get to prototype stage by years end but as I said, games are a massive amount of work and we may be needed elsewhere before the year is up.

Lastly! I'm trying to educate and better my understanding of business and reaching out to the many organisations we have set up here in Northern Ireland to help do so. I've got a meeting next week that will give me a chance to really test myself on where I want to go and what I want to do. It's going to require some soul-searching and for me to somehow articulate my passion in words rather than pictures(something I've never been too good at.)

Oh and regarding any previous stuff I'd said I would work on- Magpie springs to mind. Not working on them any more. There was always more support for Magpie than say, Felicity but I swore to myself this year would be about the pitch and that means as soon as my Freelance commitments quiet down a bit- it's full steam on Wayward. I hope this doesn't disappoint anyone(though I'm fairly sure it won't affect any one!)

Thanks!
-Adam.