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Niki-UK

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Well, once again it seems I've spiralled into a time slip between journal updates - more than a year's gone by this time! I do have what I'd consider to be a pretty good excuse though... the best kind of excuse really, in that I've landed a new role - as a FIRST TIME MUM. :love: My hubby and I made a chibi!! :XD: His name's Hal and he was born in June 2013. :aww: And yep, it's been a real game changer on so many levels. I could go on and on about how amazing it all is but I know how boring that can be when you're not bothered about baby stuff (I've been on the other side myself, I was never a particularly broody type but that's not to say I was never up for being a loving mother). So yeah, now I've got a kid and he's awesome, wook at his squidgy widdle cheeks, yadda yadda... you know how it goes! It's all been said a million times over and more - and now I can confirm it's true for me too. LOL ;)

Seriously, when I'm next properly back into my creative swing (work as normal has become nigh on impossible since the new arrival), I'll let my art do all the talking. :meow: I'm certainly not short of inspiration, but I am constantly short of energy due to having to put the needs of the little'un before all else. It is absolutely draining. ^^;

So anyway, the other main thing - Sudeki's out on Steam now!! store.steampowered.com/app/233…
10 years after its original release... darn, that makes me feel that bit more crusty all of a sudden. I spent the best part of 6 years working on that game, on and off. Many of you are most familiar with my work because of Sudeki, being that it must qualify as the biggest project of my professional career thus far. 

If you haven't already, you must check out the work of my old team-mate from the Sudeki days - :iconjollyjack: !
I think it's safe to say he's earned a bit of a celebrity status around these parts (well, the entire internet really to be fair), his work speaks for itself! :D 

Well, I think that's it from me for now... must get back to taking care of the other biggest project of my life so far (albeit in a small, giggly-widdly-poopy-teethy-whingy package)! ;)

Ciao!


- Niki



My :spam: :

:bulletgreen: uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter LinkedIn profile :bulletgreen:
:bulletblue: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a… Facebook Page :bulletblue:
:bulletred: www.facebook.com/machinashogun… Music plug ;P :bulletred:


www.mobygames.com/developer/sh… My games industry bio
www.cafepress.com/niki_hunter My CafePress shop with added VK-UK goodness
community.conceptart.org/profi… My profile at conceptart.org
www.freelancers.net/niki-uk/po… My freelancer's profile


Clubs I've joined: 
:iconanime-club::iconduel-jewel::iconwing-fan::iconuk-anime-artists::iconzooniverse::iconboosh-fans::iconlife-on-mars-club::iconnoein-fans::iconguitar-hero-club::iconelliotminorfanart:

:plug:*Plugplugplug*:plug:
:iconjuxtaposefantasy:
Juxtaposefantasy website: www.juxtaposefantasy.com
Slashy Goodness Bookstore: juxtaposefantasy.com/1bookstor…
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Check Out Doctor Who Online's brand new VortExtra Prologue and Epilogue to 'Attack of the Cybermen', with illustrations by yours truly!

www.drwho-online.co.uk/VortExt…

Stay tuned for more to come…? ;)

:bulletgreen: UPDATE: My second VortExtra - The Keys of Marinus:
www.drwho-online.co.uk/vortext…
Again, I illustrated the Prologue and Epilogue. This time I went with a monochrome shaded style to reflect the black-and-white TV broadcasts of the First Doctor era. :) :bulletgreen:


While I'm here, an update on my work situation; at the moment I'm back to freelancing from home while also remaining open to alternative job prospects going forward. Therefore I am still potentially available for commissions so feel free to get in touch if you are interested in my services. You can note me here at DA or email visual.kei.in.the.uk[at]gmail.com
My rates tend to be tailored and negotiable on a case by case basis as the nature of my work and clients varies a great deal - from big name corporations down to small personal commissions, so I can provide services to suit a wide range of applications and budgets.

Here is my LinkedIn profile for those so inclined: uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter
Don't forget I also have a Facebook page for my art here, on which you will sometimes find updates and images that don't make it as far as DA: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a…

That's all for now, folks!


- Niki



My :spam: :

:bulletgreen: uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter LinkedIn profile :bulletgreen:
:bulletblue: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a… Facebook Page :bulletblue:
:bulletred: www.facebook.com/machinashogun… Music plug ;P :bulletred:


www.mobygames.com/developer/sh… My games industry bio
www.myspace.com/niki_uk MySpace
www.vk-uk.com VK-UK - Visual Kei in the UK!
www.cafepress.com/niki_hunter My CafePress shop with added VK-UK goodness
animeart.org.uk/v/aauk_members… My gallery at Anime Artists UK
community.conceptart.org/profi… My profile at conceptart.org
www.tokyopop.com/MiaV/ My Tokyopop page
www.freelancers.net/niki-uk/po… My freelancer's profile
www.artnetdirectory.co.uk/home… My profile at ArtNetDirectory

Clubs I've joined:
:iconanime-club::iconduel-jewel::iconwing-fan::iconuk-anime-artists::iconzooniverse::iconboosh-fans::iconlife-on-mars-club::iconnoein-fans::iconguitar-hero-club::iconelliotminorfanart:

:plug:*Plugplugplug*:plug:
:iconjuxtaposefantasy:
Juxtaposefantasy website: www.juxtaposefantasy.com
Slashy Goodness Bookstore: juxtaposefantasy.com/1bookstor…

CSS made by TwiggyTeeluck
Background image by AF-studios
Brushes by SummerAIR
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For a couple of weeks I've been waiting on the official word as to what's happening with my position at Arooga, after having been put on 'garden leave'. This is something I've been through before, 9 years ago in fact - when I worked for Climax Group. The end result has been the same both times, and currently I am now redundant. The reason being, in Arooga's case, that there just isn't enough work coming in to justify keeping me.

Of course I am very sad to hear this. I was enjoying my work immensely and thought things were going really well, having only just been praised for my sterling work on Tumble Island: www.facebook.com/pages/Tumble-…

Oh well, onwards and upwards! Time to focus on looking ahead and seeing what new options are open to me. As such I am seeking new employment/projects.
If anyone out there is interested in employing or hiring me, don't hesitate to get in touch!

I'm contemplating the possibility of going back to freelancing, but am also keen on the idea of a full time position in industries such as apparel/fashion design, toy design, tabletop gaming miniature design, etc. There are many paths I could potentially take, so I'm very much at a crossroads.
There's a real possibility that I may find myself staying in the video games industry as my veteran level of experience and track record in the field speaks for itself. Already there are interested parties with possible offers for me to consider, but there are factors at play such as whether I really want to go back to heavy commuting, etc...
If I'd wanted to work in London I'd have been doing that a long time ago (having previously turned down roles with the likes of Sony for this reason) and so that's still a no-go as far as I'm concerned. However, remote work with occasional in-house days/visits are something I'm very open to. Through my 7-or-so years of freelancing I've demonstrated many times over that I work exceptionally well under such arrangements and would happily go back to that.

I'm just thinking out loud here really, as there is so much going on in my head right now. It's a little overwhelming in fact, particularly on an emotional/stress level. But that's to be expected, given the circumstances. Of course redundancy is not a position anyone can feel comfortable in, especially in the current economic climate with the UK now in a double-dip recession. I'm having to work at keeping positive about the future, yet I have to say things felt more bleak when I was last looking for work (just before I landed the job at Arooga). Strangely, there seems to be a lot more art/design jobs being advertised now compared to then, so I haven't had a shortage of things to try for just yet. What would be really awesome though would be to have some more people approach me rather than the other way around; hence part of my reason for making this journal entry...

So there you have it - if you're looking for an experienced commercial artist/designer to work for you, don't be afraid to hit me up, people.
In the words of Mr. Humphries from 'Are You Being Served?', "I'm free!" :D


- Niki



My :spam: :

:bulletgreen: uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter LinkedIn profile :bulletgreen:
:bulletblue: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a… Facebook Page :bulletblue:
:bulletred: www.facebook.com/machinashogun… Music plug ;P :bulletred:


www.mobygames.com/developer/sh… My games industry bio
www.myspace.com/niki_uk MySpace
www.vk-uk.com VK-UK - Visual Kei in the UK!
www.cafepress.com/niki_hunter My CafePress shop with added VK-UK goodness
animeart.org.uk/v/aauk_members… My gallery at Anime Artists UK
community.conceptart.org/profi… My profile at conceptart.org
www.tokyopop.com/MiaV/ My Tokyopop page
www.freelancers.net/niki-uk/po… My freelancer's profile
www.artnetdirectory.co.uk/home… My profile at ArtNetDirectory

Clubs I've joined:
:iconanime-club::iconduel-jewel::iconwing-fan::iconuk-anime-artists::iconzooniverse::iconboosh-fans::iconlife-on-mars-club::iconnoein-fans::iconguitar-hero-club::iconelliotminorfanart:

:plug:*Plugplugplug*:plug:
:iconjuxtaposefantasy:
Juxtaposefantasy website: www.juxtaposefantasy.com
Slashy Goodness Bookstore: juxtaposefantasy.com/1bookstor…

CSS made by TwiggyTeeluck
Background image by AF-studios
Brushes by SummerAIR
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I know, I've been terribly inactive here since getting back into the games industry as a full-time employee (in social networking games this time, at www.arooga.com ).
Suffice to say the job's been keeping me well occupied, but I've also had medical issues crop up that have had quite an impact on my life over the past year. ^^; Just before New Year last month, I had to go into hospital for surgery. You don't need to know all the icky details, but the main point is there were no real complications and I'm doing fine. The bottom line is I have the condition known as endometriosis... it's not very nice, but not that uncommon either. Hopefully it's manageable and for the foreseeable future I can do my best to get on with life as normal.
Here's looking forward to a relatively healthy and prosperous 2012! Hope you're all doing good out there... :aww:


- Niki

My :spam: :

:bulletblue: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a… Facebook Page :bulletblue:
:bulletred: www.facebook.com/machinashogun… Music plug ;P :bulletred:

uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter LinkedIn profile
www.mobygames.com/developer/sh… My games industry bio
www.myspace.com/niki_uk MySpace
www.vk-uk.com VK-UK - Visual Kei in the UK!
www.cafepress.com/niki_hunter My CafePress shop with added VK-UK goodness
animeart.org.uk/v/aauk_members… My gallery at Anime Artists UK
community.conceptart.org/profi… My profile at conceptart.org
www.tokyopop.com/MiaV/ My Tokyopop page
www.freelancers.net/niki-uk/po… My freelancer's profile
www.artnetdirectory.co.uk/home… My profile at ArtNetDirectory


Clubs I've joined:
:iconanime-club::iconduel-jewel::iconwing-fan::iconuk-anime-artists::iconzooniverse::iconboosh-fans::iconlife-on-mars-club::iconnoein-fans::iconguitar-hero-club::iconelliotminorfanart:

:plug:*Plugplugplug*:plug:
:iconjuxtaposefantasy:
Juxtaposefantasy website: www.juxtaposefantasy.com
Slashy Goodness Bookstore: juxtaposefantasy.com/1bookstor…

CSS made by TwiggyTeeluck
Background image by AF-studios
Brushes by SummerAIR
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Facebook l Myspace l Gallery l dA Portfolio l Watch Me l Note Me

Hello all,
Hope you've all had a fun Halloween weekend!

An update from me has once again become way overdue, but I've had a valid excuse... honest! ^^;
My big news is that I am once again a full time games industry employee; my new work home is with the lovely peeps at Arooga www.arooga.com , who specialise in social networking games. I've been with the company since September and am loving it; I'm doing a lot of vector-based work and learning Flash while I'm at it - something I'd never really had the opportunity to indulge in before now.

Of course, with the advent of this development I am no longer able to function in the freelance capacity that I was before. This means a freelance client of mine is seeking artists similar to myself to work with for projects in development (JRPG style). If you feel you want to give this a go and are a good candidate for the role/s of character portrait illustration and/or production of short anime-esque animated sequences, do get in touch!

You can still see some of my artwork for RPG "Arevan - The Bitter Truth" here: www.overcloud9.com/games/our-g… and also at :iconovercloud9:'s gallery! :+devwatch:
Arevan: The Bitter Truth by overcloud9 Juleka from Arevan RPG by overcloud9 Kromon in Arevan by overcloud9 Loyola in Arevan by overcloud9 Maurean in Arevan by overcloud9 Nandini in Arevan by overcloud9 Pascal in Arevan by overcloud9 Seul in Arevan by overcloud9 Solemaun in Arevan by overcloud9 Zubin in Arevan by overcloud9

One last thing; keep an eye on this link for a reveal of what some of my recent personal work has been for! www.machinashogunate.com ;)

- Niki

My :spam: :

:bulletblue: www.facebook.com/niki.hunter.a… Facebook Page :bulletblue:

www.myspace.com/niki_uk MySpace
www.mobygames.com/developer/sh… My games industry bio
uk.linkedin.com/in/nikihunter LinkedIn profile
www.vk-uk.com VK-UK - Visual Kei in the UK!
www.cafepress.com/niki_hunter My CafePress shop with added VK-UK goodness
animeart.org.uk/v/aauk_members… My gallery at Anime Artists UK
community.conceptart.org/profi… My profile at conceptart.org
www.tokyopop.com/MiaV/ My Tokyopop page
www.freelancers.net/niki-uk/po… My freelancer's profile
www.artnetdirectory.co.uk/home… My profile at ArtNetDirectory


Clubs I've joined:
:iconanime-club::iconduel-jewel::iconwing-fan::iconuk-anime-artists::iconzooniverse::iconboosh-fans::iconlife-on-mars-club::iconnoein-fans::iconguitar-hero-club::iconelliotminorfanart:

:plug:*Plugplugplug*:plug:
:iconjuxtaposefantasy:
Juxtaposefantasy website: www.juxtaposefantasy.com
Slashy Goodness Bookstore: juxtaposefantasy.com/1bookstor…

CSS made by TwiggyTeeluck
Background image by AF-studios
Brushes by SummerAIR
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Featured

10 years on: Sudeki on Steam! by Niki-UK, journal

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My new job and RPG artist search by Niki-UK, journal