I’ve half-finished a lot of things.
Terrrain, kitbashes, paintjobs, illustrations, rulesets, campaigns… the list goes on. Those are just the directly hobby related things, of course. Most piles of shame are built from projects yet to begin, but mine is filled with projects yet to be finished. Midway through something it’s easy to lose motivation, especially if the part you enjoy the most is behind you.
This website serves a few purposes for me, but one of the most important ones is reminding myself how satisfying finishing something can be. It’s like a digital display case, proving to myself that I know how to complete projects without deadlines. In an era where social media is becoming almost entirely unusable, having a personal website for my artwork feels important. Being able to take ownership of the work I make and how it’s used is vital right now, and I’d encourage others to take similar steps.
Motivation for a lot of people is understandably at a low-point right now. The world in February of 2025 is a dark and uncertain place. Focusing on creating art, especially when it isn’t directly challenging that darkness can feel frivolous, but it’s still worth doing! Art reminds us that we exist as more than our jobs and what we consume. It can even distract us for a little while, bonus!
So!
Worlds in Amber isn’t just about creating new things for me, it’s about uncovering old projects frozen in time and giving them new life. I’m taking the time and putting in the energy to bring more things to the finish line. Here’s hoping some folks will hold me accountable (in a friendly way)!
I’ll certainly never be able to complete everything I’d like, but that wouldn’t be fun anyway. I’ll have to prioritize what gets my finite time and attention. So, what to focus on first? Well, in the next few months to a year I’d love to:
- Finish my table of terrain for Trench Crusade
- Finish my enormous set of scifi-themed desert terrain for games like Stargrave or Necromunda
- Publish the medium-weight, beginner-friendly RPG system I’ve developed
- Build and paint a warband each for Trench Crusade and Stargrave
- Sculpt and cast a set of figures for running RPGs loosely based on chess pieces
- Develop and fabricate a set of dungeon tiles I can use for the rest of my life
- Interview some of the amazing creators who’ve influenced me and my artwork
If any of those things sound exciting to you, get after me! Hold my feet to the fire! Call me in the middle of the night, demanding a progress-report!
In all seriousness, I just hope folks will be happy to take a look at what I’m doing from time to time and cheer me on. Games and/or art have been the start of almost every good friendship I’ve ever had, and I want to keep that community going by sharing with people who are interested. We gain the strength and motivation to do anything, but especially make art, by celebrating each other.
Now go make something you care about!
-July