Work going underappreciated, art going unseen; trying to spread joy through organizations that couldn't facilitate it. That is the origin story of Galaxy Bunny Games, and that is the origin story of Naia "Nautical Sorbet".
"I felt like I wasn't being creative," Naia said. "I rarely got to make something that people were excited for."
Since she was a kid getting in trouble for drawing on walls, Nautical Sorbet dreamed of being an artist. After getting a degree in Art & Entertainment Technologies, she flexed those artistic aspirations through commissions and side projects, but mainly, worked on designing UIs for different companies over four years.
During that time, the need to be an independent artist kept growing. After a test run of working for herself part-time during COVID, Naia eventually decided to quit her full-time job last year, devoting all her working hours to independent art.
"Maybe it was my hubris, maybe delusion."
"With the first brand, it took a year to get to 1,000 followers, and this second time around, I already knew the strategies. I got to 1,000 followers within three months instead. I was anticipating this time around it would be a little easier, and it was.
I realized I am so much more motivated to work on personal projects, projects I am really close to the production of. With SBD, the harder I work, it will correlate to success of the game, and that doesn't happen with a company that you work for.
I just feel so much more useful. I exist as a more useful individual now hahaha."
For Smithy By Day, Naia's particularly enjoyed designing UI, and even moreso, painting on textures. Her favorite part of 2D art is coloring, and that skill translates to painting on 3D textures.
"I'm having fun learning the techniques behind the hand-painted style of 3D we're trying to go for. Similar to what Overwatch does with their textures, we want our environments to feel soft, easy on the eyes, yet whimsical."
However, since she's finished a draft 3D-model of the smithy building, Nautical Sorbet has been itching to start making furniture.
"I love playing Minecraft and making houses. Plus decorating and designing the interiors, I'm really looking forward to that. In any game where you can build a base, I love that; that's so much fun to me."
"For SBD, my hope and goal is to create an environment that really does feel like you're in a cozy forge. Where it feels like something new, but also familiar. And I hope players enjoy looking at it!"
