Hi there. I've pretty inactive on this site of late, mostly due to my being preoccupied with some issues I need to sort out in my life, but hopefully that'll change pretty soon. It's going to be a difficult month or so, but I know this is going to be hugely beneficial to myself as a person. As such this is just a short update.

First of all, I got a couple of new tattoos:



The grey catbird is called Morticia and the cardinal is Gomez. They were done by the fantastic Marcus Maguire in Glasgow, I'll be back in April to get the next one done (Wednesday of course), and have some more blacks put on.

I'm very busy working with Blazing Griffin, an indie game studio in Edinburgh. Will be heading through to GDC in San Francisco in 6 weeks or so, so if you're there and want to meet up let me know! It'll be a hectic week, with lots of networking, meetings and parties, but I'm sure I can fit some time in.

I haven't practiced yoga in months now, but I did notice a new yoga place just down the road from my parent's house - I may well end up back there for a while pretty soon, so perhaps I'll go check it out! I have thankfully managed to mostly keep up with my strength training, something which is hugely beneficial to my overall wellbeing, so that's kept me from going mad and hopping on a boat to some far off land.

Here's a wee photo dump - follow me on instagram ABIGBAT











and some new paintings...











Love you all X

You find me sitting, sipping Morgan's Spiced and thinking about life. Here are a few photographs while I collect my thoughts:













It's been a funny old month; the weather in Edinburgh seems unsure of itself, seemingly at once blustery, grey, warm and humid. I have been travelling about, mostly between weddings for whatever reason, to Dublin, Irvine, and up north to Inverness, and each has enjoyed surprisingly pleasant weather. Sadly I didn't see Nessie this time, but hopefully next time.

Work is hectic as ever; I've been thrust into the unenviable position of choosing between my current job which I love but which may involve a month or so without work, or an exciting new job with a game studio in Edinburgh. On top of this I'm working on a scifi film, and doing commission work, and unfortunately this candle has pretty much burnt out. Home life has been tricky and I'm seriously contemplating running away to sea.

Here are some recent paintings. Apologies to my Instagram followers, you've probably already seen all of this!







I hope you are all well <3

Sorry I have been so inactive of late, extremely busy with work and music projects.

I saw Batman last night and now can't think about anything else.

More to come when I recover.

My band The Paradigm Complex are releasing our remastered EP '1515' this Monday on bandcamp. Here's a sneak preview:

http://theparadigmcomplex.bandcamp.com/

This is the first of three albums due out this year, with the second recorded and scheduled for mid-summer.

PS I should have my Paris photos up soon, but in the mean time here are some recent snaps x

I'll have a new blog up when I get my Paris photos developed, but until then here's a 3 hour study I painted a couple of days ago.



And a couple of phone snaps from Paris





Hope you're all well <3

a 2 hour study I painted a couple of days ago.

New work:







A sneak of my band's new EP http://soundcloud.com/abigbat/the-paradigm-complex-sample

And a pin my old flatmate made for me. She's brill <3



Dear Esther,

As usual my life is a whirlwind of projects and ideas. I have just finished working on a game, due out on PC/Mac/iPad in June, as well as fitting in some freelance work on another title. A new project starts in April based on the work of Edward Lear, as well as a proposed horror title inspired by Lovecraft. I'm off to Paris in two weeks which I'm very excited about as I have never been, then getting my new tattoo at the end of April. My new band Lutra Lutra is coming together; an evocative post-rock affair featuring a variety of musicians. I'll be drumming, messing around on piano and doing some vocals, as well as composing a lot of the music. Heavily inspired by Olafur Arnalds.

For the last couple of weeks I've been experimenting with Ashtanga Yoga. I would love to say that this is a photo of my progression:

but in truth it's a little more like this:


I leave you with an extract from Dear Esther, written by Dan Pinchbeck, and a game which I urge everybody to play.

Three cormorants seen at dusk; they did not land. This house, built of stone, built by
a long-dead shepherd. Contents: my campbed, a stove, a table, chairs. My clothes,
my books. The caves that score out the belly of this island, leaving it famished. My
limbs and belly, famished. This skin, these organs, this failing eyesight. When the
battery runs out in my torch, I will descend into the caves and follow only the
phosphorescence home.

x

It was my birthday yesterday, and my friends bought me this beautiful print.



PS here is my newest personal painting x x x



and a couple of quick studies (2-3 hours each)

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R ! ! !

2011 was a blast for me, and 2012 is already looking pretty exciting... Studio offers on crazy titles, my band's new record due out in a couple of months, and a game to finish for April.

I spent my new year in Kenmore, a wee village in the highlands, taking photos, drinking wine with friends and wandering the hills. Absolute bliss. Annoyingly I didn't have any film for my cameras, but the iPhone worked out pretty well; here are a couple of snaps I took there as well as at the museum:

Things which have happened of late:


I got a Cintiq 24HD for my work.


I found a lonely cola bottle in the street


a pigeon turned up in my garden and sat with me while I had lunch


the game I'm working on was featured in Games TM


I bought a new camera...


and found an old one...


my band recorded an album


and I sat and drank Sailor Jerry while they played.


we played board games at work


I painted a new album cover for our upcoming EP


and played some shows.

I rather like my life <3