Meet Jack Bloom of Old Fourth Ward

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Bloom.

Hi Jack, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’d say things started when I first picked up a pencil and drew a stick-figure, but on a professional level it was 2010. Around that time I graduated from SCAD Atlanta with a B.F.A. in graphic design. This lead to working for Coca-Cola’s Global Retail Team, and from there a slew of startups. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mind-set but with the crutch of being an artist. So most of my projects never went anywhere until recently. In 2019 while living in Seattle I picked up game-development as a hobby. This gave me a better understanding of where I wanted to head. Flash forward to today, I’ve published my first game’s demo and I’m working on the full version now. This project is part of a bigger idea which belongs to a fantasy world I’ve been crafting for years.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Graphic design as a career has always been an easy path. I enjoy branding and find it to be rewarding. Getting into game-development has had a flurry of problems. These center around being self-taught. I’m very stubborn, so I want to do everything myself. This meant learning C#, music composition, 3D modeling, animation, sound design, and more. I’m not great at any one thing outside of art-direction, so that’s the glue which holds all these skill-sets together. Along with this learning curve, I’ve also had to dip into the world of business development. Forming an LLC and handling all the legal elements has proven formidable. I deeply despise that component of building a company, but it has to happen.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m most capable at illustration. My clients come to me because of my versatility. But that’s rooted in my appreciation for art in general. I’ve always been someone that likes to explore new styles. It makes the process feel fresh and gives me a different perspective when approaching each project. At this point I’ve worked in most mediums and I’m finding game-design to be very fulfilling. Producing a playable product which anybody can download has been my biggest accomplishment. The amount of time and effort it takes to build an interactive experience is daunting. It’s a medium for people who see the process as rewarding.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
The blizzard of ’93 in Atlanta was a very distinct time in my life. I was living next-door to my best friend and we both had Power Wheels. They are electric jeeps for kids. He and I got in our vehicles and drove around in the snow. We were pretending to be in the North Pole and struggling to make back to our “base”. As a kid that level of make-believe was so heightened by the weather that it genuinely felt like a struggle. It was a great time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.spectrafoundry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spectrafoundry/
• Twitter: https://x.com/SpectraFoundry
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spectrafoundry
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/c/spectrafoundry