Meet Adam Chawdhury | Motion Designer & Digital Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Chawdhury and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, how do you define success?
Success seems to be all around us – we watch successful actors in successful movies, look up to successful scientists, and are governed by successful politicians, every day. And yet, for something so pervasive in our lives, it’s not often we truly stop to think about what success means – at least, I don’t.

Because it seems so cut and dry, right? Success is when you have millions in your bank account, thousands looking to you for inspiration, and people stopping to take pictures with you. At least, that’s how it’s so often portrayed.

Of course, the truth is that most people will never experience such lives. Not everyone becomes rich – not everyone becomes famous. And that would mean that not everyone obtains success.

If that’s what success is, at least. But, to me, it’s not about the money or the glory. Success is malleable – it can be big, or small, and is ultimately subjective.

It comes solely through personal fulfillment. If you’ve done something to grow, or achieve, no matter how small, then you’ve succeeded. Like if you get out of bed each day, or make a new friend, or pick up a new hobby.

As an animator, I like to look at success through a lens of learning and growth. If I apply a new technique I’ve learned to one of my animations, then I’ve succeeded. If I’m able to look back at an animation I made just months ago, and see improvement, then I’ve surely succeeded. And each success, no matter minuscule or grand, is invaluable to my development as an artist.

There is no linear path to success – there isn’t a threshold, nor a ten-step process to achieving it. When you see someone objectively successful, like Elon Musk, or Quentin Tarantino, it’s important to realize that they are not the results of a single, monumental success. They instead stand atop a mountain of successes, each one building upon the last, and many, undoubtedly, small – and when you look at it like that, success doesn’t seem so far out of reach.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Five years ago, I could’ve never imagined being confident enough in my art to share it to the world, let alone anyone at all. If you had told me five years ago that, in 2021, I would be hosting my own website for it, or have videos of my art with millions of hits, I would’ve been in disbelief. It’s also entirely likely that I would’ve ignored you, seeing as five years ago, I was just turning twelve, and my attention span was dedicated entirely to cool-looking bugs and action figures.

My (relative) youth, and (relative) success at such an age is really what sets me apart. I’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon something I’m really passionate about, and turn it into something I can make money off of, at an age most wouldn’t. I essentially have a head-start on the competition, and no matter what career I ultimately pursue, I’m sure that the skills I’ve developed as a freelancer will help tremendously.

It wasn’t easy, though. I had to spend hours each day watching tutorials and practicing on Adobe software to get to where I am today – there were times when I felt like giving up, and did, for days or weeks, but I’ve never been able to stay away from my art for too long. I don’t think I’m necessarily disciplined – instead, I just can’t go without it.

My art also reflects my personality, being characterized by bright and pastel colors, and a more vintage feel. As I and my interests mature, so does my art with it. I’ve recently been making a few 60’s inspired psychedelic animations, for instance. I’ve also made various animations to artists/songs I love, like Toro y Moi’s “Ordinary Pleasure”, Tyler the Creator’s album “Flower Boy”, or Childish Gambino’s “Sweatpants”.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love nature, so places like Arbor Hill Nature Preserve, or the various biking trails/parks around Dallas would definitely be on the to-do list. The Clyde-Warren park downtown is really relaxing, and the food trucks around it provide a wonderful place to eat afterwards.

The Sixth Floor Museum is also very interesting, if not a bit solemn, and the DMA is great (along with the Dallas Museum of Contemporary Art). As for cinema, the Texas Theatre is a one-of-a-kind place, and the Fort Worth Film Festival is really fun.

To be entirely honest, I’m not much of a foodie, so my recommendations for restaurants are lacking. However, there’s an awesome local Italian restaurant near my house called “New York Pizza Pasta” which I love going to.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d definitely have to thank my parents, for always supporting me in my creative endeavors. When I was a child, I used to relentlessly draw comics – I now have a huge tub full of them – make terrible movies, and frankly awful stop-motion animations with my legos. And with each new exploration, I could always count on my parents to be there alongside, helping – like my mom, who introduced me to tools like Photoshop and the Adobe Suite, or helped behind the camera of my movies.

Without their enduring support, I would’ve never developed into the creative person I am today, and grew to love arts like animation and film.

Being entirely self-taught (in animation/digital art), I can’t forget to mention the countless online resources and groups I’ve used to learn and become a better artist. YouTube channels like Video Copilot or Ben Mariott, or the r/AfterEffects community, have been indispensable to me over the years.

Website: adamchawdhury.com

Other: https://tiktok.com/@adamsinahurry