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chluaid
Adam Phillips @chluaid

Age 94, Male

Knifeman

Hard Knocks

Bitey Castle, top floor

Joined on 3/26/04

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Tank thanks

Posted by chluaid - June 1st, 2008


I feel honoured, blown away, light-headed, nauseous and proud to have taken the first NG tank for Waterlollies. If it weren't for Newgrounds I've no doubt I'd still be working in a studio churning out crap.

Everyone who has congratulated, commented and shown their support for the win, I truly appreciate it and this has inspired me to make more Brackenwood shorts in Flash (I had previously said that Waterlollies was the last Flash Brackenwood).

Ever since I submitted hitchHiker there has been a feeling in certain people that, having professional experience in animation, I should somehow be disqualified from the site. This seems to intensify whenever I win a daily, monthly and now annual.

In the beginning of my time here on NG, I was mortified that a handful of people felt this way so I spoke with Tom about retiring some of my movies. He convinced me that the community benefits from having high quality submissions (whether from professional or maverick) as it helps everyone lift their game a notch or two.

I don't think I've ever responded to the people who think I shouldn't be here, but here's what I have to say:

---

Short Version: I developed my skills in my own time. Disney hired me because of this.

---

Long version: My skills weren't handed to me on a plate at some elite studio. I only have a high school education which meant I worked in kitchens, factories and farms. In my free time though (every day after work and entire weekends), I worked my arse off to improve my drawing skill. I had big dreams of becoming a famous comic book artist, just like many people here have their own big dreams of becoming highly skilled animators.

I was employed by Disney only because I had worked hard to improve. If I had never worked on my skills on my own time, I never would have been employed by Disney, it's that simple.

When I was at the studio, I was an inbetweener (the starting point for a career in animation). I desperately wanted to become a character animator.. I did loads of tests to prove myself but they were rejected and I wasn't accepted. Meaning? I had to improve first.

I had also done some tests for effects animation and the FX supervisor was impressed with my test. So once accepted, I worked hard in order to graduate from the 3 month probationary training period.

Much of this work was in my own time. Whenever I was on holiday or just a day trip to the mountains or something, everyone else would be enjoying the sights while I'd be taking photos and video of water, wind, fire or smoke. My hard work paid off and I graduated from training. Once out of training though, every drawing, every scene and every day was a battle to prove that I was improving. Stagnation means you're out.

Finally, I WANT to be here and the numbers (and awards) tell me that most people want me here. Numbers aside, it's the best thing in the world for me to see someone else's work who has been inspired by my own and any of my characters making cameos in other people's films. I love helping people improve and offering advice (which admittedly is almost impossible to do 1-on-1 nowadays) and I will always be completely willing to help people get up to and beyond their goal standard.

You cannot fail if you can commit your life to your craft. I haven't stopped drawing or thinking about drawing for most of my life and as a result I landed a dream job where I was paid, not to sit back and go 'aaaah', but paid to improve.

You can do that too.

---

-Phillips

As a final thought, I was never a professional background artist, storyboard artist, layout artist or character animator. These are also skills I taught myself and am still working on improving.


Comments

What exactly did you focus on whilst improving your artistic skills? Anatomy? Landscapes? Everything? Did you use reference/model sheets? I must know :(

My first real push to get serious was learning human and animal anatomy. I had a love of technical drawing at school so I've always been quite passionate about perspective too, so I guess those are my two big recommendations. Anatomy (human and animal) and perspective. These are building blocks for pretty much any scene, illustrated or animated. Of course I'd recommend lighting effects and colour as the next two :D

Without your cartoons to remind us of what we're all shooting for as young artists, I fear Newgrounds would be a duller place. Even the naysayers know it; they're venting because they hate knowing they stand little chance against the work that you have set your mind and life to.

Unless you're submitting content that you did FOR Disney and under Disney's explicit supervision, then you've got nothing to defend yourself from, my friend. The playing field here is completely even. You have no advantages other than what you yourself are capable of.

They separate boxers into divisions based on physical attribute, not skill. NO ONE should be discounted from a competition based on level of skill, because then it ceases to be a competition. That's called "rigging". So unless you're taking Flash steroids, or you've got a Cintiq in place of your left hand, then I fear we're all playing the same game, and next time everyone will have to try just a little bit harder to take you on.

I'm done with the sports analogies - congrats Adam! And expect stiff competition next year you son of a gun :D

you know I almost used a sports analogy in the post but decided to keep it simple haha! Thanks for your support too man, much appreciated :)

Big congratulations man,you deserved that award with no doubt. And don't mind the haters man,they're just jealous of you,and you being a "pro" isn't something that separates you from us - you like to draw and create as much as we all do - you have just improved yourself to the professional level. In fact,you inspire us all to improve,when we're watchin' your movies. Hope to see more movies from you

peace :)

cheers man :D

yup ^-^

we want you on NG
always somin I can watch when I'm feeling a little low on inspiration or something XD

The awards was for the best artist (and movie) of 07, and professioinal or not, you've proven worthy of this. Newgrounds isn't about "the best amateur", and NG itself definitley benefit of your works on here.

That was an interesting blog, thanx for sharing. It's an inspiring read, whether you're a drawing artist or not! :)
I (and many others:) can't wait to see more from you on here. Keep doing what you do!

It makes me angry that people say you should be disqualified...

I think it's probably because they are the sort of people that half-ass stuff then don't understand why it's bad... Good thing you are going to stay here though, your movies are fantastic. This sort of thing has happened before with LegendaryFrog, but it's good to see you aren't really affected by it. Also, very glad to hear about more Brackenwood, they were brilliant. I studied The YuYu for hours to work out how to draw a decent forest background (I did get it eventually, but yours is still better).

So basically, what I'm saying is: keep up the good work, you deserved the tank.

You absolutely deserve to be here, if for no other reason than to serve as a beacon to others that hard work and dedication with bring you what you want. I feel that is an inspiring message that deserves to be heard.

Your work is a joy to so many here and rightly so. I wish you all the very best.

Congrats man, your flashes are really inspiring and very whimsical. I'd love to see a full length movie on the world you've created. You deserve the acclaim and awards you've gotten. Dont let anyone tell you different! : D

Of course you wont. Keep it up though. I'd love to see this world of your developed! Keep adding to it! You cant abandon Brackenwood! Keep making them flashes. Your awesome. Truly awesome.

And so here my comment lies within the other 50 giving you praise.

Take care.

Thanks for the comment.. if all goes according to plan, I hope you'll be seeing a Brackenwood feature film some time down the track :D

Well done on the Tank award you deserve it. The animations you do are mind blowing-ly good. Also good luck on new cartoons, if they are going to come. Nice ones :)

Cheers!

You definitely deserve it!

As someone pointed out, the awards were for the best animation, not the best amateur animation.

Nice job on the Tank, you deserve it.
Happy to hear there will be more Brackenwood to come.

I knew you would win.. Because you're my favorite.

Just ask Blue Hippo..

Man grats on the award you deserve it!! loved waterlollies =D

That story touches me. I hope I don't have to go through all that, but I want to go to art school and study animation. I'll always have your work to inspire.

If anyone on this portal deserves to become famous because of his drawing skills, it's you. Your work is absolutely beautiful, the stories are excellent and are at the level of perfection every artist should be aiming for. I wish you the best of luck!

those finale words are the reason I have you on my favorite artist list.

Woah I feel so inspired after reading that, You're the man Phillips! =DD

People on the site are notorious for being a buzz kill ... it happens at every contest no matter what. Its like one of the reasons nobody on staff or whatever enjoys the end process. It almost makes you not even want to do it anymore. But In the end you just have to realize that its part of the site's personality and doesnt really measure the main sentiment of the true newgrounds visitors/artists.

Cheers and well deserved. You shouldnt have to 'defend' anything.

Well deserved for you too man and I know what you mean about 'part of the package' type thing. It's like an awesome cake with a bit of egg shell in it. Whether or not the egg shell ruins the whole experience is entirely up to you and how you choose to deal with it.

mmm cake.

Reading every comment and replying to a few. Thanks everyone for the overwhelming support on this post. It's just another reason I'm not going anywhere. NG is Brackenwood's home away from home :D

It's your strive for improvement that makes me respect you more than anything really, I put it in those terms because of this news post, but more so than your animation experience it's your strives in working with flash. Last year I was in real dire trouble with a school project and your website, it's tips, tutorials and guides to flash helped me more than you can imagine, I mean honestly they made a REAL difference.

I find the whole 'he has Disney animator experience' argument going on flawed to begin with, but if those people still feel so strongly about it then I suggest you look at the work with flash this guy has done, I mean he has truly unlocked the untapped power flash has for so many people, you would be surprised. It's enough to strive for knowledge, it's even more to share it.

Despite all that, there is no need to relate any of that to you deserving the award, because Waterlollies alone deserved the tank award. Congrats ;)

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