How To Become a Creature Designer in 2024 (+ Tips from the Pros)
Hello world! This is an exciting time to ask this question: how do I become a creature designer?
You’re in the right place. In this blog I’ve interviewed the top professional creature designers in the movie and video game industry, such as Andrew Baker, creator of the dragon Smaug and other iconic characters from The Hobbit Trilogy, or Ken Barthelmey (Aquaman, Maze Runner, Fantastic Beasts).
1. Be passionate about the animal world
This is a must; you will not become a creature designer if you don’t love (and respect) animals. The reason is that animal anatomy and animal behavior are at the base of any good creature designer skill set, and you will spend many hours studying the animal bone structure, basic shapes that compose animals, etc. So you better love what you do!
2. Study animal anatomy
As mentioned above, animal anatomy is fundamental. I once spoke with Brian Froud (The Dark Crystal), who told me that for a creature to be believable, it has to spark this thought in you; “I might have seen this creature before, but I can’t remember where.” This is simply because all iconic creatures have a reference to the animal kingdom, whether it’s some muscles, part of a skeletal composition from a specific animal, and so on.
Is there a Course to Become a Creature Designer?
Lucky for you, I’ve got the answer. There are different options based on your current drawing level. If you’re a complete beginner, then my friend, the best option is to start studying the basics, such as:
- Basic shapes
- Sketching techniques
- Build your confidence in drawing
If you’re a beginner, check out the things every digital artist should own.
Another tip for you, this is the best video on YouTube that has helped me learn the basics; save it for later 😉
If you’re a seasoned artist
If you are already confident in your drawing skills and have a strong knowledge of the basics, then a good course I would recommend is Illustrate & analyze the animal (CG Master Academy) by Shannon Beaumont. I personally took this course and I highly recommend it to learn how to draw animals!
If you know how to draw animals already, then you can start this course here by Bobby Rebholz; Creature Design for Films and Games (CG Master Academy)
Alternative cheaper (or free) options for aspiring Creature Designers
If you don’t have the finances available to purchase a course, especially if you’re a student, here’s a selection of books and free resources that you can use to study these subjects;
This book is available on Amazon, and I personally found it very useful to flick through and examine the many amazing animal studies.
I’ve interviewed Bobby on this blog and would highly recommend his YouTube channel. He illustrates (pun unintended) ways to design creatures while also teaching the basics of sketching. Be ready with your pencil and paper.
- Schoolism.com by Bobby Chiu
This platform is a digital academy where, for a monthly fee, you can access hundreds of courses taught by professional artists on many different topics, including creature design. Terryl Whitlatch, Principal Creature Designer for Star Wars: Episode One—The Phantom Menace, teaches one such course.
3. Join a Community of Creature Designers
Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is essential for succeeding in anything. When I started in creature design, I couldn’t find a community for monsters, aliens, and creatures only.
So, I created one! You can join our Creature Design Study Group here.
In this Discord group, you can introduce yourself, showcase your work (or work in progress), and ask questions without fear of being judged; you will only be helped and motivated to keep improving.
Conclusion
The road to becoming a creature designer is long, just like any road to success, but not impossible. You’ll need to clearly see where you are going and what steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goals. I hope that with this article I answered to your ‘How to Become a Creature Designer’ question.
In this blog, I interview successful creature designers to inspire and motivate you to pursue your dreams. So, look at the interviews, and remember to join our Discord group to ask further questions and showcase your sketches and art!
