Gain an overview of the course as Aaron introduces key topics and inspires you to creatively distort anatomical knowledge to design original creatures.
Creature Design with Aaron Blaise
Creature Art Teacher Course
Design believable creatures.
In this 18+ hour course, Aaron Blaise teaches his approach to designing believable creatures by drawing on real animal anatomy and cues from the natural world.
You’ll explore bipedal and four-legged creature design, pleasing silhouettes, flying creatures, land-based creatures, mythical creatures, skin textures, muscles, bone structure, photo-bashing, and more.
18+ Hours
Real-Time Demos
Layered Files Included
Hippo Textures Included
Real-Time Demos
Layered Files Included
Hippo Textures Included
Believable Creature Design
Learn how Aaron uses animal anatomy and natural-world cues to give fantastical creature designs a stronger sense of realism.
Structure, Skin & Silhouette
Study muscles, bone structure, different skin textures, pleasing silhouettes, and how environment can affect creature design.
Files & Textures
Includes layered image files and bonus hippo skin textures for studying Aaron’s process and texture workflows.
Meet Aaron Blaise
Learn from the Oscar-nominated director of Brother Bear and veteran Disney animator known for wildlife art, creature design, and animal drawing.
Lessons
01 Understanding 4 Legged Animals
Learn Aaron’s method for breaking down animal anatomy into six key sections, starting with four-legged mammals. Understand the differences between plantigrade, digitigrade, and unguligrade feet.
02 Creating Our Own 4 Legged Creature
Apply a solid foundation in animal anatomy to your creature designs by considering how the environment influences form. Develop its anatomy and create dynamic poses to bring it to life.
03 The 6 Sections in Different Proportions
Design a creature suited for a new environment, exploring how color and texture choices enhance believability. Learn how thoughtful details contribute to a compelling final design.
04 Silhouette Design
Explore a playful approach to creature design using silhouette drawing to inspire character and emotion. Combine creativity with anatomical principles and develop unique, expressive creatures.
05 Silhouette Design Part 2 – Rendered Creature
Create unique creature designs by exploring silhouettes and shapes. Add details, apply color, shadows, and highlights.
06 Understanding Bird Anatomy and Wing Mechanics
Study the structure and mechanics of bird wings to design believable flying creatures, using real-world anatomy to enhance accuracy and creativity.
07 Flying Creature Silhouette Design
Design a dragon-like creature. Refine features like feathers and wings, and develop a strong final design through iteration and rendering.
08 Flying Creature Render
Refine a previous silhouette into a bird-lizard hybrid by adding feather details and color variations to create a polished final design.
09 Basic Insect Anatomy
Learn the key anatomical features of insects. Apply this knowledge to design insect-like creatures with accurate structure and texture.
10 Creating an Insect Creature
Explore insect anatomy while designing a humanoid insect creature. Focus on silhouette, symmetry, and real-life references, using lighting, texture, and background color to enhance realism.
11 Skin Texture Photo Bashing
Learn the photo bashing technique by blending photographic textures with digital painting. Use tools like exposure, hue, and saturation adjustments to create rich, visually engaging creature designs.
12 Flopping Layer Technique and Finding Shapes
Use a fun, shape-driven approach to design creatures digitally, exploring tools like symmetry brushes, clipping masks, and rim lighting to boost creativity.
13 Umbrella Creature and Conclusion
Design imaginative plant-based creatures inspired by alien worlds and symbiotic relationships. Explore biology concepts like nutrient exchange, light sensing, and energy use to fuel creative ideas.
