CHARACTER AND CREATURE DESIGN

These resources by no means represent the entire spectrum of tools and software available online. While they are not presented in any particular order, we have tried to conveniently arrange them in a way that will make each section easier to find.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Here are a few useful starter photo and texture reference packs, as well as other useful resources from The Big Bad World of Concept Art’s Gumroad page. Enjoy!

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Brand New!
Paid
Books
Classes
Tutorials
Workshop
  • Creature Workshop
    with Dominic Qwek
    Creature Workshop
    Why We Like It
    Dominic Qwek's masterful skill with 3D is explained with examples to get anyone on their way to sculpting their own creature designs.
  • Futuristic Character Design
    with Maciej Kuciara
    Futuristic Character Design
    Why We Like It
    Maciej shows you his process from concept to finished illustration of a futuristic character design while using a variety of techniques.
  • Character Design Course
    with Aaron Blaise
    Character Design Course
    Why We Like It
    Aaron Blaise uses his knowledge as a former Disney character artist to create compelling human and animal characters, while explaining his development process.
  • Visual Storytelling
    with Iain McCaig
    Visual Storytelling
    Why We Like It
    Iain McCaig crafts each video segment while giving great insight into his picture making process starting from initial sketches.
  • The Mechanic
    with Donato Giancola
    The Mechanic
    Why We Like It
    Donato Giancole goes through the complete process of a traditional oil painting while sharing his knowledge of picture making.
  • Creature Design Vol. 1-4
    with Terryl Whitlatch
    Creature Design Vol. 1-4
    Why We Like It
    Terryl Whitlatch demonstrates through volumes 1-4 on how to create fantastic and unbelievable creates based on commonly known animals.
  • Anthony Jones Painting Techniques
    Gumroad Page
    Anthony Jones Painting Techniques
    Why We Like It
    Anthony Jones (A.K.A. Robotpencil) shows you his process and techniques of digitally painting character and creature designs.
  • Conceiving and Creating the Hellboy Movie Poster Art
    with Drew Struzan
    Conceiving and Creating the Hellboy Movie Poster Art
    Why We Like It
    Drew Struzan shows us his entire process of creating an iconic poster.
  • Science of Creature Design: Understanding Animal Anatomy
    with Terryl Whitlatch
    Science of Creature Design: Understanding Animal Anatomy
    Why We Like It
    Terryl Whitlatch explains how animal anatomy can be reapplied for successful creature designs.

PAY TO VIEW TUTORIAL VIDEOS

Tutorial videos are a great way to learn new skills in tandem with your main education. Artistic progress is measured in slow, steady improvements in your work and work ethic. Even if you only learn one new thing from a tutorial video, you are still headed in the right direction.

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2D
3D
ANATOMY
BRAND NEW!
CHARACTERS
CREATURES
  • Marvelous Designer for Concept Art
    by Matthias de Muylder
  • Alien Zbrush Tutorial
    with Peter Konig
  • Character Workshop
    with Shane Olson
  • Advanced Zbrush and Intro to Keyshot Bundle
    with Matt Thorup
  • Zbrush Hard Surface Techniques
    with Lance Wilkinson
  • Visitor Bundle
    with Josh Crockett
  • 3D Creature Modeling for Production
    with Chung Kan
  • Hard Surface 3D Modeling for Production
    with Chung Kan
  • Character Design 1
    with Xia Taptara
  • How to Paint Photo Real Creatures: Digital Painting Bundle
    with Aaron Blaise
  • How to Create Cloud Creatures in Adobe Photoshop
    with Aaron Blaise
  • Painting Nibru Through the Ages
    by Daarken
  • Designing Creatures in Adobe Photoshop
    with Aaron Sims
  • Zbrush Keyshot Photoshop: The Soldier
    by Anthony Jones
  • Cthulhu Tutorial Sculpting in Zbrush
    by Dominic Qwek
  • Female Hunter
    with Daarken
  • The Final Charge
    with Daarken
  • Designing and Rendering Fantasy Characters in Pencil
    with Wayne Barlowe
  • Intro to Zbrush and Character Design
    with Matt Thorup
  • Creating an Armored Knight
    with Jonas De Ro
  • Monster Concepting
    with Kurt Papstein
  • Character Creation in Zbrush
    with Kurt Papstein
  • Character Design for Production
    with Peter Han
  • 3D Coat Hard Surface Character
    with Anthony Jones
  • Character Drawing
    by Foundation Patreon
  • Character Creation Part 3: Basic Color Treatment
    by Foundation Patreon
  • Character Creation Part 2: Design Refinement
    by Foundation Patreon
  • Keyshot Passes and Photoshop Composite
    with Lance Wilkinson
  • The Techniques of Neville Page
    with Neville Page
  • ZBrush Blockout for Line Art with Joe Peterson
  • Zbrush Anatomy Sculpting Hands
    with Brendon Isaiah Bengtson
  • Line Art Tutorial with Joe Peterson
  • Color Tutorial with Joe Peterson
  • The Techniques of Carlos Huante
  • How to Sculpt Creature Hands
    by Dominic Qwek
  • Axehead Demon Tutorial
    by Dominic Qwek
  • Character Design Techniques with Keith Thompson
  • Creature Design: Photoshop Character Rendering with Dan Luvisi
  • Zbrush Keyshot Photoshop: Zbrush Robot
    by Anthony Jones
  • Kaiju Larva Tutorial Package
    by Dominic Qwek
  • Zbrush for Concept Artists with Ben Mauro
  • Bryan Wynia's Creature Speed Sculpting
  • John Park's Assassin Demo
  • Creature Design for Games with Carlo Arellano
  • Creature Sculpting in Zbrush with Bryan Wynia
  • Marek Okon's Illustration Unchained Bundle
  • Design Techniques of Aaron Sims
  • Rafael Grassetti's Design and Anatomy Package
  • Creature Design with Terryl Whitlatch
  • Frank Tzeng Techniques
  • Maciej Kuciara's Character Illustration for Film Bundle
  • Neville Page Techniques
  • Anatomy Workshop with Charles Hu
  • More Tutorials Coming Soon

FREE STREAMING TUTORIAL VIDEOS

Tutorial videos are a great way to learn new skills in tandem with your main education. Artistic progress is measured in slow, steady improvements in your work and work ethic. Even if you only learn one new thing from a tutorial video, you are still headed in the right direction.

Filter
ALL
ANATOMY
BRAND NEW!
CHARACTERS
CREATURES
2D
3D
  • Captain Boom in the Rain
    with Xia Taptara
  • Knight Baratheon Digital Painting Tutorial
    with Xia Taptara
  • Digital Painting Rhino Knight Concept Art
    with Xia Taptara
  • Creating Photo Real Characters and Creature Concepts in Photoshop
    with Aaron Blaise
  • Improve Your Creature Art
    with Aaron Blaise
  • How to Draw Cute
    with Aaron Blaise
  • Digital Painting Tutorial: Elephant
    by Aaron Blaise
  • Cartoon Render
    with David Lojaya
  • Real Time Painting Photoshop Tutorial
    with Sluggie
  • Liche Priest
    by Daarken
  • Future Soldier Photobash
    by Ben Mauro
  • Organic Modeling in Zbrush
    by Cubebrush
  • How to Concept a Game Character in Photoshop: Part 3
    by Cubebrush
  • How to Concept a Game Character in Photoshop: Part 2
    by Cubebrush
  • How to Concept a Game Character in Photoshop: Part 1
    by Cubebrush
  • Photo Booth Alien Rendering Demo
    with Scott Robertson
  • Cthulhu Cultist Tutorial Character Design
    with Jon Neimeister
  • Post Apocalyptic Character Design Sketch
    with Daarken
  • Small Beastman Rendering Tutorial
    with Dave Rapoza
  • Paint a Monster in Photoshop: Part 2
    with Dave Rapoza
  • Paint a Monster in Photoshop: Part 1
    with Dave Rapoza
  • Knight Sketch Tutorial
    with Dave Rapoza
  • Drawing a Cybernetic Demon
    by Draw with Jazza
  • Character Creation Part 1: Generating Ideas
    by Foundation Patreon
  • Character Concepting in ZBrush with Justin Goby Fields
  • Creating a Character Turnaround from a Concept Piece
    by CG Cookie Concept
  • Painting Demo: Liche Priest by Daarken
  • Concept Illustration Techniques with Maciej Kuciara
  • How to Paint Digitally: Faith is My Shield with Nicholas Kay
  • Digital Painting Process: Simple Character Design with Peter Stapleton
  • Digital Painting Process with Peter Stapleton
  • Digital Painting Process: Epic Croc with Peter Stapleton
  • How to Paint Realistic Skin Tones with Jon Neimeister
  • Creature Sketching with Feng Zhu
  • mYTHOLOGICAL cREATURES WITH Feng Zhu
  • Feng Zhu Video Game Characters
  • Real-time Creature Design with Feng Zhu
  • Dragon Thumbnails with Feng Zhu
  • Painting Heads from Reference
  • Figure Invention with Ron Lemen
  • More Tutorials Coming Soon

BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND PRINTED PUBLICATIONS

Printed media is not dead! There is so much knowledge documented within the pages of books and magazines. Use them to your advantage.

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ALL
3D
INSPIRATION
REFERENCE
TUTORIAL
2D
BOOKS
  • Venom Tutorial by Dan Luvisi
  • Painting Creature Fur with Nate Hallinan
  • Kevin Hedgpeth and Stephen Missal's Exploring Character Design
  • Creative Essence: Creatures
  • Francis Tsai's 100 Ways of Creating Fantasy Figures
  • ZBrush Character Sculpting: Volume 1
  • Fantasy Creatures: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Digital Painting Techniques (ImagineFX)
  • ZBrush Characters and Creatures
  • Force: Character Design from Life Drawing by Michael Mattesi
  • Monstruo: The Art of Carlos Huante
  • Mas Creaturas: Monstruo Addendum from Carlos Huante
  • Heaven's Hell: The Art of Anthony Jones
  • Walt Stanchfield's Disney Drawing Lectures
  • An Illustrated History of Uniforms from 1775-1783: The American Revolutionary War
  • Fighting Men of World War II: Allied Forces
  • Fighting Men of World War II: Axis Forces
  • Shadowline: The Art of Iain McCaig
  • Coming Soon

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