MASTERCLASS IN CREATURE DESIGN WITH STEVE JOHNSON
Learn the art of creature creation under the mentorship of Steve Johnson
Four Live Workshops. Four Weeks. Decades of Hollywood Knowledge.
Steve Johnson 1983-with Ghostbusters Slimer aka Onionhead
Join legendary creature designer Steve Johnson for an exclusive live mentoring experience, where you’ll learn the traditional techniques that helped define some of Hollywood’s most memorable creatures.
Working alongside Steve in real time, you’ll gain hands-on experience in creature design, sculpting, form, expression and personality, whilst learning directly from one of the industry’s most respected practical effects artists.
Using one of his most iconic creations as a live demonstration, Steve will guide you through the creative process step-by-step, sharing the techniques, stories and insights he has developed throughout a remarkable career spanning more than four decades.
Suitable for all abilities whether you are a beginner exploring a new hobby, or a more experienced creator.
Before CGI. Before AI. When rubber ruled, there was a time when movie magic was created by hand. Every creature, monster and character began as an idea, a lump of clay and the imagination of a talented artist. Today, many of those traditional skills are disappearing.
But for those who love practical effects, creature design and the craft behind the movies, there is still an opportunity to learn directly from one of the artists who helped shape an era.
COMING SOON – Register your interest today and be the first to hear when dates are announced.
Learn from a Hollywood legend, introducing your mentor: Steve Johnson 
For more than four decades, Steve Johnson has been designing, sculpting and creating some of cinema’s most iconic creatures and characters.
Now, for a limited number of students, he’s opening his workshop doors and sharing the techniques, methods and creative thinking behind his work.
This isn’t a pre-recorded course. This isn’t a one-off demonstration.
This is a rare opportunity to be personally mentored by one of the industry’s most respected creature creators as he shares the knowledge, techniques and practical skills developed throughout a remarkable Hollywood career.
Steve’s credits include:
- Ghostbusters • The Abyss
- Big Trouble in Little China • Species
- Fright Night • Men in Black
- Blade II • Spider-Man 2
- Bicentennial Man • An American Werewolf in London
Working behind the scenes, Steve helped bring unforgettable creatures and characters to life using traditional practical effects techniques long before digital technology became the industry standard.
Now, he’s sharing those same techniques with a new generation of artists, collectors, creators and movie fans.
What you’ll learn
Throughout the programme you’ll gain practical experience in:
- Creature design fundamentals
- Traditional sculpting techniques
- Form, shape and proportion
- Character and personality through sculpture
- Practical effects thinking and methodology
- Professional creature creation workflows
- The creative process behind iconic movie creatures
Along the way, Steve will share stories, experiences and lessons learned throughout his remarkable career in Hollywood.
What you’ll build
Over four live online sessions, Steve will personally mentor you through the process of creature creation, sharing the techniques, principles and creative thinking behind some of his most iconic work.
Working alongside Steve in real time, beginning with a simple armature and clay, you’ll learn how to develop form, shape, personality and expression in your sculpture.
Throughout the Masterclass, Steve will demonstrate his techniques using one of his most famous creations as a teaching tool, allowing participants to follow along step-by-step or apply the same methods to a creature of their own design.
Every stage of the process will be demonstrated live, giving you the opportunity to ask questions, learn professional techniques and receive guidance directly from Steve as you work.
By the end of the masterclass, you’ll have:
✔ Your own completed creature sculpture
✔ Direct mentoring from Steve Johnson
✔ A deeper understanding of creature design
✔ Practical sculpting techniques used by Hollywood professionals
✔ Insights and stories from Steve’s forty-year career
✔ Twelve months access to all session recordings
✔ A unique piece of movie-making history created with your own hands
Join live from anywhere in the world
Each workshop will be delivered live via Zoom, allowing you to sculpt alongside Steve in real time from the comfort of your own workspace.
Session One – Discover the foundations of creature design, sculptural storytelling and practical effects creation.
Session Two – Build form, structure, personality and expression into your sculpture.
Session Three – Develop detail, texture and character whilst refining your creature.
Session Four – Complete your sculpture and learn the finishing techniques that bring a creature to life.
Throughout the programme, Steve will demonstrate his process, share professional insights and answer questions as he mentors participants through each stage of creation.
Whether you’re following Steve’s demonstrations step-by-step or developing a creature of your own design, you’ll gain practical skills and techniques that can be applied long after the Masterclass has ended.
A full materials list and supplier recommendations will be provided well in advance of the first session, giving you plenty of time to prepare your workspace.
Who is this Masterclass for?
If you’ve ever watched a creature come to life on screen and wondered, “How did they do that?” This masterclass was created for you.
Whether you’re an artist, collector, movie fan or aspiring creature designer, this is a rare opportunity to step behind the curtain and learn directly from one of Hollywood’s most respected practical effects creators.
This Masterclass is perfect for:
- Movie fans who grew up during the golden age of practical effects
- Ghostbusters fans who have always wanted to understand how Slimer was brought to life
- Artists, sculptors and creatives looking to learn new techniques
- Creature designers, prop makers and special effects enthusiasts
- Collectors who appreciate the craftsmanship behind iconic movie characters
- Anyone fascinated by the lost art of practical creature creation
You don’t need professional experience. You don’t need a studio. You don’t need Hollywood connections.
Just a passion for movie magic and a willingness to learn from one of the masters of the craft.
Could creature design become your career?
For some, this Masterclass will be an unforgettable creative experience. For others, it could be the first step towards a career in one of the world’s most exciting industries.
Practical creature effects continue to play a vital role in film, television, themed attractions, collectibles, gaming, advertising and immersive entertainment. While technology has transformed many areas of production, the demand for artists who understand traditional sculpting, creature design and practical effects remains stronger than many people realise.
There are very few opportunities to learn directly from someone with Steve Johnson’s depth of experience.
Whether your ambition is to work in the film industry, develop your own creature designs, create high-end collectibles, produce props for cosplay, or simply build a professional portfolio, this Masterclass offers an invaluable foundation from one of Hollywood’s most respected creature creators.
Every career starts somewhere, why not begin yours by learning from someone who has spent more than forty years helping bring some of cinema’s most memorable creatures to life?
Graduate with a signed certificate
Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will receive an exclusive Creature Design Masterclass Diploma, personally signed by Steve Johnson.
A unique keepsake recognising your participation in this rare mentoring experience and your contribution to preserving the traditional craft of practical creature creation.
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from this master of the craft
As practical effects continue to give way to CGI and AI-generated content, opportunities to learn these traditional techniques from the artists who pioneered them are becoming increasingly rare.
This is so much more than a workshop, It’s an opportunity to preserve a craft, learn from a master and create something with your own hands.
Investment
Standard Price $995 USD
Includes all four live mentoring sessions, access to recordings for twelve months and your signed completion certificate.
PRE-REGISTER NOW – Early Bird Offer $895 USD
Available to the first 10 students only.
Once the first 10 places have been secured, the programme returns to the standard investment of $995.
Be the first to know
Places will be limited. Register your interest today and we’ll let you know as soon as dates are released.
Continue your creature’s journey
Creating the sculpture is only the beginning.
For those wishing to take their skills even further, Steve will also be offering an advanced follow-on Masterclass focused on mould making and resin casting.
In the world of practical effects, sculpture is only the first step. Before a creature can be reproduced, displayed or brought into production, artists must create moulds and castings that faithfully capture every detail of the original work.
In this advanced programme, Steve will demonstrate the straight-forward, basic professional techniques used throughout the creature effects industry to create silicone moulds and produce castings in translucent glow-in-the-dark resin.
You’ll gain insight into the same processes used by professional creature creators, collectors and special effects artists to transform a one-of-a-kind sculpture into a finished collectible piece.
Whether you’re interested in practical effects, model making, creature creation or producing your own display-quality castings, this advanced Masterclass will provide a fascinating next step in your creative journey.
Further details, dates and availability will be announced during the programme.