MASTERCLASS IN CREATURE DESIGN WITH STEVE JOHNSON
DON’T JUST WATCH HOW MOVIE MONSTERS ARE MADE.
LEARN TO CREATE ONE.
Join legendary creature designer and two-time Emmy Award winner Steve Johnson for four live, interactive online workshops exploring the traditional sculpting techniques, creative thinking and problem-solving behind more than four decades of practical creature effects.
Working alongside Steve in real time, you’ll develop an original character in clay from the armature upwards, exploring form, proportion, expression, personality and the decisions that make a creature feel believable
Learn the art of creature creation under the mentorship of Steve Johnson
STEP INSIDE THE WORKSHOP
This isn’t another polished, pre-recorded tutorial.
Watch the trailer and get a taste of what it means to work live with Steve, see the creative process unfold in real time and discover the stories, thinking and beautifully chaotic problem-solving behind the finished creature.
LEARN FROM SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY MADE THE MONSTERS.
DON’T JUST WATCH HOW MOVIE MONSTERS ARE MADE. LEARN TO CREATE ONE.
For more than four decades, Steve Johnson has helped create some of cinema’s most memorable creatures and characters.
From the ghosts of Ghostbusters and the otherworldly beings of The Abyss, to Species, Bicentennial Man, Blade II and Spider-Man 2, Steve’s career has been built on imagination, experimentation and an extraordinary ability to make the impossible feel real.
Now he’s opening the workshop and passing that experience on.
- 40+ YEARS of creature design and practical effects
200+ FILMS alongside television, attractions, commercials and more
2 EMMY AWARDS for his work in special makeup effects
START WITH CLAY. FINISH WITH A CHARACTER.
Across the four workshops, Steve will develop an original character bust from the armature upwards, demonstrating his process live as you work alongside him.
You can follow Steve’s approach closely or use the same principles to create an original character of your own.
The focus isn’t on copying a finished monster. It’s about learning how ideas become believable three-dimensional characters through form, expression, proportion, texture and personality.
01 FIND THE CREATURE
Idea • Armature • Proportion • Silhouette
02 BUILD THE CHARACTER
Form • Structure • Expression • Personality
03 MAKE IT BELIEVABLE
Detail • Texture • Refinement
04 BRING IT TO LIFE
Final details • Character • Presentation
BECAUSE THE MISTAKES ARE PART OF THE MASTERCLASS.
WATCH STEVE SCULPT LIVE
See the process unfold in real time.
ASK QUESTIONS AS YOU WORK
Get guidance while it’s relevant.
SEE REAL PROBLEM-SOLVING
Watch corrections and decisions happen naturally.
REPLAY FOR 12 MONTHS
Return to every demonstration afterwards.
A finished tutorial shows you what worked.
Working live with Steve lets you see what happens when something doesn’t.
You’ll watch the decisions, corrections, changes of direction and problem-solving that normally disappear in the edit. And because you’re there live, you can ask questions while those decisions are still happening.
You’re not simply learning how Steve moves clay.
You’re learning how an experienced creature designer thinks.
WHAT YOUR PLACE INCLUDES:
FOUR SATURDAYS. MORE THAN TEN HOURS. A LOT OF CLAY.
4 live online sessions
Delivered via Zoom across four consecutive Saturdays.
More than 10 hours with Steve
Live demonstrations, mentoring, questions and stories from the workshop.
12 months’ recording access
Revisit every session afterwards.
Direct access to Steve
Ask questions while you work.
Preparation & materials guide
Sent in advance so you can get your workspace ready.
Personally signed completion certificate
An exclusive keepsake recognising your completion of the Masterclass.
Materials are purchased separately. A full materials list and supplier recommendations will be provided before the first workshop.
FEBRUARY 2027 / PRICE
THE NEXT WORKSHOP OPENS FEBRUARY 2027
EVERY SATURDAY IN FEBRUARY
- SESSION 01 — February 6
- SESSION 02 — February 13
- SESSION 03 — February 20
- SESSION 04 — February 27
All sessions take place live online via Zoom.
MASTERCLASS FEE
$995 USD
EARLY BIRD
$895 USD
Available to the first 10 participants to book.
FIRST 10 GET SLIMED!
The first 10 students to secure their place will also receive an exclusive FREE Slimer lamp, designed, created and personally signed by Steve Johnson.
WORTH $200 USD
FAQ’s
IS THE MASTERCLASS ONLINE?
Yes. All four sessions take place live via Zoom, so you can join Steve from anywhere in the world.
WHAT WILL I CREATE?
Across the four workshops, you’ll design and sculpt your own original character or creature in clay.
DO I NEED EXPERIENCE?
No. Complete beginners are welcome, as are experienced artists, sculptors and makers.
WHAT IF I MISS A SESSION?
Every session is recorded and available to participants for 12 months.
WHAT MATERIALS WILL I NEED?
You’ll need clay, a simple armature and a small selection of sculpting tools. A complete materials and preparation guide will be provided in advance.
IS THE CERTIFICATE AN ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION?
No. It is an exclusive Masterclass completion certificate personally signed by Steve Johnson, rather than an accredited academic qualification.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF ‘INSIDE THE WORKSHOP’
NOT READY TO BOOK YET?
STEP INSIDE THE WORKSHOP FIRST.
Get your free 36-page copy of Inside the Workshop, the official guide to Steve Johnson’s Masterclass in Creature Design.
Discover more about Steve, the experience, who the Masterclass is for, what happens across the four sessions and what it really means to learn live from someone who has spent more than forty years making movie monsters.
