Creature Making Contest 2025 — Stan Winston School of Character Arts Forums

Shin godzilla skull

Darkartsjfx — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:47:10 +0000

Hi everyone this is my version of the skull of shin godzilla from the 2016 movie.

It has been digitally sculpted and 3d printed I've made a few different sized versions and unfortunately I didn't get the base complete for this competition but will hopefully get that complete over the next week or so.

Good luck to everyone looking forward to seeing who wins?

Follow me on Instagram darkartsjfx

Bogeyman - Amy Spencer

AmyJArtistry — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:04:30 +0000

This is my Bogeyman silicone bust. This was made as part of my final major project at university and the idea is that the Bogeyman takes over his host through their eyes, and the result is this monster whose skin has rippled and pulled up.

Critter

Manu M A — Thu, 22 May 2025 20:39:44 +0000

I've always liked the Critters—those small, evil space furballs. This is my tribute to them. I originally sculpted this piece in clay, using reference images of the original movie props. The entire body is sculpted, although much of it is covered in hair, so I plan to eventually recreate the burnt pink Critter from the kitchen scene in the second film. I hope I won't take too long to make that version.

The final piece is made of latex, polyurethane foam, and synthetic hair.

“Treat” the Rabbit

Holloway — Thu, 22 May 2025 21:55:00 +0000

Treat is the lesser-known descendant of the Trix rabbit.. and somehow he’s trickier than his granddaddy. They say the chimney flue was open the night Treat was born- and something strange came in.

[Inspired by Joe Harris's “Silly Rabbit” for Trix Cereal from 1959. Materials: EVA foam, foam clay, faux fur, flexible acrylic, and PearlEx.]

Morlock from “The Time Machine”

John Manning — Fri, 23 May 2025 01:57:09 +0000

One of my favorite sci fi films is the often overlooked 1960 adaptation of “The Time Machine” by H. G. Wells, and one of my absolute favorite monster designs is the film’s depiction of the Morlocks, a race of subterranean cannibals that herd and prey upon the peaceful but dim-witted Eloi tribe that lives above them. So, I wanted to show tribute to a somewhat forgotten classic by making my own.

my Morlock is a foam filled latex mask, painted with liquitex paints.

you can find my work on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jmanningsfx?igsh=MTI5dHhsb2FmZm5mOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

My Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein monster mask

Dean Jones — Fri, 23 May 2025 05:11:21 +0000

Mars Attacks!

MEGzombie — Tue, 13 May 2025 16:05:17 +0000

I am a Japanese woman who loves horror movies and SFX and aims to become a figure sculptor.

I joined this school because I wanted to incorporate the amazing skills of SFX creators into my own work.

I am honing my skills every day to achieve my dream of working as a figure sculptor for my favorite horror movies.

I am very happy to be able to participate in this contest!

I created fan art for the movie Mars Attacks!

Sculpting tool: Zbrush Painting on 3D printed product

X:https://x.com/megllZombie

Hrima and Eisglodir

mr_spacelobster — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 12:25:37 +0000

In the farthest reaches of the frozen north, where wind and ice rule, Hrima and Eisglodir patrol the endless snowfields. Hrima—a quiet guardian—carries the weight of ancient oaths, his small frame steady with a warrior’s resolve. Eisglodir—his towering mount—moves with sharp grace, venom gleaming, spikes poised, a shield against the cold, and the key to their survival.

Bound by an unspoken bond, they cross the stillness, watching, listening—protectors of hidden paths, keepers of old secrets. A flicker of life in an endless white, enduring where few dare to tread.

Sculpted with Cosclay, painted with acrylics.

* Creature Making Contest 2025 Winner Announcement *

Chris Ellerby — Fri, 30 May 2025 02:10:56 +0000

Big thanks to all of you fantastic creature makers who entered our 2025 Creature Making Contest! As always, your level of creativity was through the roof. With so many fun entries, it was nearly impossible to pick a single winner, but we are pleased to announce the Grand Prize goes to InkyPunkArt for their entry, The Banderbear. Congratulations!

Here are some words from InkyPunkArt about their creation:

Fantasy adventure fiction has always been my safe place and my escapism, and no novels as much as ‘The Edge Chronicles’ by Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart. The Banderbear is one of my favourite creatures from the series, and so, inspired by the incredible illustrations of Riddell, I made my first puppet 7 years ago, and this guy more recently.

Made entirely by myself from scratch, he has an aluminium wire skeleton, a faux fur soft body stuffed with wadding and hand sculpted and painted head, hands and feet.

Grand Prize Package sponsored by our great friends at FANGORIA.

Grand Prize Pack: Over $1,400 Value!

From FANGORIA - Over $1,000 Value!
FANGORIA Subscription - 2 years
FANGORIA Bandana
FANGORIA Coffee Mug
FANGORIA Pullover Hoodie
Top 100 Horror Movies Poster
5 Panel Hat with FANGORIA Leather Patch
Black Beanie with FANGORIA Leather Patch
FANGORIA Rust Pom Beanie
FANGORIA Travel Tumbler
FANGORIA Windbreaker
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III Poster
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III Poster – Fangoria Variant
GUTS! Sweatshirt
GUTS! Tee
FANGORIA x Ghost x Ghost tee
Colors of the Dark Tee
FANGORIA x Murugiah – Sweatshirt
FANGORIA x Murugiah – Tee
FANGORIA Slipcase Black
FANGORIA Slipcase Red
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #26 (subscriber/Nosferatu)
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #25 (subscriber/Freddy)
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #24 (subscriber/Longlegs)
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #23 (subscriber/Chucky)
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #22 (subscriber/It’s a Wonderful Knife)
FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #21 (subscriber/VHS85)
FANGORIA Classic Logo Tee
2024 Chainsaw Awards Film Crew Tee

From Stan Winston School
1-Year Unlimited Subscription to Stan Winston School - $399.99 value!
Artist Spotlight on the Stan Winston School Blog - PRICELESS

Grand Prize Winner:

The Banderbear by InkyPunkArt
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/11907/the-banderbear-poseable-ooak-puppet

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

KUDARU baby sea creature Original design, by DZmitry
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12056/kudaru-baby-sea-creature-original-design

Bear Snail by Leeanderthal
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12097/bear-snail

Hrima and Eisglodir by mr_spacelobster
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/11890/hrima-and-eisglodir

Lady Latrodectus by Chris Decays
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/11993/lady-latrodectus

The Druid by Begona F. Martin
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12069/the-druid

The Grafton Monster by Greg Popovich
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12096/the-grafton-monster

Gorilla Crab by Leeanderthal
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12090/gorilla-crab

Leviathan by Tomo Hyakutake
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12051/leviathan

Weird hybrid animal The Morsh by Иван Гродзенский
https://forums.stanwinstonschool.com/discussion/12134/weird-hybrid-animal-the-morsh

- Team SWSCA

“The Banderbear” Poseable OOAK Puppet

InkyPunkArt — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:16:23 +0000

KUDARU baby sea creature Original design

DZmitry — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:43:16 +0000

Hello 👋 My name is Dzmitry , I am an artist from Miami, Florida USA . My creature Kudaru was inspired by different animals such as otter, catfish, seal and so on. For the name I used the Navi language. I combined two words (push) and (stone), Kudaru is the interpretation as a stone pushing creature. The creature spends most of its life in water, but also feels good on the shore. The feeding method is turning over stones and collecting mollusks and small fish, also powerful jaws with a large number of small teeth and powerful hands with fingers are great for opening mollusks shells. The legs are short but powerful, provide good pushing support and help maneuver while swimming! The large tail fin allows for quick movement underwater, as well as creating sand barriers on the bottom while pursuing a larger predator. During the mating season, males change color and choose a large and beautiful stone to give to their partner.

( concept design, sculpture modeling, mold creation, silicone pouring and painting, also a skeleton is installed inside - all processes are created by me )

Hand Monster - "Feel No Light" (3D Sculpt using Zbrush, Substance Painter, and Maya)

Viola Schmid — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:09:02 +0000

He was once a man—the slayer of the last dragon. But when he claimed the golden ring from its corpse, he was cursed to live as a wretched monstrosity for all eternity, bound to the very symbol of his greed.

The dragon’s remains warped into a throne, rotting over centuries, becoming both his prison and his home. His human eyes now sit in the dragon's skull; he can see only through them, but cannot take them when he leaves. He wanders blindly—feeding on whatever he can scavenge.

I created this completely original piece specifically for this competition using ZBrush, Substance Painter, and Maya, with the final render completed in Arnold.

Here are a couple of screenshots from Zbrush:

Here are three screenshots from Substance Painter:

Mummy Disciple of Aunbis

Spencer — Thu, 22 May 2025 03:50:25 +0000

https://youtu.be/Wj9whHW-gwk

This character is fully battery power, glowing, smoking, mummy monster suit. The face is a prosthetic, while the rest is a slip-in zip-up suit. the Aunk has the; fog machine, condensor, and five way splitter. Youtube shows the character sucking the life of a mortal, as well as, behind the senses.

The Innocent Hunchback: Complete Prosthetic Character Transformation

Isabelle Anana — Sat, 24 May 2025 06:51:42 +0000

Hello! I'm Isabelle from Los Angeles, and my creative partner Adam and I collaborated on an original take on the Hunchback of Notre Dame, most notably inspired by Charles Laughton's iconic 1939 portrayal.

Victor Hugo described his character as having "that mixture of malice, astonishment, and melancholy" - but we wanted to explore a different emotional direction. What if this character had retained more innocence and childlike wonder despite his physical challenges- Our interpretation focuses on capturing his gentle spirit while staying true to the character's essence.

CONCEPT & COLLABORATION: We concepted and manufactured all prosthetics here in LA in our private studio. Adam handled the sculpture design, mold making, and silicone skin running, while I created his custom dental appliance, a custom colored wig, and handled all pre-painting and application. I also applied lace brows and silicone ears to complete the transformation. Adam also served as our model, bringing our vision to life through his compelling performance of the character.

As Hugo wrote, "The saints were his friends and blessed him; the monsters were his friends and kept watch over him."

Work created by Isabelle Anana (@greasepaintgirl) & Adam Conte (@adamcontefx)

Inspired by Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1831) and Charles Laughton's 1939 performance

Los Angeles, CA

~ Prosthetic Orc (LOTR Inspired)~

Marta Miranda Benítez — Mon, 12 May 2025 21:24:09 +0000

Hello, my name is Marta , i am from Spain! and I have created a prosthetic makeup of an orc, inspired by the world of The Lord of the Rings. This is the final result! Accompanied by the complete process of its creation.

*******Moving video of prosthetic makeup******

https://youtube.com/shorts/zw7tjuJ1kiM?feature=share

Photos and video by @universosfxacademy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *PROCESS*
The process began with the creation of a silicone lifecast of the bust and dental alginate impressions for the teeth on my model, later producing the cores for both.

For the face sculpt, I was inspired by the Uruk-hai orcs from the movie, with touches from the orcs in the first season of the series, both from The Lord of the Rings universe, adding my own personal touch in terms of volumes and texture.
*Texturing videos*
https://youtube.com/shorts/QIic8XIaSB4
https://youtube.com/shorts/_Bc9Sz6z8bg

*Sculpture in motion*

https://youtube.com/shorts/XDpq8zcQa5c?feature=share

For the teeth, I wanted them to look ugly and not too big. They were made with dental resin and painted with acrylic stains.

The next step involved dissecting the sculpt, floating it, and transferring it to their respective cores using counter-molds made with epoxy resin and fiberglass with bolts, and others with pressure molds.

**https://youtube.com/shorts/dc_Z-8OKF5s?feature=share **

Finally, each piece was cast in silicone and pre-painted.

***** For the photo session, I also created the props (shoulder pads, necklace, and clothing).******
~~APPLICATION~~
I applied the prosthetics in order since I designed them to overlap, using prosthetic adhesive (Telesis + thinner) and sealing all the parts together.I finished the makeup by painting the entire piece with Skin Illustrator, using both an airbrush and a brush.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Work done by me @thiara_fx @universosfxacademy

* The 2025 Creature Making Contest Has Ended *

Chris Ellerby — Sat, 24 May 2025 07:04:27 +0000

The 2025 Creature Making Contest Has Ended

The winning entry will be announced on Friday, May 30th, 2025, so stay tuned!

Thank you all for sharing your creations with our community here at the Stan Winston School of Character Arts Forums.

Please click the "Like" button on your favorite contest entries. We take the community's reaction into consideration during the judging process. Let your voices be heard!

/Chris

Alien Tapir pregnant mommy

Иван Гродзенский — Fri, 23 May 2025 14:38:16 +0000

Good day Dear Stan Winston school!
Our names are Ivan and Anna, we are family of sculptors/artists from Ukraine. We create characters from our imagination, and then make sculptures and figurines, maintly from polymer clay, sometimes from ceramic mass. We hope 3 our works we post here for contest, at least attract some attention and interest !
As for this sculpture : Alien Tapir pregnant mommy
Made from Cedrnit doll polymer clay, clear epoxy resin

Baphomet

claudienn — Sat, 24 May 2025 06:57:49 +0000

Hey there! Here's my last-minute submission. I made this head sculpture of Baphomet, the goat symbol of the devil. I sculpted the head with clay and took a latex cast. Horns, teeth, and ears sculpted separately. The head horns or ibexes were modeled out of EVA foam and coated with latex. All was airbrushed and hand-painted, mixing latex and pros-aide with acrylics.

Thank you for watching!

Claudia
@claudiaruizpicot

Kryssalorn

Helluyism — Sat, 24 May 2025 05:32:50 +0000

Kryssalorn is a manifestation of inner conflict and self-discovery, a creature born from a place of vulnerability and growth. It symbolizes the journey of understanding oneself while navigating the complexities of identity and personal boundaries. Inspired by the Offspring from Alien Romulus, Kryssalorn is more than just an alien entity; it is a mirror to the inner child within me, exploring its place in the vastness of existence.

Backstory of Kryssalorn

In the depths of an unknown alien world, Kryssalorn emerged from a cocoon of transformation, its form still taking shape, reflecting the early stages of awareness. Its body, though alien, retains some human characteristics—arms, a vaguely familiar face, and a torso that hints at humanity. This duality represents the struggle of reconciling two sides: the alien and the familiar, the monstrous and the innocent.

Kryssalorn’s body tells a story. The mouth and hands attached to its chest are symbols of restraint and vulnerability. The mouth, incapable of speech, shows how the creature cannot voice its own needs or opinions—mirroring moments in my life when I felt unable to speak up or express myself. The hands clutching its torso signify the need to please and hold onto others, even at the cost of personal freedom and authenticity. It's a creature of both potential and restriction—its long arms and sharp claws, though appearing dangerous, are limited in movement, suggesting power that remains untapped, constrained by the creature’s own uncertainty.

Despite its fearsome appearance, Kryssalorn’s expression is one of sadness, reflecting an internal struggle to find its purpose and place in the universe. This creature seeks to understand whether it leans more toward the human aspect of compassion, connection, and emotion, or the alien aspect of survival, independence, and detachment. Its eyes search for meaning, a way to reconcile the duality of its nature and embrace both its human and alien identities.

Kryssalorn as a Representation of Self

Kryssalorn is a representation of my inner child—the part of me still seeking to understand my own strengths, abilities, and identity.

https://youtube.com/shorts/cMEpYQFdyAo?si=17hRG2BCUTZcxCOA

Greenware Stage

After Firing at Cone 06

Volsper Rod Puppet

VYurkaL — Sat, 24 May 2025 04:43:27 +0000

My very First Rod Puppet form 99% recycled Materials, (Blue Tape was used for Framing)

Snake Women Sculpture

Austin Brown — Sat, 24 May 2025 04:12:36 +0000

This is my life size Snake Women WED clay sculpture based off my own design.

Instagram - @redd_sfx

Vecna

Kingcollector19 — Sat, 24 May 2025 02:21:12 +0000

Sculpted in Monster Clay and molded with Rebound 25 with a free form air shell. Cast in translucent resin.

Prom Queen

Kingcollector19 — Sat, 24 May 2025 02:18:02 +0000

Sculpted in Monster Clay and molded with rebound 25 with a free form air shell. Cast in translucent resin.

"ANANSI" THE COSMIC SPIDER MASK

Horror b0y — Fri, 23 May 2025 23:43:54 +0000

hello its me again, this is my last shot for participate in this great contest, i design this character for a local haunted house for this year, all is inspired in lovecraft, and the cosmic horror, i use latex polifoam, eva foam, and hair of future fiber, the colors react to uv, and bright in the darkness
i put some leds for more color

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UHq2YUBoRZQ

Antichrist Superstar

Horror b0y — Fri, 23 May 2025 04:50:20 +0000

Hi, my name is Eduardo Martell, and I'm from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I'm a huge fan of special effects makeup and the entire film industry. I love Fangoria, and I love Stan Winston's work! This piece is designed based on the Catholic ideal I grew up with. I don't mean to offend anyone; this was the result I achieved growing up in that environment. (creepy!)

The piece is sculpted and created from latex foam. The funny thing is, I don't have the financial resources to make it, so I used a pot we used to make "tamales", and my family gave me the foam for Christmas. More than winning,I'd like to receive criticism and advice from you guys, you're my heroes!
XOXO Eddy Martell!! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_72h646a1zo

NIGHTMARE CROW

Horror b0y — Fri, 23 May 2025 05:10:46 +0000

Hello, it's me again, Eduardo Martell, I present this character that is designed in latex polyfoam, EVA foam, and many more materials, this character was born a few days after my house burned down, I lost many things and almost lost my family and my life, they were very difficult days of nightmares and anguish,but thanks to FX I was able to do my own therapy and get rid of so much darkness once and for all, and this was the image that I saw between fire and walls screaming, I still see it and it brings back memories between the smoke and despair
i hope you like it I made feather for feather, and piece for piece!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BeWv5bUqPvE

DEMON - FX Prosthetics Makeup

Romain Houlès — Fri, 23 May 2025 22:52:12 +0000

Hello!

Here's my Demon makeup on my friend, again, Sebastien!

I did it in latex (not money 🤣)

Airbrush makeup and different blushes.

A pleasure to do and another, another, great memory with friends!

Water Logged Zombie

Jacq Ternan — Fri, 23 May 2025 22:29:39 +0000

All prosthetics hand made by me. @jacqqmakeup
@jacqternan on Instagram

Weird hybrid animal The Morsh

Иван Гродзенский — Fri, 23 May 2025 14:44:41 +0000

Good day Dear Stan Winston school!
Our names are Ivan and Anna, we are family of sculptors/artists from Ukraine. We create characters from our imagination, and then make sculptures and figurines, maintly from polymer clay, sometimes from ceramic mass. We hope 3 our works we post here for contest, at least attract some attention and interest !
As for this sculpture : Weird hybrid animal The Morsh
Made from Cedrnit opaline, eyes made from epoxy

Baba Yaga - FX Prosthetics Makeup

Romain Houlès — Fri, 23 May 2025 22:09:32 +0000