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I Am A Special Effects Artist And Here’re Some Of My Monsters I Made For Movies
My name is Adam Dougherty and I’m a special fx artist and filmmaker in Denver CO. I also make monsters!
I’m a special effects artist and character designer for the company StudioADI. As a day job, I help to create monsters for movies such as Orcs from the Netflix Original: Bright, Dinosaurs for Jurassic World: the Fallen Kingdom, Annabelle from the Conjuring series and Shane Blacks Predator.
In my free time, I’m trying to learn how to be a filmmaker and explore different techniques of practical effects such as stop motion and water tank puppetry while also creating stories and characters of my own.
Here is a behind-the-scenes video of what I’ve done so far. I hope you enjoy it!
More info: kreaturekid.com | Instagram | Youtube | Tiktok
Behind the Scenes by Adam Dougherty
Since the age of 12, I’ve been sculpting monsters. I was collecting all the toys I could and that eventually led to me making my own versions of the monsters. Sculpting small-scale characters and creating my own original concepts led me to move to CA at the age of 21 to work in the movie fx industry for the past 10 years.
Working on the Jurassic World stegosaurus maquette
Some of my largest projects include Jurassic World: the Fallen Kingdom, The Predator, Malignant, Annabelle Comes Home, Godzilla King of the Monsters and many more. They were all fun and challenging in their own way but the largest for me so far is the film I’m currently working on, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls which my new company KreatureKid is creating all the monsters for. From Ghouls to Demons, to Meat Boy monsters all the characters were designed by my company and will all be practical puppets. It has been the most challenging but also the most rewarding and fun project so far.
Mounting the 6’ tall fins on the full-size stegosaurus for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
The Pugloo stop motion puppet from my short film ‘Pugloo from Planet P!’
I think the most challenging part of making a monster is the design phase. Finding something new and original in a world that is overly saturated with characters and creatures is always difficult. It requires a lot of imagination and really digging deep into what used to scare you as a kid.
The best thing about being a monster maker is just that, you get paid to create something new, to tap into what you as a kid have always loved and to use your imagination to create something for others to hopefully enjoy and that will scare you or make you laugh.
Alec Gillis is not only one of the owners of StudioADI but also a main character in my films. He’s a very supportive boss
Filming the water tank ghost, this is the same technique used in the original Poltergeist film
Klaus from American Dad sculpture for the actual voice actor Dee Bradley Baker
Something I’m very passionate about besides making monsters is actually antique collecting and restoration. I love finding things that were beautifully made and hand-crafted that have survived the test of time. Using those things to find inspiration in my storytelling. What have these items seen during their life? Who worked on them? And how did they end up where they’re at now? Endless possibilities for a story.
Mojo Jojo from the Power Puff Girls made for creator Craig McCracken
The Tooth Fairy
I will be announcing a crowd funder here soon for my next short film ‘The Jungle of Darkness’ A 1930’s jungle adventure short that will use practical fx techniques like those of Jim Henson to tell the story of a young girl learning of an evil island, a greedy adventurer, talking shrunken heads and much more to bring to life an adventure that will be filmed in my studio in Colorado! A huge task and a challenge I think everyone will love to see happen.
You can follow all my work on almost all social media platforms under KreatureKid.
The Tooth Fairy Queen
Dance with me
Shock Monster
The Voodoo Priest
Pugloo from Planet P
The ghost for the video was based on this sculpture I did maybe 9 years ago
Quisp From Planet Q!
Shrunken Heads
Shrimpenstein!
Moebius Creature
The Tooth Fairy!
Witch hazel from looneytunes
Painting a dead dinosaur for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
The finished Stegosaurus by StudioADI at 55 feet long!
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What do you think ?
Person2638 6 years ago
I saw Pugloo from Planet P and it was so cute! I love how the story was told, and both pugs are adorable (although Pugloo slightly less). I'm too unoriginal and untalented to be a special effects artist lol
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it!
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Wil Vanderheijden 6 years ago
Great work! Most monsters are more adorable than scary. I'd have "the Dance with me" monsters in my living room if you could buy them.
diane a 6 years ago
This comment lol. The real thing doesn't exist to compare them to, but know what you mean
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Alia G. 6 years ago
What an unusual and interesting job. I'd like to do SFX makeup on a set sometime, behind the scenes stuff is so fascinating.
Alicornia 6 years ago
Most of them scared me a bit, but it takes a lot of skill, patience, and talent! Looking great!
Victoria A 6 years ago
I did not know that they made the dinosaurs in the movie like that ? It's super cool !
boredkoala 6 years ago
Especially love the detail in the eyes. Awesome and interesting work, thanks for sharing!!!
Reilly Beryll 6 years ago
This is absolutely amazing! The stegosaurus looks very realistic! I love the tooth fairies. Creative and cute, but also macabre and creepy. Thank you for these.
Edyta Z 6 years ago
Woah! I've been watching you on Instagram for a while now and it's great to see you here. You should be way more famous tbh and I'm sure that eventually you will be because you rock. Greets from Poland! Wishing you all the best ^^
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
That's so kind of you! So glad you enjoy my work!
Load More Replies...
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Brilliant - all of them - just the faces alone. The tooth fairy queen is awesome. Would be collecting many of these if they were in the shops as smaller replicas. Would think young children would be too scared to put teeth under their pillows in hoping a fairy would visit while they sleep.
Steve Bowman 6 years ago
That's really great work. As an avid cinefex reader who followed VFX for a couple of years now I am glad to see that not everything is done with CGI. Your "Shock Monster" is incredible!
irenetheavocado 6 years ago
woW, it's so inspiring to see the behind the scenes from someone so interesting. How can I end up like that? :D
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
Just a lot of free time and patience lol
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Bunzilla 6 years ago
I really love the tooth fairies, but honestly, everything is amazing. As someone who tries to sculpt... I'm in awe.
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
I would love to see your sculpts!
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Lauren Baker 6 years ago
Wow!! I love art and architecture and this seems like both! I bet that would be a super fun job! Amazing painting and sculpting!
Derek Clark 3 years ago
Weird that they used an article from three years again. But never the less, amazing work. The dinos look staggeringly real.
Marilyn Helling 3 years ago
Love them all but that tooth fairy would scare the bajeebies out of me, and I'm not scared of much
Chandelure F-5 3 years ago
Both the tooth fairy(creepy four legs) and tooth fairy queen has me thinking about a creature for this thing in my mind I like to call "Voidic Chronicles", which takes place in my take on the void.
Holly Stevens 3 years ago
ADAM!! I LOVE MY PUGLOO! You are one of the greatest on Instagram and we're lucky to have you
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Quisp and Witch Hazel? You have an old soul, my friend. Super amazing work!
Gelato Cat 3 years ago
Omg this is so amazing! Do you sell any models/items of your creations? I would be interested in purchasing
BarkingBunny 3 years ago
Inctedible work! Always amazed at some people' s creativity and skill! Mojo Jojo and tje Puggaloo are my gavorites♡ Plus I had forgotten about poor Witchazel and her finiky broom!
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
So much skill and patience involved in this craft - but what an interesting job! Tooth fairy was my fav!
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
These are all absolutely amazing. I have never seen Pugaloo from Planet P, but I love the character design. I also love the creepy yet somewhat "cute" Tooth Fairy in the cage. What an amazing job to wake up to every day!
Person2638 6 years ago
I saw Pugloo from Planet P and it was so cute! I love how the story was told, and both pugs are adorable (although Pugloo slightly less). I'm too unoriginal and untalented to be a special effects artist lol
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it!
Load More Replies... Wil Vanderheijden 6 years ago
Great work! Most monsters are more adorable than scary. I'd have "the Dance with me" monsters in my living room if you could buy them.
diane a 6 years ago
This comment lol. The real thing doesn't exist to compare them to, but know what you mean
Load More Replies... Alia G. 6 years ago
What an unusual and interesting job. I'd like to do SFX makeup on a set sometime, behind the scenes stuff is so fascinating.
Alicornia 6 years ago
Most of them scared me a bit, but it takes a lot of skill, patience, and talent! Looking great!
Victoria A 6 years ago
I did not know that they made the dinosaurs in the movie like that ? It's super cool !
boredkoala 6 years ago
Especially love the detail in the eyes. Awesome and interesting work, thanks for sharing!!!
Reilly Beryll 6 years ago
This is absolutely amazing! The stegosaurus looks very realistic! I love the tooth fairies. Creative and cute, but also macabre and creepy. Thank you for these.
Edyta Z 6 years ago
Woah! I've been watching you on Instagram for a while now and it's great to see you here. You should be way more famous tbh and I'm sure that eventually you will be because you rock. Greets from Poland! Wishing you all the best ^^
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
That's so kind of you! So glad you enjoy my work!
Load More Replies... diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Brilliant - all of them - just the faces alone. The tooth fairy queen is awesome. Would be collecting many of these if they were in the shops as smaller replicas. Would think young children would be too scared to put teeth under their pillows in hoping a fairy would visit while they sleep.
Steve Bowman 6 years ago
That's really great work. As an avid cinefex reader who followed VFX for a couple of years now I am glad to see that not everything is done with CGI. Your "Shock Monster" is incredible!
irenetheavocado 6 years ago
woW, it's so inspiring to see the behind the scenes from someone so interesting. How can I end up like that? :D
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
Just a lot of free time and patience lol
Load More Replies... Bunzilla 6 years ago
I really love the tooth fairies, but honestly, everything is amazing. As someone who tries to sculpt... I'm in awe.
Adam Dougherty (Post author) 6 years ago
I would love to see your sculpts!
Load More Replies... Lauren Baker 6 years ago
Wow!! I love art and architecture and this seems like both! I bet that would be a super fun job! Amazing painting and sculpting!
Derek Clark 3 years ago
Weird that they used an article from three years again. But never the less, amazing work. The dinos look staggeringly real.
Marilyn Helling 3 years ago
Love them all but that tooth fairy would scare the bajeebies out of me, and I'm not scared of much
Chandelure F-5 3 years ago
Both the tooth fairy(creepy four legs) and tooth fairy queen has me thinking about a creature for this thing in my mind I like to call "Voidic Chronicles", which takes place in my take on the void.
Holly Stevens 3 years ago
ADAM!! I LOVE MY PUGLOO! You are one of the greatest on Instagram and we're lucky to have you
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Quisp and Witch Hazel? You have an old soul, my friend. Super amazing work!
Gelato Cat 3 years ago
Omg this is so amazing! Do you sell any models/items of your creations? I would be interested in purchasing
BarkingBunny 3 years ago
Inctedible work! Always amazed at some people' s creativity and skill! Mojo Jojo and tje Puggaloo are my gavorites♡ Plus I had forgotten about poor Witchazel and her finiky broom!
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
So much skill and patience involved in this craft - but what an interesting job! Tooth fairy was my fav!
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
These are all absolutely amazing. I have never seen Pugaloo from Planet P, but I love the character design. I also love the creepy yet somewhat "cute" Tooth Fairy in the cage. What an amazing job to wake up to every day!
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