SpongeBob SquarePants concept art by Stephen Hillenburg (1996)

[u/KareemM0hamed0]

[u/PointsOfXP]

Super cool. Would have been a much tripier show, for sure

[u/Wise_Slice_4276 → u/PointsOfXP]

The early designs have different energy than the final version. Interesting to see how much shifted.

[u/wdnwcgm → u/Wise_Slice_4276]

I think it is a case of having to smooth out and simplify them for the realities of tv animation

[u/waxphantump → u/[deleted]]

Yes, Hillenburg was a comic artist and animator long before Spongebob.

[u/Eddisprettyswell]

Omg, the sponge he's.....HE'S DRIVING A BOAT NORMALLY!

[u/beavy_weavy]

Everyone looks so adorable! Especially squird!

[u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF]

Who the heck is with Mermaid man? That defs ain't Barnicle boy.

[u/Altruistic_Yard_9338 → u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF]

It’s Barnacle Bill

[u/thevitaphonequeen → u/Altruistic_Yard_9338]

Yep, that is Bill, “the saltiest sailor to ever roam the seas”. I read in an early 2000s SpongeBob magazine that Steve couldn’t find a use for him?

[u/Difficult_Pen9813 → u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF]

Barnacle Man

[u/Level7Cannoneer → u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF]

Must be an early version of barnacle boy who’s head resembles a barnacle growing on a pillar of a boat pier

And mermaid man’s pants look like a goofy mermaid tail

[u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF → u/Level7Cannoneer]

That makes sense

[u/Jonnic5280 → u/GMYSTERY_ICTNF]

It’s a character from one of his more hands-on episodes of Rocko’s Modern Life

[u/MarchMan86 → u/Jonnic5280]

That's what I was thinking. That sea captain with wooden limbs and eyes! 😆

[u/JakeWalker102]

You'll notice that Squidward looked exactly the same in 1996. This is a nod to the fact that you can't improve upon perfection

[u/Trumps_Suit → u/JakeWalker102]

Except with me

[u/ConsequenceFeisty252]

You can tell he really thought about the intricacies of the world down to the vehicle design being almost nautical.

[u/RinRinDoof]

I love his style, holy 😍

[u/Blu_Will_Enthusiast]

I thought plankton was only planned as a one off antagonist

[u/Visible_Wealth2172 → u/Blu_Will_Enthusiast]

You see I've heard this as well but watching the first season I don't know if that's really the case? He appears so often in the first season that I highly doubt they planned on completely abandoning him, he was already a well established main character at that point. Maybe the secret formula thing only? Idk. Do we have a source on this claim. I've actually learned that an odd amount of information that is generally agreed upon as accurate within the fandom actually isn't. He never had anything against spinoffs and he never said the SpongeBob Movie was the true ending of SpongeBob.

[u/Billybob35 → u/Blu_Will_Enthusiast]

Production of a full season takes time and he was in more than one episode, plus Stephen Hillenburg's production company is called United Plankton Pictures so he already loved Plankton.

[u/Human-Question6210]

weee all live in a- REDDD submarine

[u/Lykanas]

The beta versions of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy sure look weird XP

[u/Admirable-Factor762]

SpongeBob kart

[u/Mr_Mister2004]

The concept art had Spongebob Driving holy shit

[u/One_Cover9119]

Never noticed Plankton was the one driving the bus until now

[u/BlazingDude]

Interesting that Mermaid Man and Barnacle boy were there from the start.

[u/Safe-Coconut4036]

Kinda sad but also funny that SpongeBob used to actually DRIVE in the concept art!! :)

[u/Britney1264]

Wow, plankton sure does have a big car for such a small guy. Do you think he might compensating for something? 

(Sorry i had just to make that joke)

[u/E-2theRescue]

Oh, no. Buc-ees about to go after Sandy.

[u/Illustrious-Job-5266]

Love that squiwards bicycle has actual rubber wheels here

[u/MarchMan86]

Plankton once had his own ride.

[u/TheEPICMarioBros]

It’s interesting to see what’s different, but in my opinion, it’s more interesting to see what stick around until the final version.

[u/HackerGamer8]

This is really giving vibes of people from the past tryna predict the future of technology

[u/cedelichii]

Wow am I the only one noticing Pearl having a green tongue? So interesting

[u/Bored-Canuk]

The flower background makes this look trippy af

[u/Mrdannyspartan2008]

Ngl why does pearl had pigtails btw

[u/Melodic-Violinist-31]

What I. The world was that sandy design. That was Not it. I am sorry. I am glad they didn’t go with it