 Series creator Stephen Hillenburg first became fascinated with the ocean as a child . Also at a young age , he began developing his artistic abilities . However , these two interests would not coincide for a long time — the idea of drawing fish seemed boring to him . During college , he majored in marine biology and minored in art . After graduating in 1984 , he joined the Ocean Institute , an organization in Dana Point , California , dedicated to educating the public about marine science and maritime history . 
