The series was created by Craig McCracken, who had also created "The Powerpuff Girls" for Cartoon Network Studios. McCracken developed the idea for the series after adopting two dogs from an animal shelter with his then-fiancée Lauren Faust and Mike Moon; he adapted the concept of pet adoption to that of imaginary friends. The show has an art style which is meant to evoke, according to McCracken, "that period of late 60's psychedelia when Victorian stylings were coming into trippy poster designs". McCracken wanted "Foster's" to be similar to "The Muppet Show", which he believed was a "fun, character driven show that the whole family could enjoy".