Chris Trefz Art Blog

New Illustration by Chris Trefz: A Halloween Take on a Kaiju Battle! This year will bring more tricks than treats as Biollante returns from space on Halloween night to challenge the King of Monsters to a rematch. Meanwhile, the atomic titan has come ashore to eat candy and kick ass... and he's all out of candy. Here's some closeup for more detail. Hey there, fellow monster enthusiasts! Today, I'm excited to share the backstory and creation process behind my latest digital illustration: the epic showdown between Godzilla and Biollante in the Halloween spirit! Godzilla vs. Biollante: The Movie Rundown Let's kick things off with a quick trip down monster memory lane. "Godzilla vs. Biollante" hit the screens back on December 16, 1989, directed and written by Kazuki Omori and brought to life by the creative minds at Toho Studio. The plot? Well, without giving away all the spoilers, let's just say it involves the iconic Godzilla facing off against the plant-base...

The final entry for my 2022 Halloween Art Series, is a sinister spider descending in search of its next victim. Here's a short poem I wrote inspired by the picture. On spindly legs, it crawls over walls and ceilings. Its many eyes ever watchful, never shutting. Long fangs dripping venom, upon its web it waits, ever cunning. A death's head crown's it's back, as it bears down its prey, unsuspecting the attack. The Halloween 2022 procession continues with The Spider.

New Artwork by Chris Trefz of Freddy Krueger: Embracing the Nightmare Realm Final Image "One, two, Freddy's coming for you Three, four, better lock your door Five, six, grab your crucifix Seven, eight, gonna stay up late Nine, ten, never sleep again" Continuing Halloween Season 2022 with new artwork of the dream demon himself, Freddy Krueger, from the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series. See below for the development process: Line Art Flats Colors Basic Shading Introduction: Enter the world of nightmares with the iconic slasher villain, Freddy Krueger, from the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series. With his hauntingly burned face and his signature bladed glove, Freddy Krueger has terrified audiences for decades. In this blog article, we will explore the origins of Freddy Krueger and the first film in the franchise, delve into his unique abilities to enter dreams, and take a closer look at my digital painting that captures the essence of...

Kicking off Halloween Season 2022 with a New Illustration by Chris Trefz of Michael Myers: The Original Slasher Villain.  “I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this… six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and… the blackest eyes – the Devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply… evil.”  - Dr.Loomis, Halloween Continuing my series of Halloween-themed illustrations for a 3rd year, but taking a different approach. Instead of doing multiple quick illustrations, I'm aiming for a smaller number of more detailed pieces, centered around famous horror movie villains. Last year, I did Jason Voorhees, so this year I'll be starting off Spooky Season 2022 with Michael...

New Illustration of a Cthulhu Idol by Chris Trefz, and the Final Entry into the 2021 Halloween Art Series. "The figure represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind.  This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence and squatted evilly on a rectangular block or pedestal covered with undecipherable characters. The aspect of the whole was abnormally life-like, and the more subtly fearful because its source was so totally unknown." - HP Lovecraft, from "The Call of Cthulhu" Here is some new artwork of a Cthulhu Idol as the Sixth and final entry in my Halloween 2021 Speed-paint series.

New Halloween-themed Illustration of Chris Trefz, of an Eerie Abandoned Church with a Mysterious Green Glow.  Three nights ago that eerie green light appeared inside the old abandoned church up on the hill. We dared Johnny to go in and find out what it was. It's been over an hour since he squeezed in through one of the boarded-up windows, but he still hasn't come back out.  The Old Church is the 5th entry in my Halloween 2021 Speedpaint series. Exploring Urban Decay: Unveiling the Beauty in "The Old Church" Introduction: Urban decay has always fascinated me—the gradual deterioration of once vibrant structures, the passage of time leaving its mark, and the hidden stories they hold. In this article, I want to delve into the allure of urban decay, the practice of urban exploration, and the inspiration behind my artwork, "The Old Church." Urban Decay: A Captivating Symbol of Time's Passage: Witnessing the decline of once-majestic buildings and structures...

New Halloween-Themed Illustration by Chris Trefz of a Ravenous Werewolf.  Transformed into a bloodthirsty beast by the rise of the full moon, the Werewolf is the 4th entry in my Halloween 2021 Speedpaint series. Introduction: Werewolves, those mythical creatures that embody the fusion of man and wolf, have captured the human imagination for centuries. The concept of the werewolf, often associated with the full moon and a transformative curse, has permeated folklore, literature, and popular culture. In this article, we delve into the origins of the werewolf myth, explore the lore surrounding the werewolf curse, and examine the enduring presence of werewolves in popular culture. Origin of the Myth: The legend of the werewolf dates back to ancient times, appearing in various cultures and civilizations. It was believed that individuals possessed the ability to transform into wolves, either voluntarily or through a curse. The exact origins of the myth are shrouded in mystery, with diff...

New Halloween-Themed Illustration by Chris Trefz of a Shambling Zombie. Doomed to roam the earth in a state of undying decay, tormented with an unending hunger for the flesh of those who yet live. The Zombie is the 3rd entry in my Halloween 2021 Speedpaint series. Unleashing the Undead: Exploring the Mythology and Symbolism of Zombies. Introduction: Zombies, those relentless and decaying creatures, have become a staple in horror and popular culture. Originating from ancient folklore and legends, these undead beings have captured the imagination of many, representing fears of death, disease, and the crumbling of societal order. In this article, we delve into the mythology and roots of zombies, their symbolic significance, and their enduring presence in popular culture. The Mythology and Historical Roots: The concept of zombies finds its origins in various cultural and religious beliefs. In Haitian folklore, the zombie is believed to be a reanimated corpse controlled by a sorcerer,...

A lost soul, bound to this plane of existence by past regrets. The Ghost is the second entry in my Halloween 2021 Speed-paint series.

New artwork of internet terror, the Slender Man, to kick off my 2nd series of horror-themed illustrations celebrating Halloween (2021). October has returned, and so has my series of Halloween-themed speed paintings. I think I will try to make this an annual thing, as Halloween is my favorite holiday.  We kick off the 2021 spooky series with Slender Man, the creepypasta meme turned pop culture icon. The Slender Man, often known as Slenderman, is an imaginary supernatural figure that first appeared online in 2009 as a creepypasta meme made by Something Awful forum user Eric Knudsen. He is shown as a tall, slender, featureless humanoid wearing a black suit, with a white head and face. The Slender Man frequently stalks, kidnaps, or traumatizes people in stories, especially children. The Slender Man has become a pop culture figure, although he is not limited to a single story and instead appears in a variety of other fiction works, most of which are written online. The Slender Man has a...

Closing out my Halloween-themed art series with new artwork of a malicious Witch brewing a caldron of some evil potion. The Witch is the final entry into my 2020 series of Halloween-themed Speed paintings. Song of the Witches: “Double, double toil and trouble” BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (from Macbeth) Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

New illustration by Chris Trefz of the Hockey Mask-clad, machete-wielding slasher villain, Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th horror movie franchise. My procession of Halloween-related work continues with Jason Voorhees of the Friday the 13th series, back from the depths of Crystal Lake. To quote Alice Cooper : Oh, but he's back He's the man behind the mask And he's out of control He's back! My development Process for this image: Lineart Flat colors In this blog article, we dive deep into the chilling world of the Friday the 13th horror movie franchise and explore the iconic character of Jason Voorhees. Join us as we unravel the origins of Jason Voorhees, his terrifying powers, and the fascinating story behind his iconic hockey mask and trusty machete. The Friday the 13th franchise has become a cornerstone of the horror genre, captivating audiences with its suspenseful storytelling and unforgettable slasher villain. Jason Voorhees, the masked murderer, ...

New Halloween-themed artwork of a sinister-looking crow consuming a gruesome meal. The Crow is the next piece in my series of Halloween-themed speed paintings. Crows represent death, the afterlife, knowledge, intelligence, adaptation, prescience, fortune, destiny, metamorphosis, and the future in contemporary Western culture. Depending on where in the globe you are, crows are interpreted as either good or bad omens, and their symbolism is both positive and negative. One of the most frequent themes in crow symbolism is death. Because they frequently appear adjacent to dead animals and are scavengers, corvids such as crows and ravens are frequently associated with death.

New Halloween-themed artwork of a sinister serpent wrapping its coils around a grinning skull. Next piece in my series of Halloween-themed speed paintings. As Halloween approaches, our imagination takes flight, conjuring up eerie images that send shivers down our spines. One such haunting depiction is that of a snake coiled around a skull, a powerful symbol that embodies both intrigue and fear. In this blog article, we will explore the inspiration behind this chilling artwork and delve into how it perfectly captures the essence of Halloween. The Serpent: Symbol of Transformation and Mystery Throughout history, snakes have been imbued with a sense of mystique. Often associated with transformation and rebirth, these slithering creatures have appeared in countless mythologies and folklore. Their ability to shed their skin has long been seen as a metaphor for personal growth and renewal. The presence of a snake in your artwork signifies the shedding of the old, embracing change, and emba...

New Art of the scythe-wielding avatar of Death personified, the Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper is part of a series of Halloween-themed speed paintings I'm doing. I usually work slowly and methodically, drawing out every detail in outline before rendering. My goal here will be to keep things fast and loose, preferably within an hour. My other goal is to celebrate Halloween, my favorite holiday!

New artwork as part of what I hope to be a series of horror-themed illustrations celebrating Halloween, 2020. Halloween is hands down my favorite holiday of the year. I usually celebrate by going to Haunted Houses and Halloween parties. But with a certain set of worldwide events going on right now, I've had to put my normal plans on hold for this year.   Determined to foster the spirit of the spooky season despite being stuck at home, I decided to series of Halloween-themed speed paintings. Usually, I my work is pretty slow and methodical, drawing everything out with line work before renderings. With these, the goal will be to work fast and loose and simplify objects where I can so that I produce a range of spine-tingling scenes and subjects.  The first entry is a wolf howling while silhouetted in front of an enormous full moon.