Chris Trefz Art Blog

New Illustration by Chris Trefz Celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day with Cookie Monster's Cookie Crunch Extravaganza! Introduction: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is a delightful celebration that brings smiles to cookie lovers around the world. On this sweet occasion, I had the pleasure of creating a fun and whimsical illustration featuring none other than the lovable Cookie Monster from Sesame Street devouring an oversized chocolate chip cookie. Join me as we explore the history of this delectable day, learn more about Cookie Monster's delightful personality, and discover how to celebrate this tasty holiday in style. The History of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day originated from our collective love for this classic treat. It is believed that this delightful holiday was established by avid cookie enthusiasts who sought to honor the iconic chocolate chip cookie and indulge in its deliciousness. While the exact origins of the...

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of Mothra: Honoring National Moth Week with a Legendary Tribute Introduction: As National Moth Week approaches, we prepare to celebrate the beauty and significance of moths in our ecosystem. This week-long event, spanning from July 22nd to July 30th, began in 2012, thanks to the initiative of the Friends of the East Brunswick (NJ) Environmental Commission. As an organization focused on environmental education and conservation, they sought to promote an appreciation of moths and the citizen science project that has grown around them. In honor of this special occasion, I am excited to share my new illustration of Mothra, a legendary winged kaiju from the world of monster movies, paying tribute to both the silver-screen creature and its real-world counterpart. The Origins of Moth Week: National Moth Week found its roots in 2012 when the Friends of the East Brunswick (NJ) Environmental Commission created an event to raise awareness about moths. Their aim wa...

New Artwork by Chris Trefz, of The Feaster Bunny: Celebrating the Easter Holiday with a Horror Twist Here's some new artwork taking a humorous horror twist on Easter's normally cute holiday mascot. Be sure to leave out a glass of milk and a plate of raw meat for the Feaster Bunny. Listen for his howls in the dead of night as he rampages from house to house leaving a basket of monster eggs for all the good little boys and girls. Happy Easter! Here's a Short Story based on the artwork: Once upon a "Feaster's Eve," a young boy named Tim lay awake in his bed, his eyes wide open in the late hours of the night. His heart raced with anticipation, for tonight was the night he hoped to catch a glimpse of the legendary Feaster Bunny. Throughout the year, Tim had been extra good, and in preparation for the Feaster Bunny's visit, he had diligently left out the bunny's favorite treats: a plate of raw meat and a glass of spoiled milk. Tim had a special reque...

New Artwork of Godzilla in Honor of His 68th Anniversary: Embracing the Origins of a Legendary Monster Today is the 68th anniversary of the monster's first film appearance. Released in Japan under the title "Gojira" in 1954, the film would later be released to America in April 1956, as "Godzilla". To celebrate, here's a quick drawing of the original 1954 design. No text version Work-in-progress Introduction: Join me in celebrating the 68th anniversary of the iconic movie monster, Godzilla, with a new digital drawing that pays homage to the original 1954 film. This artwork captures the essence of the fearsome creature as it first graced the silver screen. In this blog article, we will take a trip down memory lane and explore the significance of the original Godzilla film, discuss its themes related to World War II and nuclear weapons, and delve into my inspiration behind creating this drawing that seeks to capture the essence of the terrifying creature. The...

New artwork in honor of 50's B-Horror movie classic, "The Crawling Eye". Updated 2/28/23 "The nightmare terror of the slithering eye that unleashed agonizing horror on a screaming world!" My illustrated tribute to "The Crawling Eye", also known as "The Trollenberg Terror" from 1958. A series of decapitations on a Swiss mountainside appear to be connected to a mysterious radioactive cloud, but it's hiding something far more sinister. This black-and-white creature feature is one of my favorite classic movies. When I first saw it as a kid, the creature design captured my imagination. As an adult, it's a bit more goofy than scary, but it has a charm that makes me like it even more. It also has a Lovecraftian vibe from the tentacled space invaders to their ability to telepathically enter your dreams and manipulate humans. See my below for my development process of this image: Sketch Lineart Basic colors Original final ver...

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...

New artwork based on the Elder Things, an alien race from HP Lovecraft's Novella, "At the Mountains of Madness". Final Image “I am forced into speech because men of science have refused to follow my advice without knowing why. It is altogether against my will that I tell my reasons for opposing this contemplated invasion of the Antarctic—with its vast fossil-hunt and its wholesale boring and melting of the ancient ice-cap—and I am the more reluctant because my warning may be in vain. Doubt of the real facts, as I must reveal them, is inevitable;” ― H.P. Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness Published in 1936. the story details the events of a disastrous expedition to Antarctica, and what is found there by a group of explorers led by the narrator, Dr. William Dyer of Miskatonic University. Throughout the story, Dyer sheds light on previously untold events in the hope of deterring another group of explorers who wish to return to the continent. These events include the disc...

New illustration of the Neomorph from Alien: Covenant (2017). This creature was an endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species encountered by the crew of the USCSS Covenant. While they share some characteristics with the Xenomorph XX121, most notably their process of gestating inside a living host organism and their elongated heads, they are otherwise quite different. Neomorph from Alien: Covenant. David: "No one understands the lonely perfection of my dreams. I found perfection here. I've created it. A perfect organism." Initial linework for Neomorph.

Pennywise the Dancing Clown from It. (updated 2/19/23) Kicking off the Halloween season right with Pennywise fanart. I'll always be a fan of Tim Curry's original performance, but I love the new Pennywise. From his creepy expressions and archaic costume, to his inhuman speed and monstrous alternate forms, Pennywise kept me on the edge of my seat throughout part 1 and 2.  See how the illustration took shape with these work-in-progress images: Line Art Flat Color Mid Shading Original final verzion

New art of King of the Monsters, Godzilla, the legendary reptilian star of Japanese studio, Toho. Updated 3/30/2023 This illustration depicts a colossal snake that arose from the depths of Lake Michigan and does battle with Godzilla in front of the Chicago skyline. The scene was based on the new composition "Godzilla in Chicago" by Michiru Oshima.  I had free range to choose which of the many versions of Godzilla I used, so I went with the GMK design, from the movie, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. A bit of a mouth full to say, but great flick with awesome creature designs, and an absolutely vicious take on Godzilla. The Sea Serpent was a brand new creature created for the music with no established design. For inspiration, I looked at real-life animals like the anaconda, which spends a lot of its time in the water, the moray eel, and a sunfish for its spikey fins. Work in progress for a new commission I'm working on. Sketch...

Commission of the male Tyrannosaurus from the novel Primitive War. A story about soldiers encountering living dinosaurs during the Vietnam War. In this scene, Russian soldiers have killed a baby T-Rex and brought it back to their base. The parents end up tracking the soldiers back to their base and exacting their revenge. This illustration depicts the Father Rex bursting through the compound wall.

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of The Loch Ness Monster: The Titanic Underwater Terror That Almost Made it to The Silver Screen.   Nessie - Unmade Loch Ness Monster movie Here's a commission I received to illustrate Nessie attacking a Ferry. This is one of many scenes from an unmade movie planned in the '70s, which would have seen a collaboration between Godzilla's own Toho studios, and England's Hammer Films.  The plot would have been rather tragic, Nessie was originally a peaceful creature, but when exposed to some nuclear waste, grows larger and more vicious, ultimately needing to be destroyed. The movie had some exciting scenes planned, including this one, where the creature leaves the Loch and proceeds to overturn the Woolwich Ferry as it rampages through the Thames River in England. My development Process for this image: Nessie Line art Rendered Nessie head. Detail shot of sinking ferryboat. Detail shot of ...

Zagotas is an original Kaiju design I was commissioned to draw.

New Artwork of Titanosaurus: A Deep Sea Threat Unleashed Upon the World.  Titanosaurus from the Godzilla series. Introduction: In the realm of giant monster movies, "The Terror of Mechagodzilla" stands as a thrilling sequel to the epic battle between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla. This sequel not only brought back the mechanical menace for a rematch, but it also introduced a formidable new foe for Godzilla to face: the fearsome Titanosaurus. In this article, we delve into the origins of Titanosaurus, his powers, and the inspiration behind my latest artwork featuring this aquatic monster. Unleashing Titanosaurus: Titanosaurus made his debut in "The Terror of Mechagodzilla," a 1975 film that continued the saga of the King of the Monsters. This prehistoric creature, like Godzilla, hailed from ancient times, lurking beneath the depths of the ocean. With his unique appearance, Titanosaurus captured the imagination of audiences. His red and black skin, along with the...

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of The Facehugger from Alien: Prepare to be Gripped by Terror, literally. Finished illustration of the Facehugger from the Alien Facechise. I always found these guys creepy, so spider-like, but at the same time with those disturbingly human-like fingers. And the way they rush forward, single-mindedly, to grab hold of your face and all the terrifying things that proceed from there. My development Process for this image: Lineart Flat colors

New Artwork of Clayface: The Shapeshifting Menace of Batman: The Animated Series Sketch of Clayface from Batman the Animated Series. Introduction: In the dark and atmospheric world of Batman: The Animated Series, one villain stands out as a formidable and intriguing adversary for the Caped Crusader: Clayface. With his ability to shape-shift and manipulate his clay-like form, Clayface presents a unique challenge that pushes Batman to his limits. In this article, we explore Clayface's powers, delve into his origin story, discuss his significance as a nemesis to Batman, and uncover interesting details about his character design from the creators of the beloved series. Unleashing the Shapeshifter: Clayface, also known as Basil Karlo, possesses the extraordinary power of shape-shifting, allowing him to transform his body into any form he desires. This ability grants him incredible versatility, making him a formidable opponent for Batman and his allies. From assuming the appearan...

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack - A Legendary Clash of Titans. Sketch of Godzilla from "Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack". Introduction: In the realm of kaiju films, where colossal creatures clash in epic battles, there is one standout entry that has left an indelible mark on the genre for me: "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack." Released in 2001, this film, produced by Toho Studios and directed and co-written by Shusuke Kaneko, captivated audiences with its thrilling plot, awe-inspiring monster battles, and a fresh portrayal of Godzilla as a formidable and villainous force. Accompanying this cinematic masterpiece is my own black-and-white marker drawing that aims to portray the malevolence and strength of Godzilla, capturing the essence of his role in the movie. The Plot: "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Mon...

New Illustration of a Warrior Xenomorph: Unleashing the Terror and Exploring the World of Aliens. The ruthless Xenomorph from the Alien Franchise. Judging from the blood stain on its tail, this predator has already made a kill for the night. My development Process for this image: Sketch Finished line art Flat Color Early shading Introduction In the realm of science fiction and horror, the movie Aliens stands as a landmark cinematic masterpiece. Released in 1986 and directed by James Cameron, Aliens is a thrilling sequel to the iconic film Alien. Produced by 20th Century Fox, the movie takes us on a heart-pounding journey into the depths of space, where humans encounter a new level of terror. Plot of Aliens: A Battle for Survival The plot of Aliens follows the story of Ellen Ripley, portrayed brilliantly by Sigourney Weaver. After surviving the nightmarish encounter with the xenomorph on the Nostromo in the first film, Ripley is awakened from hypersleep 57 y...

New Artwork by Chris Trefz of Military Experiment Gone Disastrously Wrong. Created for Deviant Art Contest based on the movie "Splice". "A secret experiment will break the laws of science and create an animal-human hybrid. In 2010 their greatest creation will be unleashed." - Splice movie tagline Here's the backstory I wrote for my creature: Subject X613 was the pride of the government's Bio-Weapons Division. Nothing like it had ever been attempted in the branch's history. The Creature's DNA was a perfect blend of earth's most resilient predators, including: Hammer Head Shark, Bat, Cheetah, Praying Mantis, and Scorpion. X613 possessed flight, incredible speed, brute strength, armored skin, and unexpected regenerative properties. The Creature's structural perfection was surpassed only by it's sheer aggression. Uncle Sam wanted me to create the most vicious killing machine the world had ever seen, and I gave it to them. Of Co...

On December 21st, 2012, the stars will be right once more... Dedicated to a friend, who assures me that the world is definitely going to end along with the Mayan calendar.