Chris Trefz Art Blog

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of Jason Voorhees: The Ominous Horror of Friday the 13th in October. Introduction: Friday the 13th, a date etched in the annals of horror history, has long been synonymous with spine-chilling superstitions and dark tales. It's a day where the ordinary can take on an eerie aura, and the ominous seems all too real.  This year, the stars align in the spookiest way possible, as Friday the 13th falls in the eerie month of October. To celebrate this fortuitous alignment of dates, I've created a bone-chilling artwork that pays homage to one of horror's most iconic figures: Jason Voorhees from the "Friday the 13th" film series. The Legend of Jason Voorhees: Before delving into the artwork, it's crucial to understand the legacy of Jason Voorhees. Born of the horror genre, Jason is a name that sends shivers down the spine of any self-respecting horror fan. This masked and machete-wielding slasher first appeared in the original "Frid...

Clash of Titans: New Illustration by Chris Trefz of  Godzilla vs. Ghidorah. Freed from his icy prison and fueled by hatred for his ancient rival, King Ghidorah awakens, ready to once again challenge Godzilla for the title of King of the Monsters. Introduction: In the realm of epic cinematic showdowns, few can rival the intensity and scale of the battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah in the 2019 film "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." As a fan of monstrous clashes and the awe-inspiring world of kaiju, I was inspired to create an illustration that captures the moment when Ghidorah emerges from the ice in the Antarctic, ready to face off against the King of the Monsters himself. In this blog post, we'll delve into the plot of the movie, explore the design and significance of Ghidorah, and uncover the inspiration behind my artwork. The Plot of "Godzilla: King of the Monsters": "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" is the sequel to the 2014 film "Godzil...

New artwork by Chris Trefz, done for May the 4th (be with you), Star Wars Day 2023: Honoring the sci-fi Masterpiece created by George Lucas. Happy Star Wars Day, May the Fourth be with you! The scene here depicts the tragic lightsaber battle between Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his fallen apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, against the dramatic background of the fiery planet, Mustafar, as seen in Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. Star Wars Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on May 4 each year to honor the George Lucas-created Star Wars film series. Since the franchise started in 1977, awareness of the day has rapidly increased through the media and community events. The pun "May the Fourth be with you"—a variation of the Star Wars slogan "May the Force be with you"—is where the date got its name from. Despite the fact that the holiday was neither established or recognized by Lucasfilm, many fans of the franchise have opted to observe it. Since then, Lucas...

New Artwork by Chris Trefz, done for "Alien Day": Celebrating the Sci-fi, Horror Masterpiece by Ridley Scott In honor of Alien Day, here's a depiction of her royal highness herself, the Alien Queen. As seen in the sequel, Aliens, the Xenomorph Matriarch sits perched upon her egg sack, surrounded by her terrible children awaiting fresh hosts to continue their lifecycle. Inspired by Ridley Scott's cinematic masterpiece, Alien, the date April 26th was selected in honor of the infamous planet the creature was found on, LV426. Scott also directed "Blade Runner", making him one of the most influential moviemakers in the sci-fi genre. Alien Day is accompanied by celebrations aimed not only to appreciate science fiction but also to educate people about it. The day provides science fiction lovers with the opportunity to partake in everything sci-fi. It is spiced up by organizing sci-fi competitions for interested persons to win alien collectible and wearable prizes...

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...

Updated 4/5/23 Part two in this awesome clash between two Ray Harryhausen monsters from the old Sinbad movies. As seen here in part 2, the Dragon from The 7th Voyage has dealt a lethal blow to the Centaur from The Golden Voyage in front of the Fountain of Destiny.  In the previous entry, I asked people to let me know in the comments who they thought would win, and everyone called it correctly, so good on you for knowing your monster lore. Original version Work in progress images: Sketch Line work Flat colors Chris Trefz, Digital Art, Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen, Dragon, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Centaur, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The Fountain of Destiny

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of Sinbad's Legendary Clash: Centaur vs. Dragon Updated 04/05/23 New artwork showing a clash between two Ray Harryhausen monsters from the old Sinbad movies. Seen here battling in front of the Fountain of Destiny, is the Centaur from Golden Voyage, and Dragon is from the 7th Voyage.  My development Process for this image: Detailed Sketch Mapping the shading Original final version Introduction: In my latest commission, I had the thrilling opportunity to illustrate an epic battle between two iconic creatures from the classic Sinbad movies created by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. In this awe-inspiring artwork, the majestic Centaur from "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" clashes with the fearsome Dragon from "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" in a moment of epic confrontation, set against the backdrop of the mystical Fountain of Destiny. The Sinbad Movie Franchise: The Sinbad movie franchise holds a special place in the hearts of fantasy film...

New Artwork of an Easter Enigma: The Unveiling of the Alien Egg Here's a special egg left by the Easter Bunny, be sure to lean in close for a big surprise! I'm far from the first person to make the Aliens Easter egg joke, but it's always a goodie. Also here is a short story inspired by the image: Once upon an Easter morning, as the sun cast its golden rays through the awakening forest, a young child named Emily embarked on a leisurely walk. Dressed in her Sunday best, she set out on an adventure, her eyes filled with wonder and anticipation. As Emily meandered along the winding path, a burst of vibrant colors caught her attention in the distance. A purple egg with whimsical red dots, adorned with a cheerful yellow stripe that danced across its middle, and playful orange squiggly lines, stood out like a captivating masterpiece amidst nature's canvas. Intrigued by its allure, Emily quickened her pace. Approaching the egg, she realized that it was far larger than any Ea...

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 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 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.

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...

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 one of the greatest superheroes of all time, Batman of DC Comics. Updated 3/9/2021 Illustration of The Dark Knight himself. Growing up I enjoyed reruns of the lighthearted Adam West series and was blown away by the dark Tim Burton Adaptation. But my favorite version of Batman hands down was the Animated series. Below you can see the development process: Line Art Flat Color The original finished version

Sketch of Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Jabba was my probably my favorite part of Return of the Jedi. His design was great, and he was an amazing piece of puppetry. If I remember correctly, there were 2 menu inside his torso working the arms, and third guy working his tail. As well as a 4th guy outside working Jabba's facial expressions with a remote control. I also love Jabba's attitude. Using Han as a wall decoration, making Princess Leia into his slavegirl, and trying to feed Luke to the Rancor. Jabba definitely put our heroes through the ringer.    

New artwork by Chris Trefz of the Mondoshawan: The Enigmatic Aliens from The Fifth Element. Sketch of a Mondoshawan from the Fifth Element. See how I drew this image. Introduction: In the realm of science fiction, few creatures have left as lasting an impression as the enigmatic Mondoshawan aliens from the cult classic film, The Fifth Element. With their unique appearance and pivotal role in the movie's storyline, the Mondoshawan have sparked curiosity and intrigue among fans. In this article, we delve into what we know about these extraterrestrial beings, explore popular theories about their origins, and uncover fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about their design and costumes. Guardians of the Elemental Stones: In The Fifth Element, the Mondoshawan play a crucial role as the ancient protectors of the four elemental stones representing Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. These stones possess immense power and are the key to saving humanity from an impending cosmic threat. T...

Here's the finished version of my PumpkinHead sketch. PumpkinHead is a vengeful demon from the 1988 movie of the same title. I love PumpkinHead's design, taking the human figure and stretching and distorting it into a monstrous parody. While adding demonic iconography like the pointed tip of its tail. I also like the demon's attitude. Where the movies dehumanize Jason Voorhees, by making him emotionless as he goes about his killing spree as if it's more of a chore then anything else. The inverse is true with PumpkinHead, the creators infuse the rubber costume and animatronics with life and personality by having the monster draw out his kills, tormenting his victims, and grin ghoulishly as he reveals their suffering.

Here's a time-lapse Youtube video I made recently of me draw PumpkinHead, a demon of vengeance from the the 1988 horror movie of the same name. Summary: "After his son dies in a hit-and-run accident, Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen) seeks revenge against the teenagers responsible. With the help of a local witch (Florence Schauffler), Ed summons the vengeful demon Pumpkinhead to hunt and kill the group of friends. But when Ed discovers a bond between himself and the creature, he begins to have second thoughts about employing the vicious monster, and he fights to end Pumpkinhead's murderous rampage before it is too late." -------------- Art, artwork, drawing, black and white, inktober, tradition art, sketch, markers, illustration, creature,  demon,  horror, monster, movie, pumpkinhead, Halloween, time-lapse, Youtube, video.

This is Halloween! Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, dressed in his Pumpkin King garb from the opening song.