Chris Trefz Art Blog

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 of The Scarecrow: Unleashing the Terrors of Fear "I am fear incarnate. I am the terror of Gotham. I am the Scarecrow!" Professor Jonathan Crane, also known as The Scarecrow, is the next addition to my series of Black & White renditions of characters from Batman: The Animated Series. Introduction: In the dark and twisted world of Batman: The Animated Series, one villain strikes fear into the hearts of both Gotham's citizens and the Caped Crusader himself: The Scarecrow. With his relentless obsession with fear and his ability to induce it through his fear toxin, this menacing character has become an iconic figure in Batman's rogues' gallery. In this blog article, we will delve into the history and origin of The Scarecrow in the animated series, explore the character's evolving design, and take a closer look at my black and white digital drawing that captures the chilling essence of this nefarious antagonist. Unveiling The Scarecrow: A Dark Obses...

New Artwork of The Phantasm, Unveiling the Grim Enigma, and Exploring the New Foe from the Animated Movie, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" "Your Angel of Death Awaits!" Making a return to my series of Black & White renditions of Batman: The Animated Series characters. This time it's Andrea Beaumont, as Phantasm, from the "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" animated movie. Introduction: In the realm of animated superhero movies, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" holds a special place as a captivating tale that delves into the depths of Batman's world. Released in 1993, this film takes us on a thrilling journey filled with mystery, emotion, and the emergence of a formidable and enigmatic figure known as the Phantasm. In this blog article, we will delve into the storyline of the movie, discuss the revelation of the Phantasm's secret identity and its impact on Bruce Wayne, and explore the behind-the-scenes creation of the character's de...

The Dark Lord of Gotham Here's something fun for April Fool's Day, a speed painting of Darth Vader removing his helmet only to reveal himself as other then the Dark Knight! When I heard the theme from the new Batman movie, it reminded me a bit of the Imperial March, which was the inspiration for this. 

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...

"The shark is the apex predator in the sea. Sharks have molded evolution for 450 million years. All fish species that are prey to the sharks have had their behavior, their speed, their camouflage, their defense mechanisms molded by the shark." - Paul Watson Speed painting of a Hammerhead Shark. One of my favorite sea creatures due to the unusual shape of its head which its name is derived from.

New artwork of Jurassic-era predator, Coelophysis, ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey! Speed painting of a Coelophysis, a small, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore, that could grow up to 3 m (9.8 ft) long. It is one of the earliest known dinosaur genera. Scattered material representing similar animals has been found worldwide in some Late Triassic and Early Jurassic formations. I realized after I finished painting him, he's a little bulky here compared to most depictions if you google the species, so for anyone wondering, I based him on a statue I saw at a reptile Zoo. I really liked the attack pose it was sculpted in.

New Illustration by Chris Trefz in Holiday Tribute to Nature and the Barn Owl: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Taking a break from monsters and aliens to celebrate the holiday season. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Introduction: As the holiday season embraces us with its warmth and cheer, I find myself captivated by the beauty of nature and the wonder it bestows upon us. Inspired by my parents' passion for bird watching and my own fascination with the enigmatic Barn Owl, I have crafted a digital illustration that celebrates the splendor of Christmas and pays tribute to the remarkable creatures that inhabit our world. Join me as we embark on a journey through this enchanting artwork, where a Barn Owl takes center stage amidst a winter wonderland adorned with festive decorations. The Captivating Barn Owl: Perched regally on a tree stump in the foreground of the illustration, the Barn Owl commands attention with its piercing gaze and distinctive facial structure. ...

  Once savage creatures from the darkest caverns of the North Pole, the Elves were conquered by the Great Clause a millennia ago, bound by dark magic and forced to toil away in Santa's massive toy factories.  Something a little creepy before Christmas :)

Updated Here is some newly completed artwork depicting a battle between Venom and The Lizard, two Spiderman villains from Marvel comics. Here is a short story I wrote inspired by the illustration:  I was wakened from my sleep by a sudden, and thunderous crash from outside. Had there been a car accident? No, the sound came from my window facing the alley behind my apartment. Rising from my bed, I hurried to the window as another powerful impact broke the night's silence. Looking below I saw no wrecked vehicles, but rather two figures thrashing in the shadows of the alley. Were a couple of drunks fighting, or perhaps someone was being mugged? No, their movements were too fast, the figures were a blur as they ferociously threw each other from one side of the alley to the other. Then there were the sounds, inhuman snarling, and hissing, more reminiscent of some kind of feral animals. Finally, the pair rolled out of the shadows and within the edge of a street lamp's light, all but f...

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.