Chris Trefz Art Blog

New Illustration by Chris Trefz, Turkey Surprise: An Alien-Inspired Thanksgiving. Here's some new artwork I created in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, inspired by the movie Alien, and the hilarious Farside cartoon by Gary Larson.  Here's a Short Story based on the artwork: My wife had just returned home from the supermarket with everything we needed for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Day feast. “That’s a big bird,” I remarked hefting the turkey breast from the trunk of her car. “That must have racked up the bill.”   “Don’t worry about the bill, dear,” my wife assured me. “It was free. The store was having some kind of holiday promotion for this new brand, Weyland-Yutani meats.” “Never heard of them,” I replied. “But you can’t go wrong with free, I suppose.” The following morning my wife asked me to stuff the turkey before it went into the oven for cooking. After taking another sip of coffee, I put my mug down to oblige. After removing the giblets, I began to take han...

New Illustration by Chris Trefz in honor of Veterans Day and all who served past and present. Thank you to all who have served, past and present. To all who have fought and sacrificed to preserve freedom. Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, is a federal holiday observed each year on November 11 in the United States to honor military veterans of the US Armed Forces (who were released from service other than dishonorably). It falls on the same day as other holidays, such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are observed on the anniversary of the conclusion of World War I in other nations. When the Armistice with Germany entered into force at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, major hostilities in World War I were officially put to a stop. Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 at the behest of significant U.S. veteran organizations. Veterans Day is separate from Memorial Day, a national holiday celebrated in the US in May. Veter...

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...

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...

The land is plagued by eldritch abominations spawned by the blackest of magic. Only one warrior has the skill and ferocity to send these nightmares back to the pits of Hell from whence they came, and his name is Conan! Newly completed artwork of Conan the Barbarian doing battle with a monster inspired by John Carpenter's masterpiece, "The Thing". Conan the Barbarian, also referred to as Conan the Cimmerian, is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who first appeared in pulp magazines. Since then, he has been transformed into books, comics, movies (including Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer), television shows (both animated and live-action), video games, and role-playing games. The character was developed by Robert E. Howard in 1932 for a collection of fantasy tales that appeared in Weird Tales magazine. Conan, a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard, first appeared in the 1931 short story "People of the Dark" as a heroic black-haired barbarian....

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 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...