Chris Trefz Art Blog

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 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

A jolly Leprechaun here to wish you a happy Saint Patrick's Day, just be sure to stay away from his pot of gold. The Feast of Saint Patrick, also known as Saint Patrick's Day, is a religious and cultural event celebrated on March 17, which is the traditional date of Saint Patrick's death. Saint Patrick is the main patron saint of Ireland. Early in the 17th century, Saint Patrick's Day was declared an official Christian feast day. Today, it is commemorated by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Anglican Communion (particularly the Church of Ireland). By honoring Saint Patrick and the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, the day also honors the history and culture of the Irish as a whole. Celebrations typically include parades and festivals open to the public, as well as the wearing of green clothing or shamrocks. Historically, the Lenten prohibitions on eating and drinking alcohol were eased for the day, which fostered and s

New Chris Trefz artwork based on the Weird Fiction Story, "The Festival", by the master of horror and creator of Cthulhu, HP Lovecraft. Updated 4/16/23 Here's another quick illustration inspired by my favorite HP Lovecraft quotes. This one is from "The Festival", written in 1923. Story synopsis: The narrator explains that he is part of a long lineage of people and every one-hundred years, a family member must venture forth to this place to take part in an ancient festival tied to Yuletide (which coincides with Christmas Eve). He journeys to this strange town wherein he finds it particularly quiet and haunting. The narrator soon realizes the town conceals a terrifying secret beneath its surface, as does his family lineage. Read the Story at:  https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/f.aspx Original image, which had a less intense green glow. Chris Trefz Art, Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Weird Fiction, Cthulhu, Weird Tales, The

Good luck tonight, Eagles! The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs have punched their tickets to the Super Bowl 2023, which will be played tonight at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale, Arizona. The Eagles, led by Jalen Hurts, defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Championship Game to advance to their first Super Bowl since winning the Lombardi Trophy in 2017. I'm not a big sports fan myself, to be honest, but I have to show support for the home team when they make it all the way to the Super Bowl. So, fly Eagles fly! Update: Sadly the Eagles did not take home the trophy this year, but they played a good game. You can see my development process below: Lineart Basic Colors Basic Shading New art by Chris Trefz in honor of the Philadelphia Eagles heading to the 2023 Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

New Illustration by Chris Trefz brings to life a chilling quote from HP Lovecraft's "The Rats in the Wall". I decided to try integrating more typography into this piece, by using one of my favorite quotes from author H.P. Lovecraft, from his story, "The Rats in the Wall". Here's a quick synopsis for those not familiar:  In H.P. Lovecraft's novella, a New England man returns to his ancestral home in 1920's England only to realize his family's cannibalistic history. Distraught by the revelation and driven insane by the scampering sounds of rats between the house walls, he commits an unthinkable act. Read the story at: https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/rw.aspx Also check out other great works by the author like, "The Call of Cthulhu" and "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". 

New illustration by Chris Trefz celebrating the winter season with a horror twist. Here's one last speed painting to wrap up 2022. Celebrating the winter season with a monstrous snowman who roams the fridged streets at night, devouring those lacking in holiday cheer.

New Illustration by Chris Trefz of a Winter Wonderland: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Introduction: As the snowflakes fall gently from the darkened sky, I bring you seasons greetings with my latest digital illustration. In the scene above I strove to capture a winter wonderland, where a frozen lake shimmers under the moonlight, embraced by snow-laden evergreens and majestic mountains. Amidst this magical setting, groups of joyous ice skaters gracefully glide across the glistening ice, while Santa and his reindeer soar through the night sky, delivering Christmas cheer. This artwork, a departure from my usual science fiction and horror themes, encapsulates the essence of the holiday season with a touch of my own unique style. About the Art: The centerpiece of this picturesque scene is the frozen lake, its glassy surface reflecting the tranquil beauty of the night. The snow-draped evergreens create a serene atmosphere, casting elongated shadows under the moon's soft glow. Tower

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 handfuls

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