Illustrator is a force in the Star Wars art world

Q&A with Chris Trevas

Did you know that a plastic Chewbacca will turn green after spending a winter lost in the Michigan snow? Chris Trevas could have told you that. He's been playing with Star Wars toys since he was a kid. It's a passion the freelance illustrator never outgrew.

Trevas, 36, is an official Star Wars artist, which means he draws Wookiees and droids for a living. His portfolio features a bit of everything, from kids' books and trading cards to limited edition prints and games. He's done other work, including illustrations for the Detroit Zoo and automotive clients, but Star Wars projects have recently made up about 90 percent of his business. Last year alone he created more than 100 published Star Wars illustrations.

It's a dream job for Trevas, who saw the first movie at age 3 but was always more captivated by the toys.

“For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist,” said Trevas, who got his bachelor's degree in fine art with a major in illustration from the College for Creative Studies in 1996.

The work has made Trevas something of a star himself. He's been signing autographs for years at Star Wars conventions around the country. Of course, it's hard to beat the first time he was approached at a Star Wars Celebration in Denver in 1999.

He'd been working on Star Wars Kids magazine and had just released his first kids' book. Trevas said he had a line of a bunch shy kids.

“This one little boy was very quiet. I signed a magazine for him and as he walked away, smiling, he turned back and said, ‘Thanks, you kick ass!' I'll never forget that one.”

Adults appreciate his work, too. He's been recognized in Spectrum, a published annual of The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, and was recently inducted into the 501st Legion, a worldwide Star Wars fan organization known for their costumed charity work.

This July he'll be signing copies of his newest book, Star Wars Blueprints: The Rebel Edition, co-illustrated with his friend Chris Reiff, at Comic-Con International in San Diego, and in August he'll be doing signings at Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, where he'll also have an exclusive limited edition print.

Although he's not all-Star-Wars-all-the-time, Trevas, who is about to move to Beverly Hills, Mich., did work Star Wars into his wedding last October to wife Julie, an associate creative director at Digitas, with whom he's expecting his first child in December.

Two Stormtroopers greeted guests and later introduced the couple at the reception. Their groom's cake was decorated with Luke Skywalker inside of a dead Tauntaun (from a scene from “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”). “It was the buzz around the Internet for some time,” said Trevas.

Meanwhile, life is good. “It's great to have the freedom to shape my own career and work schedule,” he said. “I'm also a big Star Wars fan so I enjoy what I do every day.”

What is the biggest challenge with your job today?

I work mostly in a field dependent on people spending their disposable income. People usually cut back on collectibles when they're on a budget. Luckily, Star Wars is a huge franchise that is still going strong with a large worldwide fan base. The amount of new products released every year is amazing. I'm very fortunate to be busier than ever.

What advice do you have for those in your field?

For those just getting into illustration, you can't focus too much on a specific genre or franchise. You have to take the work you can find and gradually build a career once you have steady clients and the freedom to pick and chose your projects. Early in my career, I did a lot of local work for advertising agencies and sometimes I still do, depending on the timing and project.

How do you market yourself?

I network in person at conventions like Comic-Con and gain referrals from existing clients and friends in the industry. Any artist working on Star Wars must first be approved by Lucasfilm and any artwork must also meet their approval during development stages. Over the years, the art directors at Lucasfilm have gotten to know my work quite well and they often recommend me to their licensees.

Describe your artistic style.

Idealized realism. It's not quite photo real — a little more colorful and a bit painterly.

What reactions do you get when people find out what you do?

Kids' eyes usually light up and they want me to draw something or tell me about their Star Wars toys. People who grew up with the original movies think it's cool and are usually surprised because I'm here in Michigan. Older people don't usually get it. They think of Star Wars as just a few movies and don't know the scope of products out there.

One thing you might change about your job?

It's solitary and not very portable. It would be nice if I had regular contact with some co-workers and wasn't tied down to the computer as much.

Who has been the biggest influence on your artwork?

The original concept designer for Star Wars, Ralph McQuarrie. He was the first to visually define what George Lucas' universe looked like. I collected his art on trading cards as a kid. Several years ago I met him at a convention. It was a thrill to be able to show him my own work.

How do you create your illustrations?

Most of the time I work completely on the computer with Adobe Photoshop as a digital paint program, which I find much more versatile than traditional paint and brushes. For more technical work, like blueprints, I use Adobe Illustrator. There are rare occasions when I have to use paper and pencil. This month for example, I have three paintings I have to do by hand, so I'm dusting off the drawing board and getting out the acrylics.

What's one thing that might surprise people to know about you?

I have an unusual Star Wars hobby: tracking down the original real-world parts used to make the props for the classic movies and recreating the props. The original movie props were often cobbled together from odd items like camera flashes, turntable parts and aircraft scrap.

What is your most treasured possession?

Probably my three-foot long Millennium Falcon replica. I love the design of that ship.

What is your favorite Star Wars character?

I'll say Luke. He is the central hero and I'm partial to the classic trilogy.

If you had to change jobs, what would you do?

I would be a detective. I like research and mysteries and probably watched a little too much ‘80s television.

Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

I'm looking forward to raising a family. I think I'll keep doing more of what I'm doing, but maybe for a wider variety of clients. I might even start developing more of my own original work.

Learn more about Trevas at www.christrevas.com.