For some students, drawing is simply a way to pass the time, but for one freshman at GEHS, it has become an outlet for creativity, relaxation, and personal growth. At school and at home, he spends much of his free time sketching characters inspired by movies, video games, and especially horror. His artwork reflects both the media he enjoys and the skills he has developed over the years.
Rather than just creating entirely original figures, Chuck Evans also builds on designs that already exist.
“Characters such as robots or characters from video games and movies,” Chuck said. “I like drawing things that already have a design but still let me add my own details to them.”
Although he enjoys the subject matter, drawing means more to Evans than just creating characters.The hobby has shaped his personality in noticeable ways, helping him manage stress and strengthen his creativity.
“It calms me down and makes me more creative,” Chuck said. “I feel like it’s a good use of my time, and it helps me develop as a person. It’s something I can focus on when I’m stressed, and it helps me think more creatively in other parts of my life too.”
A large portion of his inspiration comes from horror media, an interest that began when he was young. Introduced to the genre by his brother, Evans quickly became drawn to its atmosphere.
“I first got into horror when I was very young because of my brother,” Chuck said. “FNAF is one of my favorite types of games, so as I watched more and more I became much more interested.”
That early interest grew into a lasting appreciation for horror films and games.
“Any type of horror movie, show, or video game has impacted me a lot,” Chuck said. “Five Nights at Freddy’s is my favorite movie, and I went to the theaters to see it. I’ve always liked the creepy atmosphere and character designs, and it influenced the type of things I enjoy watching and drawing.”
Video games have also helped him strengthen specific artistic techniques. By studying simple character designs, he improved his understanding of structure and shape.
“I get inspiration from video games like Kirby,” Chuck said. “I learned circular structures, since the character from Kirby is easy to draw and learn from.”
His dedication is especially clear in the piece he is most proud of, a drawing inspired by a favorite game.
“A drawing I made that was based off the game My Singing Monsters,” Chuck said. “It took me a long time, and I was proud of how it turned out. I spent more time on the details than I usually do, and it felt good to finish something I worked hard on.”
While Evans enjoys discussing media, he tends to keep most of his opinions within a close circle or to himself rather than sharing his opinion online.
“Kinda, I don’t really share that much online,” Chuck said. “But I might talk with my friends about what I saw and how I feel about it.”
Even as he looks toward the future, Evans believes drawing will remain an important part of his life, whether professionally or personally.
“Even if it’s not my main job, I think it will always be something I use in some way,” Chuck said. “An animator or illustrator — those are things that I would be interested in.”
