Nostalgia is big business these days. Everything from film revivals like Halloween or the Karate Kid to music tours with the Backstreet Boys and Debbie Gibson. It makes sense, as the generation who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s are now in their 30s and 40s and are huge consumers of nostalgia-fueled…everything!
Artist Travis Falligant is a perfect example of why nostalgia sells. He is a child of the ’80s and grew up on many of the films many of us still know and love. He focuses heavily on classic ’80s horror franchises such as Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Child’s Play, and countless other horror films. His work has received praise from many actors and directors in the horror field, such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Wes Craven, Rob Zombie, and Robert Englund, to name a few.
Falligant’s work is a visually rich combination of digital arts media and pop culture. His works have been featured everywhere from magazines to horror documentaries to video games (Friday the 13th: The Game) and can be seen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, (all at IBTrav) and his website (IBTrav.com). We caught up with Travis to find out what inspires his work, his thoughts on modern horror films, his love for Scooby-Doo, and what we can expect from him moving forward.
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Horror Geek Life: When did you begin drawing/painting?
Travis Falligant: I began drawing (for what I can remember), when I was around kindergarten age. I would use crayons, pencils, markers.
HGL: How would you describe your art style and what media do you prefer to use?
TF: I would describe my art style as “pop art.” It’s a graphic illustrative style with hints of cartoon and comic influence. I used to use traditional media (colored pencil, pen/ink, acrylics) but have fully crossed over to the digital realm. I use a Cintiq monitor and prefer the Clip Studio Paint program to do my work in and then finish it up in Photoshop with any final overall touches. Digital is just less messy and more streamlined for me.
HGL: What kind of education did you receive as far as your art work goes?
TF: I went to The Savannah College of Art and Design is Savannah, GA and have a BFA in Illustration. All my work there was done with traditional materials and after graduating, I taught myself all the computer stuff and digital work. I also grew my interest in graphic artwork/design and my style evolved with those newly acquired skills.
HGL: You are clearly heavily inspired by ’80s horror. What films made the biggest impressions on you?
TF: I grew up in the ’80s but was terrified of horror movies at a young age. I was terrified of Freddy and the horror mainstays, but would be oddly fascinated and would take peeks when I could bear it. Fright Night would probably be my fave horror film from the ’80s. I was very young when I first caught a glimpse of it, but ended up watching the whole film not long after and falling in love with the story, having gotten past the terror I felt seeing it. I also was a big fan of Gremlins when I was younger. Like, huge fan! That and The Monster Squad. The Friday movies to me were oddly comforting, although still scary as they were all over cable and networks like USA and TBS, heavily edited. So I could somewhat take them.
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HGL: When did you move into pop culture and horror as subjects for your work?
TF: I have always been a huge movie obsessed kid. Even at a very early age. So my artwork has always involved some kind of film, pop culture, etc. as the subject matter. Some kids liked drawing superheroes, cars, animals, landscapes…I drew Hollywood Montrose from Mannequin with his giant fire hose in Macpaint on my computer or made ceramic mobiles of Dirty Dancing in 6th grade. Stuff like that.
HGL: Some of the recurring films in your work include the Friday the 13th series, The Return of the Living Dead, and Fright Night, some of our readers’ all-time faves. You even did some work for the excellent Fright Night documentary that was released a few years ago. What is it about those films that resonates so strongly with you?
TF: Well, as I mentioned above, it’s a strong connection to my childhood I guess. There’s a reason nostalgia is such a big industry right now. Everybody wants to go back to those warm and happy feelings of when they were growing up. It just so happens that my warm and fuzzy nostalgic feelings are attached to bloody, horrific things.
I, myself, never want to grow up. How about you?
HGL: Another film, perhaps maybe not as widely known, is 2015’s The Final Girls. Talk a little about your love for this highly underrated horror/comedy.
TF: I tend to revisit films of the past, as most films these days don’t do much for me. A lot of the big budget releases out there are very empty experiences. So, when a film comes along that kind of defies my expectations, I am left in awe. The Final Girls was one of those. I was so blown away, I immediately watched it again and then…wept like a baby.
Now I can’t tell you how many times I have seen it. It was just so well-written, so well-directed (some amazing shots in there) and there were such great performances. To me, it defied all odds of coming out and being an amazing film. You see so many direct-to-digital films these days, and most of them prove their reason for being direct to digital. This one…well, let’s just say it’s a travesty it didn’t get a major theatrical release.
The only justice for The Final Girls is that I believe it will become a cult classic, and one people will continue to revisit throughout the years and will hold in high regard. You can already feel the ripples of that taking place, three years now after it was released.
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HGL: One of your most popular series of works is the “Lost Mysteries” mashups of Scooby-Doo and horror icons. What was the genesis for the series? What kind of feedback have you received for it?
TF: The genesis of this series was that I just sat there one day and threw on an episode of the old show and was wondering how cool it would be to see modern horror icons in the Scooby show. I was a Scooby fan when I was really young and still appreciate the artwork of the old series and how they balanced the spooky with the kooky. I wanted to see if I could blend some horrific imagery in with the tone of that older show.
I started doing the “Lost Mysteries” back in 2014 and recently this Halloween, released a lot of the old art I did again for new followers, along with some new work sprinkled in there. Since releasing the series, I got shout-outs from the late, great Wes Craven, Rob Zombie, Don Mancini, Jennifer Tilly, and Adam Green. It’s truly been amazing.
I hear word through friends that Cartoon Network saw some of the Scooby Guest Star Episode artwork panels I did and got an idea for a new Scooby show coming in 2019, so that’s really cool to hear. That they saw there was an interest in stuff like that because of something I put out there is pretty cool.
HGL: You recently got high praise from Jamie Lee Curtis and Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day). What was your reaction to their response to your work? What other celebs or artists have you heard from?
TF: Oh, man! I was through the roof when I heard from them! So stoked! Any time I get a tweet from a celeb regarding my work, it really makes me levitate a little bit in my seat. This is because the art I create is based off movies/films/actors I adore. If I illustrate a subject, it’s because I have a love for it. I never illustrate stuff I’m not inspired by (unless it’s for a job).
I have retweets, comments, etc. from some of my faves like RuPaul, actor Tom Everett Scott, Mira Sorvino, Shavar Ross, Robert Englund, Julie Brown, Amanda Bearse, Julie Carmen, and Pebbles (just to name a few).
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HGL: In addition to horror, you also have a lot of love for ’80s comedies. What made you decide to branch out to doing work based on comedic films? What are some of your favorites?
TF: Well, I have always been a movie kid from a very young age. So before I could “handle” horror films, I was a lover of comedy films, drama, and action. Some of my favorite comedies are 9 to 5, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Back to School, and Serial Mom just to name a few off the top of my head.
HGL: Some of your most interesting work, such as your “Mask4Mask” series or your “stud” Pennywise, puts a homoerotic spin on classic characters and movies. What kind of feedback have you received from the gay community and from your followers in general?
TF: I was really a bit nervous trying those out, as my following has been a decent balance of gay and straight followers. I thought if I tried the “sexafied” versions (as I like to call it) of the horror icons, I would turn off a lot of my straight followers. I always try to be inclusive of everyone in my daily life, especially with people who like my work, so I wasn’t sure how these would go over.
What’s fun to hear is that my gays eat it up, my gals love it, and my straight guys get horrified. So, everyone wins!
HGL: In addition to your original works, you also do commission artwork. What are some of the more interesting requests you’ve received for a piece or series of pieces?
TF: I do get commission work (and am currently swimming in it- which is so awesome to admit). I would say the more interesting requests lately have been from gay followers who want themselves illustrated with their significant others being terrorized by horror icons. I think that is so fun and neat to see from my perspective as a gay fan. That the horror community is so broad and reaches so many walks of life.
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HGL: You also recently had your some of your work translated to GIF form for use on Facebook. How did that come about and what was your response to that?
TF: I actually was contacted by someone at GIPHY. They saw some of my GIFs on my private GIPHY account and explained how I could create an artist account and get my GIFs uploaded for the whole public community. It’s so crazy to see that currently (I just checked), my GIFs have been viewed 387.7 million times now! Anyone can use them!
I love when I see them being used in people’s stories on Instagram, or people use them on Facebook to reply to posts. Very exciting stuff!
HGL: Any plans to branch out to film or animation work?
TF: I think all us film lovers dream of making a film of our very own. I don’t have any written scripts or anything lying around, but I do daydream of putting together a film someday. I hear a song and think how awesome that would be over closing credits, or a montage of a character hurriedly bike riding across town to work or an important thing in their life.
As far as animation goes, that was going to be my major in school but I decided to switch gears and go the illustration route. I’ve definitely got the animation experience and have new software on my computer I haven’t gotten to yet. But I will always love animation and I definitely plan on doing more of that in limited form (GIFs ). So stay TOONed!
HGL: Finally, what upcoming projects are you currently working on?
TF: I just finished some editorial illustration work for Fangoria Magazine, which I amvery excited about (been a Fango fan forever) and I’m starting work on a poster design for horror drag superstar Peaches Christ’s next production. You can also keep your eyes peeled for my work to be animated in the upcoming Pennywise documentary next October from Dead Mouse Productions.
Finally, I should be continuing the “Lost Mysteries” Limited Edition pin series soon and am looking to possibly get out there in the convention circuit to meet followers/fans face to face finally! I’m coming outta my shell, so watch out!
All images courtesy of Travis Falligant. You can follow Travis on Facebook at IBTrav Artworks, on Twitter and Instagram @IBTrav, and at his website, IBTrav.com. His artwork is available for purchase and he is also available for commission work!
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