Lombi: Hey there and welcome to the interview. How are you today?
Travis: I'm fine thanks.

Lombi: Alright, let's start off with you giving us a little bit of background info ... who you are, what you do, where you are from, how old is your inner self, what your foot size is... that kind of thing :}
Travis: Well my real name is Travis, currently I'm doing industrial work, to put it simple, shit work, hoping to save up some money for college, I am from South Africa and currently residing in sunny UK, I am 20 years of age but still feel 16, I think my foot size is 11 or 12, I'm about 6ft 4ft, kinda tall I guess.

Lombi: How would you, in your own words, describe your style? What and who were your major influences in the development of that style? Does your soulmate have any bigger influences in what you do? Which artists do you admire and respect for what they do?
Travis: I don't think I have a distinct style that I can relate to, the fact that I have not been doing digital for to long, I am usually experimenting with different styles and techniques all the time and hopefully in time I can find a style that work's for me and is enjoyable from start to finish, as for inspiration in the development of a particular stlye there would be too many to mention, I really have respect for most artists out there no matter their status.

Lombi: What kind of music do you listen to, when you work? What are your favourite bands/artists?
Travis: I like to listen to spiritual music or music that tends to ooze emotion, it certainly helps but sometime's I just like utter silence when working on something, I guess it depends on how I feel on that particular day, a very prominent musician I listen to when working is Salif Keita, to some he is known as the voice of god, he has some beautiful music, but yeah hip-hop, rock, anything goes, aslong as it sounds good and has some sort of statememnt or meaning.

Lombi: A question everyone wants to know these days ... at what point did you want to become the artist you are now ... was there any breaking points or such? How did you get started in digital art?
Travis: Well probably because I moved to the uk, I think it was the main factor, in south africa I never really spent anytime indoors becuase the weather was always so good and the art I did was traditional art, but anyone who knows anything about the uk knows you need to dress up like an eskimo before leaving the house, so we had a computer, I hooked up on a design forum by chance and the art I saw interested me, and from there I leaned about photoshop and the rest is history, I have been doing digital art a little under a year I think.

Lombi: The second most commont question out there (hehe) ... what software do you use in creating your artworks, how does the common process look like when you are creating a piece? Do you just see that software as purely a tool used to create or as something more? What kinds of media and techniques do you commonly like to use when you create a piece?
Travis: Well I use photoshop 7, paintshop pro and occasionaly painter 8, mostly when I start a peice I never have a set structure or way of doing things, I just play with what I have and do what I do, and hopefully by the end of it all I come out with the peice I intended from the beginning, near the end of my peice is where I clean up my image and work on the small detail's to get it looking crisp and clean, I just use stock photos which in lots of ways is a limitation to my imagination, but I try my best with what I have, I use painter sometimes for a mix of brushes and texture, as for techniques, heh, fluck knows, patience is a good technique I'm trying to adopt.

Lombi: When you create a piece what normally inspires your work?
Travis: What I feel inside my head and stomach, soul, heart, body.

Lombi: When you are working on a piece, when do you know that it's finally done?
Travis: Hmmm I guess it depends on the artist, when is a peice ever done, I donna I guess I just look at it and it says to me, hey biatch I'm finished, leave me alone.

Lombi: Tell me how was it like breaking into the digital art scene ... I know it's very hard for young and unknown artists to get their name out nowdays ... how was your experience like? What's the best advice you could give to someone who wants to break into the scene?
Travis: Uummmm, well I've just got on with my art, have'nt really troubled myself in that sense, I just do what I do, and if people recognise my art then cool, if not then that's cool to, who am I to give advice but if I were to, I would say do what you do, stay real, do the art that makes you feel right, not the art you saw the other day, becauase I think originality is important for success.

Lombi: I've asked you to choose 5 of your favourite artworks to be featured here along with this interview ... so tell me ... why do you like these 5 so much, what are the stories behind them?
Travis: well the first would be:

The Professor:I like this one becuase technically it was my best at the time, also I felt I had created an idea that was origional and different to the norm., and I love the little dude, he look's so cool.

Tree Dude:Metamorphosis: this one well could possibly be my favourite purely cause when I see it, it hit's me like wow, did I do that, I took my time on this image, something im not very good at, also the concept and what I was trying to portray came together how I pictured it, could'nt have asked for better stock, even if I had the chance to take my own pic's, also I felt a connection to my tree dude, fluck know's why, something about it.

GoD's Watchers: well I loved the concept very much but also for me the colour strike's me so much, it take's my breath away when I look at it, it allow's me to drift of into another world when I see this.

Beauty In Time: well it was my first submission to twistedrealmz a great art group so in that sense it has a great significance but also that I do sense a great feel of beauty when I see this, I always look or try to portray . some sense of beauty in my work's no matter the concept and in this peice for me I feel I captured that.

Life Above This Land: well this was my first real attempt at digital paint, and for a first attempt I was extremely pleased with the outcome, I enjoy abstract cause I feel there is no limit to the imagination when viewing abstract and in this I captured the abstract element I was trying to capture.

it was hard to pick cause I like to value all my artwork the same but yeah these are some that I enjoy.

Lombi: So tell me ... how would you describe the digital art scene roughly around your location? I've heard many artists complain about almost complete ignorance towards digital art ... especially from traditional artists, galleries and such. Your two cents?
Travis: To be honest haven't been in uk too long, so not really sure, but I have seen many talented uk digital artists on the net, as for the ignorance, well that will always be around I guess, live and let live, doesn't really bother me.

Lombi: You've started featuring other artists in your journals ... in fact you bought a subscription on deviantart for that sole purpose - to feature other talented artists. Can you tell me more about that?
Travis: Yeah well I have always scoped DA and seen art that is most excellent but hasn't been given the time of day, so I thought it would be a great thing to feature artist's with little page view's who need that little bit of exposure, I mean my view is every little bit help's so I try do my part, also I like to think I have a good eye for art, lot's of traditional artist's on DA though need the recognition, there are so many talented traditional artist's aswell as digital on DA that deserve so much more for their incredible skill and talent, I'm making it my job to find them, also a way of giving something back to deviantart, lord knows they have done plenty for me, the fact that I have the convinience of having a gallery is thanks enough and the many friends I have made on DA.

Lombi: What do you think about the whole online art community thing at the moment? Where would you like to see the future of art go? What are your plans for the future (except of course continuing to make such cool artworks)?
Travis: Well I think it's great really, most of my experience has been pleasant, other than the odd few dickbrain's, I have to say there is lot's of respect betwen fellow artist's regardless of status, as for my plan's regarding the future, well I just take one day at a time, see where I end up, life is to unpredictable to have plan's.

Lombi: Ever thought about making a website?
Travis: lol, was that question just for me or everybody else, nah ... well hopefully soon I guess, I'm planning though to get one up, hopefully before my 90th birthday. Till then you can find me on http://dieguito.deviantart.com

Lombi: You wake up one day and find out that you have amazingly cool superpowers. What are they?
Travis: Ummm toughie, too many to think of but flying would definitely be on the agenda and maybe a big ass laser gun that shoots from my ass, heh, sound's original, dont think many have been able to shoot laser beams from their ass, k lemme shut up.

Lombi: You find out that you will be relocated on a desert island tomorrow. You can only take one thing with you. What is the one thing you can't live without?
Travis: Snicker's bar/25% extra

Lombi: Err ... umm... any questions for me?
Travis: Nah lombi, I'll think of something and ask you on msn, hehe.

Lombi: Well, that's kinda the end of the interview. Thanks for taking the time, my friend.
Travis: Thank you for the interview bro, was a pleasure.