Whatever Happend to Custom Painting?

[RottenRodney]

Sure, you guys do it, but if you've been around long enough to have worked as a custom painter, say back in the '70s, you'll probably agree that these ain't the good ol' daze.

In recent years we've witnessed vinyl all but replace the nearly lost art of hand lettering. Sure, everyone's a striper now, but what about the rest of it? Is there any particular area in the U.S. where a real-deal airbrush artist can make a go of it? What about a sign painter who's mastered gold leaf, patina, etc.?

I've recently had the pleasure of meetin' and workin' with a guy that I now consider to be the best all-around custom painter I've ever beheld. His name is Ray Hill, and although he's well-established and busy at home in Sweden, he's wanted for some time to set up shop here in Southern California -- the undisputable birthplace of custom painting. Ray has been here for three months now, he is working, but guess what? It's not like he thought it would be -- he's slingin' mud and paintin' cars one color with guys like me.

Check his resume! http://sprayhill.webplus.net/page5.html

Have Talent -- Will Travel... Where should he (we?) go?

[Mooch]

Wow . That is impressive work . I was around for the birth of custom painting and growing up in Florida ,we always looked at CA as the place to be .

Can't think of a place in America that would be better for him then CA .

Mooch

[Sid]

I've been in this buisness since the early to mid 70's, did alot of work for next to nothing just to gain experience, seems all the older guys from that era are gone now, I just done less and less of that kind of work as time went on. I probably don't even do a half dozen complete repaints a year now, heck the last 2 or 3 weren't even preped in my shop I was just the trigger man.

[Serge]

Its pretty expensive to have those done today...when you spend 300 hours on a car...you can't do that for $2000 ...

I also think that the novelty of it has been removed by all the vinyl wraps we see going around...graphics cars are ordinary now.

I think that the art of lettering will die with the few last guys still doing it. Its progress I guess...

Its not only this trade that has gone for economic reasons...its tough to earn a living as a tradesman anymore...think of the trades gone...

...shoe maker
...stone mason
...blacksmith
...sign painter
...milk man
...etc

The value of work has gone down a lot. Only large corporations have value now...everything mass produced and cheep... no value in work...

Sad...

[RottenRodney]

Thanks for your input, guys. Please keep it comin'. Let's take a poll around the country, shall we? Is custom painting alive and well anywhere in the U.S. today? If so, we wanna know.

[Len]

Thanks for your input, guys. Please keep it comin'. Let's take a poll around the country, shall we? Is custom painting alive and well anywhere in the U.S. today? If so, we wanna know.

It's alive and well in NJ, you can go to a different cruse several times a week and see some beautiful custom paint work at every event.