How I spent my summer vacation
For a little over three years back in 1999-2003, I used to set up my 10'X20' tent at area outdoor cars shows and striped cars right there at the show. On a good day, I'd work on as many as ten cars. My range of work was everything from classic pinstriping to lettering, from graphics to cartoon work. I usually worked 25-30 shows a summer and word of mouth carried work into the winter. So here's the kind of things I've done. Keep in mind that these photos are just that, photos that were scanned. I didn't have a digital camera way back then. This was a first for me. I had an old employer call me and ask if I could do a checkered flag on his race car. Being the type to not turn down a challenge, I said sure. Then I promptly set out to learn how... I think it turned our pretty good and Mike thought it turned out great and that's all that matters.  In four short years, I worked on six PT Cruisers. Needless to say I got tired of looking at them. This one was done for a local school bus driver. She drives this thing to this day and has taken great care of it.  This guy last restored this 1940 Ford back in 1963 and wanted simple lines that matched that era. The trend back then would have been plain white on the red so that's what he got.  In a previous post, I mentioned doing items for the show promoters. I normally donated a mailbox. It was cheap and offered me a great blank canvas. It also served two other functions. It gave me a chance to get warmed up for the day as I would paint them as soon as I set up. It also gave the early show attendees a chance to watch me work as opposed to waiting for that first customer. Many times, those first spectators turned into the first customer  When I gave these to the promoter, they would either use it as a door prize or raffle it off. These two boxes brought a total of $180 in a raffle!!! This was actually something that I did on my son's first car. The Marvin was on the left and K9 was on the right with a looooong lease stretched between them. It drew a lot of attention for a high school kid. I always loved doing cartoons. Sadly, many people want them and don't understand the copyright laws. So to avoid the legal issue, if the customer really wanted a cartoon, I would throw it in if them spend some big money on the other paint work.   So there you have it. That's how I spent my summer vacation. Back in the day. Vance |
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| WOW! I can't believe I forgot one of my favorites. This dragster is owned by a friend who wanted me to paint his car. When I showed him the layout I told him I left him room for a sponsor's name. He said that would be mine. I told him that I couldn't pay him to put my name on his car and said that he didn't care. He liked me and my work and wanted my name on his car. I was STOKED!!! I laid out the graphics on the panels, all ELEVEN of them on a bench and painted everything there too. When we put the panels on the car's chassis. EVERYTHING LINED UP PERFECT. Color me REAL proud of myself.  Vance |
I had better not let Dale see the pictures or he will want a mailbox to match the flames on the 47. You are very talented. I can not draw a straight line. I used to decorate cakes and can do anything with frosting  just not pencil, pen or paint.  We all have different talents I guess. Carley says hers is looking cute. |
| Great stuff!!! I have a PT cruiser with flames in it in my garage! I'll have to grab a pic of it and see what you think. It matches the flames on my motorhome and on my Tahoe! I wish I had known you then! |
schoolmarm wrote: I had better not let Dale see the pictures or he will want a mailbox to match the flames on the 47. You are very talented. I can not draw a straight line. I used to decorate cakes and can do anything with frosting just not pencil, pen or paint. We all have different talents I guess. Carley says hers is looking cute. Funny you say that; my Mom was cake decorator for the last ten years of her life. My brother pinstriped too and we both think that she's where we got our talent. Vance |
Great work, Vance. Such talent!   |
| I am always rather envious of those with such talents. |
| You really do nice work. I fall in the no talent category. |
Mady wrote: I am always rather envious of those with such talents. I'll as k you the same thing I asked everyone else who made such a statement... Have you tried this? It's far easier then you think. A lot of it is tha tthe brushes we use have REALLY long bristles that absorb a lot of one's shake, making the lines nice and smooth. I've taught many enough to get started, mostly kids!!! They love this stuff. Vance |
Great job, Vance!  Pinstriping seems like it should be easy until you try it. A guy that used to live next door to us actually made a good living from it, guess it helped that his family was in the car business. It always cracked us up to see this guy s**t-faced drunk but still able to do straight lines and curves on a vehicle like you wouldn't believe. Don't discount your talent. It DOES take lots of patience and skill. |
| Beautiful work! You're very talented. |
| Nice work! I can't draw a straight line with a ruler.......but I can bake a mean brownie.  Laurie and Oscar |
| Very nice work! |
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