I'd like to add a few words about the type of stripping your looking for. On my car (60 Lincoln) I needed a lot of lonnnnngggg straight lines to outling my paint job. The stripers who do all the curvy designs aren't neccessarily the best straightline guys. I did my homework by researching and asking for references here on the HAMB. I found a top notch guy pretty close to me who did a great job. I'm learning to stripe myyself and I have noticed that long straight lines set the amatures apart from the pros (someday I'll be an amature)
I bought a crash helmet from the swap meet at the Jalopy Showdown Drags and took it to the One Armed Bandit's booth. Asked him what it would cost and he told me $100. Told him all I had was $50. He said OK I'll give you $50 worth. I left it with him and came back in a few hours. Came out great white design on red helmet. I'm not sure what he would have done different for another $50 but I'd be willing to bet that if I stood over him telling him what and how to do it the outcome would have been different. I guess the lesson is let the PROFESSIONAL do the job and remember the old saying "Rush jobs screwed up while you wait." .
There's a pretty wide range of styles and tastes out there so figure out what you like before you hire someone. I agree with letting the pro do their job, but you've got to have some input. Just because someone has been laying lines for 30 years doesn't mean they're up to date with styles. I wouldn't want to come back and find swirly teal and hot pink big rig flourishes on my rod.
As a "recreational" striper that has a corproate 9-5 for my main income I will agree with what some of the pros here say. Most stripers have a design in mind for the type of vehcle they are working on. If they want to throw a cool tribal on your pre war look 32 run away as fast as you can. If they throw a price at you and you are cool about it you might get more than you bargained for like the above poster stated. As others have said check the Pinhead lounge for inspiration
the best I have ever had stripe is Mark Peters, Very Good Quality, Great Imagination! I have seen him paint his name on a grain of rice!
Cream always rises to the top. The name that keeps coming up is One Armed Bandit. Doesn't seem to type much, and doesn't talk much, but everyone seems to agree that he does some nice work. I still say that I could care less how fast someone is, but what kind of work does he do.
You are right, that one arm bandit is way cool with his striping. I wish that I was as good now that the eyes and Diabetic Neuropathy is really kikin my hands and feet, I'll never do lines the same as I did a few years ago. No regrets though I still have some life left to do bad things to a few good rides As for speed that is not for the benefit of the client, but for me. When you're a one man show you gotta keep reality in check - feeding kids, supporting a wife and paying bills in mind instead of just thinking about the art. The younger guys striping have along way to catch up with us older stripers as we have already been through all the hard times and have pretty much done it all. But I do respect that they are keeping it going in the right direction. Like I said before, when the job is done and you got $$ in yo pocket you can go and write dumb things on forums like I do. Or just be lazy like me. Either way we stripers enjoy what we do for money or satisfaction. In the end your customer will pick who they like. For every 5 that will never have me stripe their car, I have 50 who will let me scribble on their rides...there's no other job with that kind of priviledge. Mikey
i am a "recreational" striper i guess you can call me that .. i love to stripe and i do it alot. i dont price by the hour b/c im not to fast it wouldnt be fair, i charge by design each time i pick up the brush though it goes quicker . as far as working with the customer ill take in there input ill give mine . meet in the middle i might have a color combo they would never think of and love .. and visa versa . just got to look at there stuff and like said before look for line consistancy and the meeting of the lines . Charlie is a outstanding guy really great at what he does and he travels alot so you can probley catch him here or there. Anthony White is a master at what he does -HotRod Jen
Consistency was mentioned a bunch, but you should also look into their symmetry. I am a striper myself, and I'm right with ya, metalhrg, you have to listen to the customer, get their input. Sure, some people don't know what they're talking about, so you have to kinda "guide" them to the right conclusion. I mean, if someone wanted me to lay neon pink and brown striping on their snot green ride, I'd have something to say. I mean, it's their ride, but it's my work and my signature going on the piece. It works both ways, both the striper and the stripee have to be happy. So, you make it known what you think would look good and what wouldn't. Sometimes, the ideas clash way too much and it's best if they went elsewhere, but generally speaking, I have had a great string of satisfied customers. By the way, my hat's off to Charlie as well, one of the best here on the east coast I have seen.
Charlie "One Arm Bandit" is the man. He did an incredible piece on my Chevy. I used alot of the advice that has been listed above when I was working things out with him beforehand. I told him the budget I was confined to, the colors I favored, and the location I wanted it. The rest I left up to him. Here's how it turned out:
I really hesitate to get into this discussion for a couple of reasons,but here goes: Please don't take this in the wrong way but if I had read this post first and then you contacted me to do some work on your vehicle,I would likely as not have refused;the reason being I always tell customers that if you are unsure about having work done DON'T do it. I have found over the years that a customer of this type will never be satisfied with the work no matter how well it is executed or how attractive the price. This is not to say I wouldn't discuss any proposed work to be done in regard to colors,style,and amount as well as price.I usually like to talk with a customer in regard to this before I start work to get an idea of their likes and dislikes.Most customers have a vague idea of what style they want;50's,scroll(spaghetti),multi-colored,etc. and usually what color(s)they might like. If I think a particular color combination will not complement a car,I will usually try to dissuade someone from using it and suggest 2 or 3 other possibilities.I offer to lay some short lines to demonstrate how it will look.If they insist on a particular color,I will do as they ask.Surprisingly enough,I have actually liked certain combinations after they were applied that I didn't think appropriate.It happens. You must know something of striping if you want it done to your vehicle.It doesn't take much to look at a design and see inconsistencies in line thickness or symmetry or how lines are brought together. Another reason I probably couldn't work for you is I don't like to copy someone else's work.I might loosely copy a STYLE of striping but not another design.I have only done that twice in my careerne was on a 60 Chevy that the guy had repainted and wanted the original striping copied verbatim.He didn't know who did it originally and asked if I would.He supplied me with all kinds of detail pictures and even a video.Took a long time to do and was very expensive but he didn't care about the cost. The only other time was a friend of mine who had a 61 Corvette race car that used an identically painted Corvette as a push car.He wanted them both done the same.Not as bad as it sounds as I was creating both of them. My suggestion is similar to others who have commented;check out cars with striping on them as well as the Pinhead Lounge and other sites(I co-host the Pinstriper's Page on Yahoo that has a lot of great examples)before you make any decisions.When you have seen what the stripers in your area are doing and you like a particular style,approach them about doing your car(best when they are NOT in the middle of a job).Give them an idea of what you want and how much you can spend and take it from there.Most stripers are pretty approachable when they aren't busy.
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