Steve Martinez
Custom painter/pinstriper
Custom painter/pinstriper
When I was 14, I rode my bike past a flamed truck, it was the most wildest
paint job I had ever seen . On the back of the truck there was a name ,
Himsl. As time passed by I would try to do that kind of work and believe me
no one would share any tricks back then.
As i rode by this guys shop and watched him paint these wild things not
even once trying to talk to him, I just watched and I would go home and try
harder. I was too shy to say or ask any thing .Later ,As I was doing better
and heard his name every where as I got better it seemed he had got
better too no way to catch up to him , but one day came when I was having
a pinstriper named Frank Mills stripe for me. This guy was such a good
striper and a sign painter as well. Frank and I became good friends . Turns
out he knew Himsl He said, I will take you over to his house one day to
meet him, talk about being nervous .This guy ended up being so cool to me
and told me things that I didn't know and sure helped me get where I am
today !
More time went by and one day I needed some of my work outlined so I
called Frank and he was no where to be found so I asked Mr Himsl to stripe
this bike I just flamed .He stopped turned to me and said if you really want
to be a custom painter you have to learn how to stripe !
So for one year all i did was stripe everything i could !
Believe me I mean every thing
So because of this guy I am who I am today doing what I love to do thanks
to Art Himsl
Today I paint flames on just about any thing you can imagine.
Its been over 35 yrs now ! I also had the great opportunity to be trained by
Jon Kosmoski and assisted him thru-out northern California ! Now I teach
exclusively for House of Kolor in Japan and USA as well as work in my
shop...........! I don't just teach ,
I paint every day !......................Steve Martinez
paint job I had ever seen . On the back of the truck there was a name ,
Himsl. As time passed by I would try to do that kind of work and believe me
no one would share any tricks back then.
As i rode by this guys shop and watched him paint these wild things not
even once trying to talk to him, I just watched and I would go home and try
harder. I was too shy to say or ask any thing .Later ,As I was doing better
and heard his name every where as I got better it seemed he had got
better too no way to catch up to him , but one day came when I was having
a pinstriper named Frank Mills stripe for me. This guy was such a good
striper and a sign painter as well. Frank and I became good friends . Turns
out he knew Himsl He said, I will take you over to his house one day to
meet him, talk about being nervous .This guy ended up being so cool to me
and told me things that I didn't know and sure helped me get where I am
today !
More time went by and one day I needed some of my work outlined so I
called Frank and he was no where to be found so I asked Mr Himsl to stripe
this bike I just flamed .He stopped turned to me and said if you really want
to be a custom painter you have to learn how to stripe !
So for one year all i did was stripe everything i could !
Believe me I mean every thing
So because of this guy I am who I am today doing what I love to do thanks
to Art Himsl
Today I paint flames on just about any thing you can imagine.
Its been over 35 yrs now ! I also had the great opportunity to be trained by
Jon Kosmoski and assisted him thru-out northern California ! Now I teach
exclusively for House of Kolor in Japan and USA as well as work in my
shop...........! I don't just teach ,
I paint every day !......................Steve Martinez
House of Kolor products used exsclusivly
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