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This is actually a show bike illustrating the skills of the artist.

Here's the story:

The Wild West Limited Edition Motorcycle
Posted in Tales from the Trails on December 20th, 2009 by admin
The Wild West Limited Edition Motorcycle

The idea for a bike that showcased Letterfly artwork began approximately the same time I was being interviewed by Michelle Smith for the Speed Channel TV show about motorcycles and the bike culture called “American Thunder.” Being on display as I create old school pinline designs, hand brushed pictorial images and inscriptions of all kinds is part of the entertainment that the tattooed and leather clad bikers find when they gather at bike events such as Letterfly attends across the country. The experience of having a semi circle of TV crew members shoot footage while I answered Michelle’s questions about creating artwork while painting a portrait of an Indian chief on either side of a Vulcan Drifter tank proved pivotal. Although the shooting and the dialog only took what seemed to be a few moments, I became aware of the faces of the people that came back repeatedly to see the work as it progressed throughout the rest of the day. The expression of wonder and awe I saw in the audience that day inspired me.

When Bike Week was over, while enjoying dinner with the family of Jeff and Jeana, who not only live in Myrtle Beach, but whose bikes I had been duding up for years, I was asked if there was anything they could do for me. A thought had been brewing in my mind and with this prompt my request came to the surface. I asked them to find me a Drifter, just like the one that now sports the Indian chief, conchos, feathers, stripe work and the beaded latigo that the audiences had rallied around to enjoy watching me create.

Later in the summer I received a call; they found a nice one with low miles and the right price. I fired off a check to the dealer in Rockingham and they took a trailer up to fetch it. When my summer tour was over, I saw the maroon and black bike at their home. After the usual orientation ride and a quick visit with my friends, I took it to my home in Florida. It wasn’t long before the bike was dismantled in my garage and the pieces were being prepared to receive the first coat of fresh paint.

During the interludes between bike events I had had plenty of time to think about the paint job, color scheme, stripe style and theme for the artwork for this bike. Pencil drawings of potential ideas were carefully crafted during quiet times at several bike shows. A highly detailed Indian chief in a full headdress was mandatory for either side of the tank and the fact that horses are my favorite subject to paint further influenced the direction of the theme for this bike. It seemed rather pointless to create airbrushed demonic skulls and realistic flames since there are so many bikes out there with that stuff already.
Since I am a trained “old school” sign painter and the bike sports massive fenders reminiscent of the old Indian motorcycle that have plenty of room for art, I went for the forties look.

I decided on a soft saffron yellow and ivory two tone paint job and getting these colors on the pieces was the first step after preparing them for paint. A gentle sprinkling of large holographic metal flake that reflects all the colors of the rainbow went over the yellow portions prior to clearing. When dry, the surface was “knocked down” with 800 grit. Gold leaf was next. There is nothing that has that special glow and that looks like gold except for real twenty-four carat gold. I have applied a lot of gold since being trained as a sign painter thirty five years ago, becoming adept at window glass gilding, fire engine décor and surface leafing such as was going to take place here on this bike. Variegated gold is a thin metal leaf that has been treated by some chemical process to have variations in color that provides interest to this delicate effect. Quarter inch stripes and Victorian scrolls are reminiscent of the era I intended to emulate and the nostalgic flavor was supported with the selection of a dusty teal color for the delicate pinline outline that surrounds all the gold work.

Brush painted artwork, rather than airbrushed artwork, would fill all the available areas on both fenders, top of the tank and side covers showcasing my skill as a brush blending pictorial artist. Although adept with the airbrush, the result of painting a couple thousand murals on motor homes during the past twenty five years, wet blended brush painted pictorial work is what Letterfly produces while at bike shows across the country.

Having created thousands of hand painted works for customers from all over the country; I have found a process for finding the right theme for a depiction, with the right elements and the right composition that pleases the patron. When I am commissioned to create a mural or any form of art, the procedure begins with an interview where I not only learn what my customer has in mind but can suggest a few ideas and watch his response to get a clue in regards to which direction to go for his project. When a theme is selected, the ideas begin to percolate in my mind, the discovery process begins and as I quickly sketch what is in my mind I monitor my customers reception. When the final pencil composition is agreed upon, I have a clear idea about the project and can then begin, stick to the plan, and create my paintwork. Since this is my bike, no formal interview took place - I went straight to having ideas and sketching. I agonized over the composition of each of the images that would go in the various places and kept changing my mind, even in the midst of painting a design, thus the project logged many more hours than if I had had a firm plan and had stuck to the intended strategy from the start.

As I mentioned, horses were a given, the Indian chief was a given and from there my theme could go several directions. Not wanting to depict the slaughter of buffalo or even braves equipped for war, I leaned more towards what qualified as entertainment from an era gone by, perhaps influenced by my background with the circus years ago and went with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show idea.

Magazines with pictures of Indians from the old west, dressed in period regalia mounted on horses were pored over. To celebrate this nostalgic tribute to American entertainment, I found a stunning picture of William Cody as a young man during his days as a prairie scout and planned a portrait of this personality for a prominent location. While I did find several pictures of “Little Miss Sure Shot” Annie Oakley, I found her face to be somewhat homely. In a Shepler’s catalog of western wear, I found the smiling face of one of the fashion models to be a big improvement to provide the reference for a portrait depicting the sharp shooter. These two paintings soon graced either side of the front fender.

To grace either side of the rear fender, I drew several sketches of ideas, imitating the masthead for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show from some historic books in my collection. Although I liked a design that pivoted around a bucking bronco on one side and a lady trick rider on the other, I lost enthusiasm for the byline “and Congress of Rough Riders of the World” as perhaps not fitting for this comfortable, ergonomically marvelous two wheeled machine. The rodeo designs interact well with a gold leaf “Wild West” and the byline “limited edition” was settled upon after much deliberation. Almost as an afterthought, the discovery that the word Letterfly would fit behind and over each design was an epiphany and certainly appropriate.

The deadwood stagecoach was an interesting, action packed part of the old time Wild West Show and the massive front fender had an interesting opportunity to show case the antique vehicle and a six up team of horses albeit the depiction would curve all the way around the back. Perspective would have to be bent because I planned the back of the coach to be visible on one side of the bike and for the lead team of horses to be coming straight at the viewer on the other side.

With the massive fender on the bench before me, I met the challenge of this perspective experiment as I began to create what was in my mind. Soon a believable hitch of horses looked the way I wanted, although by showing the backside of the wheel team behind the side view of the mid team and the lead team coming straight at the viewer, a gap existed. I was able to satisfy myself by adding another horse in the questionable area. The effect is certainly believable but anyone that counts the horses will wonder how a two abreast hitch can have seven horses.

In the center of the top of the front fender, a design evolved around the head of a buffalo. An eagle feather, two red tailed hawk feathers, a bear paw motif, lightning flashes and a graphic ruby shape, surrounded by graceful pinline designs that combine with the buffalo make a nice ornament for this prominent location.

Years ago I had created a successful stitch design with Conchos on Jeana’s bike and wanted to do that style of pinstripe again here. The back of each fender now sports décor reminiscent of a saddle maker complete with a latigo thong with beads hanging down from the Conchos central to the design. Soft ghosted Victorian scrolls surround the piece for a delicate effect that draws the viewer in for a closer look.
The top of the tank has a bear claw necklace painted to compliment the almonde shape of the console. Beads of turquoise and silver provide the rhythm between the claws and beneath the entire arrangement, a cast piece of silver jewelry with a gem stone setting is the centerpiece. Careful brushwork made successful the illusion that this piece is draped over the bike.

The side covers were last to get decorated. I had a pile of images of Indians on horseback torn from several kinds of magazines. I knew I wanted an animated stampede type depiction and intended to leave out any weapons. The first image I selected was a group of Indians galloping across the prairie in full dress regalia with plenty of feathers and ribbons flapping in the breeze. I actually spent more time per pictorial on these two paintings than on any of the other depictions. Central on the other side cover, a rider-less buckskin horse with cavalry gear appears to be being stolen by the group of Indians that surround him and are hell bent for somewhere, leaving the viewer with some questions.

Now that the bike is compete, after clear coating all the parts and reassembly. The Wild West Indian tribute bike has a cozy place to live in the back of my RV and is on display everywhere I go. If the reception of the bike aficionados that gaze at the bike in awe is any indication, the overall effect of the extensive paintwork is successful. The work took one month to complete. The bike is requested at all of the events that Letterfly Pinstriping attends all over the country and it may easily qualify as one of the most photographed bikes ever with an endless stream of gorgeous females asking to straddle it and pose for a picture. Of course I am cordial and accommodating to these beauties and enjoy satisfaction when I see the enthusiastic throngs that gather around to enjoy this bike. After all, this work of art created with the spirit of fun is part of the entertainment that accompanies Letterfly everywhere he goes.

To see this bike and find out where the artist is going this upcoming year, just visit the blog: Travelog.Letterfly.com To find out more about the high quality art and paint work services available from Letterfly visit; LetterflyPinstriping.com or contact the artist direct at; Letterfly@aol.com or; 813 505 5539

http://www.revitupandride.com/tales/?m=200912

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Topic summary

Posted by annieoakley

- April 27, 2010, 14:15:07 PM

Oh that's okay, I thought I was getting famous! I like the Wild West Show theme though.

Posted by chief

- April 27, 2010, 14:00:02 PM

Corrected the post so there would be no mistake.

Posted by annieoakley

- April 27, 2010, 13:17:01 PM

AND I WANT IT!!!

Posted by annieoakley

- April 27, 2010, 13:13:54 PM

that ain't my bike..... DARN IT!!! But I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Black is still best

Posted by chief

- April 27, 2010, 12:11:30 PM

Over on the delphi Vulcan forum someone posted these pics from bike week. Apparently, not our Annie O....

http://forums.delphiforums.com/kawvulcan/messages?msg=96584.1

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