How much money do you have?
Art is very subjective. For some its a Pin-up girl, some its a cartoon-ish character, some its symbols and Letter painting.
Do you really want custom "ART" work painted on by a professional artist or do you just want something like your idea on there. What I mean is with computers today, photo ready art and computer art, your idea can be transferred to vinyl easily. I do know commissioned paintings cost a lot.
If you go the computer route, you can have it made in any state by any one, than get it mailed to you where you apply it. The nice part is if the art is damaged you can print the decal out again or change it later if you get tired of it. Have you seen the side of large trucks and delivery vans with advertisement art work. A lot of RV'ers are doing this but more with stripes and graphics and not "Art", but it can be done.
You want custom but there is a lot of pin-ups already on decal for those of you interested. With a decal and some nice hand artistic lettering you could have a nice look.
I personally like the classic pin-up girl, cartoon characters or funny characters of a plane (over-sized/distorted funny stylized) with a funny over-sized pilot character and funny name. I am partial to Warner Bros Cartoons. Of course most RV'ers go with stripes and multi color paint jobs as there expression of art, which is cool.
google: pin up art (also pin-up, pin-ups, pin ups...with and with out art or girl or girls)
Here are sites:
http://www.thepinupfiles.com/
http://www.greatamericanpinup.com/GAP/flashIndex.html (New York)
http://mariajoanne.tripod.com/index-page.html
Examples above are from both artist no longer around and existing contemporary artist working today. I assume you want some one in NY (who is still alive
). If you go thru the galleries and see a style you like, they have a link to the artist site. You can get an idea of cost.
Here's one artist that does air brush and "pinup/nose art" style that I think of as nose art. She is in KS.
http://www.janesko.com/
Nose art sites:
http://www.noseart.ch/
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/nose_art.html
http://www.rareybird.com/
http://www.fightingcolors.com/velasco.htm (in VA may help point you)
I would email these Nose art folks in the know and ask around; who does plane art painting?
Also the
custom chopper and custom hot rod guys may know airbursh, lettering, pin stripe artist in your area. Keep in mind detail of art is lost with distance. Some thing simple is best. Nose art was usually simple and even crude in the past. What scale are you thinking of? Personally I want it for my enjoyment, so if detail is what you want go for it but price goes up for a painter.
I was thinking about art for my plane but for now it will be unpainted. If I do go with a Cartoon Character or Pin-up, I'll use vinyl or pre made decals.
What is your nose art? I guess its top secret?
You might as well show us since we will see it sooner or later. Post a picture if you can.
You might find a local starving artist to do it for few $100. The results may or may not be what you want or like in the end. If its painted on you can always remove it and repaint it but that would not be fun. Not sure what the base coat is but if its a base/clear, plan on clearing the art, which means the whole cowl needs to be color sanded and re-cleared. This means more $$$. If the art is just "on-top" and not cleared it will not last as long.
For those thinking about "ART", go on ebay and search one of the following: nose art, pin up, pin up with the word decal or sticker. for $8-$10 bucks and some hand lettering you could have something that looks nice from 10 feet. If stickers or vinyl bothers you than you will have to paint it on. Good luck. Let us know how it goes and what it cost.
http://stores.ebay.com/DEVILCATS-TOY-EMPORIUM
http://stores.ebay.com/Sticker-Blvd-Auctions
