Jackets
A-2
G-1
B-3
NEW COCKPIT USA & U.S. WINGS BOMBER JACKETS
Choosing a Jacket
We offer mainly 3 types of military style jackets. The A-2 is the classic flight jacket worn by Air Corp/Air Force pilots and crew ever since WWII. The G-1 style was mostly worn by Navy pilots and crew. The B-3 was worn for extreme weather by gunners on bombers and in cold climates. We also offer a few specialty jackets.
Leather Choices
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Horse hide: durable and firm temper; smooth and glossy finish, great to paint on.
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Goat hide: more pliable and bit more "rubbery" feel, long lasting.
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Lambskin hide: generally soft texture and luxurious, excellent to paint on.
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Cow hide: classic look and feel.
When making your jacket selection please have someone measure you by the sizing chart in each description to insure your perfect fit. If you would like our assistance, just send a request through the website. We will be glad to help you select your perfect size and answer any questions you may have.
Custom Leather Jacket Painting
When you put on your leather jacket, it is a statement of
who you are and what you are passionate about.
What will your jacket say about you?
The Paint
We have found that most painted leather jackets will crack and chip over time. In WWII and the 1950's, enamel was largely the only paint available. Some jackets were really nicely done but the paint wasn't designed to hold up on leather clothing. As time passed, acrylic paints came on the scene. Acrylics offered the advantage of a quicker dry time, but the problem was that they still cracked and flaked off over time. What a shame to see jackets covered with beautiful works of art start to chip paint after only a year or two of wear.
Our jackets are different. Unless there is a special circumstance, all of our jackets are painted with specially formulated paint for leather clothing. These paints have a 'flex' agent in them to keep them flexible so they do not flake, crack, or chip off. Sure, the paint costs twice as much as regular paint. But if we are putting 20-40 hours of painting into a jacket in which someone is investing hundreds of dollars for the custom paint job, why wouldn't we use the highest quality paint available to preserve the beautiful jacket artwork?? For us, this is a no-brainer. In addition to the right paint, prep and finish are key factors to a quality paint job. Our jackets go through a 3 part process of preparation, proper paint application, and then finished with a protective sealer. With the proper care, the artwork should last a lifetime and beyond.
The Jacket
We will gladly paint either a jacket you own or one purchased from us. We typically paint only leather jackets, as opposed to other materials. A-2's, G-1's, and B-3's are Dan's specialty, but we always welcome non-military jackets such as punk and motorcycle jackets. If you are looking to buy either a new or used jacket, remember that the smoother the leather grain is, the nicer the artwork will be. If you ever need advice or have a question about repairing older jackets or about purchasing one, please contact Dan through the website and he will be glad to help you out.
The Guarantee
Our studio offers a lifetime guarantee on all of Dan's work - period. Each painting is special to us and we invest 20-40 hours into painting your jacket. Therefore, we want your jacket to always look its best. We have never had to repair any of our work, but if for any reason your artwork gets damaged or needs touched up, send it back to us and it will be repaired for free. I only ask you to pay shipping costs.
The Cost
All of our artwork is very reasonably priced. Cost boils down to how much time will be needed to paint your jacket. For example, if you only want a breast patch painted onto the jacket, your cost would be in the neighborood of $50-$120, depending on how detailed it is. If you want lettering, a plane, and mission markings on the backside, that can be anywhere from $200-$400. Perhaps you desire a full blown tribute jacket of your Grandfather with his WWII portrait on it, a really detailed painting of his plane, sleeve and breast patches, all in a design that is really colorful and interactive, that could cost $700-1000. But our average jacket paintings fall within the $200-500 range. We are quite good at working with any budget. Simply contact us for a quote.
The Fine Print on all Art Work - From the Artist
I am here to paint artwork that will make you happy and I am fine to make reasonable adjustments after I send you pictures of the completed project for your approval. But please be advised that I am the artist and have my own way of doing things. It is difficult for most artists to produce a work of art when they are boxed in trying to produce exactly what someone else sees in their mind. So while I am happy to paint within certain parameters and desire your input, please also keep in mind that I can only paint in my own style and what feels comfortable to me. While I am a good artist, I am not Leonardi DaVinci. Nor are my prices the same as his would be today. There are plenty of examples of my work/style here on this website. Before you select an artist to do work for you, take a good look at their past work and ask yourself, "would I be happy to have these works that he/she has already done?". If the answer is yes, then that is usually a good sign that you will most likely be happy with your custom artwork. But please, give the artist his/her own "artist license". I retain the right to use all artwork I produce in the promotion of my business as I see fit.
