SIN Customs Artist - Ryan Curtis
There’s something magical about Hot Wheels as a kid. It wasn’t just the cars — it was the shimmering paint, the thrill of imagined speed, and the way your mind could take off with wild police chases and explosive stunts across the kitchen floor. That was the first spark — not of motion, but of imagination. The second spark came from custom mini trucks. With their wild, vibrant graphics and low, laid-out stances, they were rolling works of art with a rebellious edge. They embodied everything I didn’t yet have words for — but they ignited a passion, and somehow, I was connected.
Growing up in a small town with little car culture around me, I wasn’t following trends — I was following a deep passion that pushed me to create, draw, and build whatever I could imagine in my mind. I was obsessed with anything that had wheels. My sketchbooks overflowed with drawings of cars and trucks, and my bedroom was lined with Hot Wheels and model cars. By high school, I was fully immersed in the custom truck scene — hooked on the low stance, bold graphics, and rebellious energy of the early ’90s. I didn’t just admire them — I was consumed by them, eventually building a custom 1995 Chevy S10 of my own.
After earning my degree in Visual Communications, I spent a decade working as a Graphic Designer and Art Director in the advertising world. But something was missing — so I launched automotiveSIN Magazine, a publication that celebrated the Style, Intrigue, and Nobility of automotive culture. That gave me purpose for a while — but deep down, I knew I was an artist. I needed to get my hands dirty again.
In 2007, I launched SIN Customs — my art studio where I combine my lifelong obsession with cars and my passion for storytelling through paint. My canvas? Authentic road signs — relics of the American highway that reflect the spirit of motion and rebellion. I started sourcing them by calling up my old boss from the sign shop I worked in during college. It just made sense — those signs carried real history, and they became the perfect foundation for my work.
My process begins digitally, a skill that came naturally from my years in commercial advertising. This process allows me to draw, refine and experiment with compositions before translating them into fully hand-painted works.
SIN stands for Style. Innovation. Nostalgia. Every piece I create embodies that trinity — from American muscle to European luxury to full-throttle exotics. My process fuses digital precision with raw hand-painted craft. What starts on a screen becomes something entirely analog: no airbrushes, no shortcuts — just automotive urethanes, watercolor techniques, and pinstriping skill honed over decades.
I reside in a shophouse in rural Arkansas that gives me the space to create, build, and live on my terms — surrounded by dogs, chickens, and the freedom to pursue bold ideas without limits. I travel across the country, attending car shows, meeting collectors, and capturing machines that carry history and soul. I always have a camera on hand, looking for vehicles that embody the SIN mantra: Style. Innovation. Nostalgia.
My ideal collectors don’t just collect cars — they curate experiences. They breathe this lifestyle. They appreciate craftsmanship, heritage, and bold originality. They understand that what hangs on their wall should be as unique, powerful, and storied as the machines in their garage.
This isn’t just wall art. This is automotive soul, permanently painted onto pieces of the road itself.
This is SIN Customs - HotRodCarArt The Fine Art of the Road Sign