Mike Lavalles "Wicked One"

I was reading the article on Wicked One and came across the part that said that Mike Lavalle is the originator of "Real Fire". That can't be correct since I know a painter that was doing real fire over 30 years ago. He told me he learned how to do it from some guy that was doing real fire in the 60s. Mike Lavalle is probably one of the best at real fire but not the originator of it.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

Take a close look and click on the pictures of Mikes "Real Fire" artwork. It is "Real Scary." I am hoping he just has a clever imagination and that is not a snapshot into his psyche. A true visual art talent he is, nonetheless.  

His painting and airbrush skills are second to none and his work is just plain awesome.  
Katastrophic Kustoms WV Truck Club President
WV Chapter of CTW Member
L13 Truck & SUV Association Member

I have seen a lot of Mike Lavalles work. Most of it is outstanding, but I have seen some that for whatever reason was just so-so. My main point was and is  that he is NOT the originator of Tru Fire. I had my van in a show once where there was a T-bird Mike painted that most everyone who looked at both agreed that the artist that did mine did a better job. I am a big fan of tru fire and Mike Lavalle is the master but his work is not always the best. There is an artist/painter in Canada that calls himself "Dreamweaver" that in my opinion is every bit as good as Lavalle.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

I have seen a lot of very nice real fire paintjobs. As far as who "originated" it, we may never know. It's kind of like "who invented hot rod flames"? A lot of times, the people that are credited with "inventing" something are just the ones that were at the right place at the right time to get attention and credit for the idea. You'll find a lot of times, similar ideas pop up concurrently around the same time in different areas. Pretty wild paint job on that truck, though.  

That is what happened with Mike Lavalle, that and his incredible artistic ability. According to the painter I know "real" or "tru" fire has been around for 50 years but was never popular til Mike Lavalle did the helicopter.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

lol what do you think of my true fire its not finish but almost its a ford 48 iam airbushing
(i do airbrushing about 3,5 years im 18 years old)

nicolas12durand@hotmail.com
 

lol what do you think of my true fire its not finish but almost its a ford 48 iam airbushing
(i do airbrushing about 3,5 years im 18 years old)

kustomparadise.piczo.com
 

Looks awesome. You have a great talent. Learn to put embers and sparks in it and you could give Mike Lavalle a run for his money. Also skulls and such add to tru fire a lot. Mike has put eagles, skulls and animals such as lions , buffalo and deer in his tru fire that looks outstanding but in my opinion it is the sparks and embers that set him apart.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

OK guys, I wrote that story so I guess I "sparked" this debate (oh, I crack myself up with the puns), but anywho.....I said in the story he was "the originator of real-fire airbrushing".
Why did I write that? Simple. He told me he was.
Who am I to argue? I don't know who came up with it???
When someone writes something a Tech Sheet, we too write it down. If there is a glaring error, we fix it, but if a guy says he is a plumber, we write down he is a plumber. If he writes that his truck is a '99, we say it's a '99 and so on.
Sorry to fuel to the "fire", (there I go again), but that is the truth.

Thanks for reading-
DAN  

Hey Dan wait til u see Plum Loco that Mike just recently did, u will be able to see it live and in person at the http://37thvannats.com/  

teaser pic...

 

Thats a great looking Van,

Hope to Meet Rob at the Nationals this July.......