I'm new to this forum, but I've been designing cars for eight years now and have experienced everything from people who know exactly what they want and don't give me any leeway to be creative, to people spending the price of an average California home on their build and want every little item designed from a hand fabricated body to an intricate bracket. I can tell you that there are "standard" prices that I have for a typical project, but there are a myriad of variables that can change the prices when someone wants to build a show stopper. Usually if I know what the person expects from the project (style, time frame, if they are going for a prestigious award, or if they just want a driver) I'll cater the pricing to the job because I know how involved I'll be. If I have a client that wants a complete one-off body created, there is a lot more work than "just" a rendering because I have to visit the machine shop, metal shaper, etc to make sure the end result looks like the drawings. If a guy calls me on the phone and says he has a 69 Camaro and he wants to see it orange with a black stripe and big wheels and he's 2000 miles away, he may only need a rendering and a couple of sketches.
My suggestion is to look at who is available, look past our "technique' or "style" and look at the actual designs themselves and the person who's designs reflect your tastes is a likely candidate. Also think about what you expect from him or her. If you just want artwork, any of us will fit the bill. If you need specific advice on your build or need a designer that can go visit the project and make sure it comes out as planned, pick someone who is located near you or your builder, and look at some of their projects that have become finished cars and see how well the art translated to the finished piece.
One note on price: If you go to an artist to have them paint a portrait, you pay for their talent as it is applied to a canvas. When you go to a designer, no mater how cool his or her renderings are, the rendering is a tool. It is a roadmap that gets you to the end result of a finished car. It is alot more than just ink on a piece of paper, it is the ideas, talent, and experience of the designer that you pay for. It is much cheaper to make a mistake or change your mind on paper than it is in metal!
Chris Brown
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