Ideas for Custom Motorcycle Graphics & Paint

• You can make your bike stand out from the crowd with custom paint and graphics. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  When creating a custom graphics and paint design for a motorcycle, it is important to remember that strong graphic elements with high contrast work best. While intricate designs are possible, bold, uncomplicated designs allow others to appreciate your creativity from a distance. By it's very nature, custom motorcycle graphics and paint cannot be put into a simple list, but many successful designs have elements that fall into the following broad categories.

Masculine Designs

• Flames are a common aspect of custom paint jobs. Hot! image by waynocook from Fotolia.com

  Many custom designs are created to make the bike appear tough and masculine. Flames, skulls, dragons and and lightening are common elements in these designs. Supernatural creatures, such as angels and demons, and religious symbols, like crosses, also make frequent contributions to this type of design. Barbed wire, tribal designs and flames can be used to link various objects together.

TV, Movies and Music

• Spiderman, Scarface, and even Yosemite Sam have been immortalized in custom motorcycle designs. side car image by Emmanuel MARZIN from Fotolia.com

  Favorite characters and scenes from music videos, album covers, TV shows and movies have inspired numerous motorcycle designs. You can select a favorite scene or character from a movie, TV show, music video or album and bring it to life in your custom design. Design elements in this category are derived from the source of inspiration. A Spiderman themed bike would feature red with white spiderwebs, or perhaps the iconic hand gesture where Spiderman shoots a web from his wrist.

Occupation, Heritage & Hobbies

• Occupations, pets, and hobbies are all great themes to express in your custom design. motorradtank-schmuck image by fotohansi from Fotolia.com

  This category is all about expressing who the owner of the bike is. Design elements include images that quickly and clearly evoke a theme, such as badges or stars for law enforcement, or unit insignia for a military theme. Pet lovers can incorporate a favorite pet while those who see themselves as gamblers sometimes use playing card designs. Celtic designs are often worked into designs as either focal points or to connect other elements together. American flags and other symbols of the United States are also common.