Mike is a Painting Legend
Don't want to spoil the thread, but my 2p worth...
The entire idea that 'painters' should be treated like contractors that are being paid to a do a job is, for me anyway - crazy. Most people paints for peanuts. I see it more like a favour/service where fellow racers who can paint, do so for a vastly discounted sum for the love of it and for the benefit of others.
Obviously some can make some money out of it, but as an example the UK Indoor masters shells I did, worked out I charged £2.50 an hour, that's without factoring in the cost of paints / mask / vinyl and the rest. So far, iv'e spent over £700 on airbrushes / compressor / paints / vinyl / vinyl cutter etc.....
£2.50 an hour is good going too. One of my painting pals, worked his shells out to around 50p an hour.....
And even though i've painted quite a few shells, in real terms, i'm still out of pocket. Might by 2015 before I break even !