Custom Painting with Wolo’Kustom

You may have seen Low B’s exquisite paintwork artistry online or at Euro Festival this year. This, is her story…

My name is Laurène, a.k.a. Low B. (@low_b_ride) I was born in Lyon and still live there. I’ve been immersed in the world of motorcycles since birth thanks to my father, who put me in a sidecar at the age of six months with my mother and my three-year-old brother. I got my motorcycle licence at the age of 22, and I’ve been passionate about motorcycles ever since.

I discovered customisation in 2015, at the Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz, France. There I was, watching a man kneeling on the ground, painting leather jackets with a brush, and then I looked up and I saw rows of hand-decorated helmets – it was so cool! The man was Bruno Allard, a.k.a. Regarfix, a lettering and signage painter who also customises helmets, motorcycle tanks and leathers. So, I took the plunge and asked him if he would agree to train me, to which he replied… no! He said he had too many demands on his time and so was not able to help me. Instead, I looked for another way to acquire these skills, and in 2016 I met Marc Curial, a lettering painter based in Lyon, France, who had a small shop in the old town.

Marc agreed to teach me all the basics of letter painting and the art of painting in general. Armed with this knowledge, I went back to see Bruno the following year to ask him again if he would agree to immerse me in the world of customisation. This time – thanks to my determination, I think – he accepted. He opened his workshop to me for a week and I was able to discover his way of working on helmets and tanks, as well as learning about all the necessary equipment, which was a revelation to me.

With these basic skills as a letter painter – and already learning pinstriping techniques – I began practicing painting lines and curves on my own. I practiced a great deal, and in 2018, I started my first “real” projects with Wolo’Kustom – and I haven’t stopped since.

Motorcycles are an integral part of my life and constantly inspire me. They influence my travels, my creativity and my mood. Today, if motorcycles were taken away from me, I really don’t know what I would turn to. It’s not only my passion, but also my job, because I work in communications for motorcycle brands in addition to my work with Wolo’Kustom.

Customisation remains a passion for me too; I’m truly drawn to this world. Inspiration also comes from the events I attend in the world of Kustom Kulture and the network I have developed thanks to this. I follow many artisans, creators and other letter painters on social media, who inspire me a lot.

I love the Harley-Davidson brand and the image it conveys. It’s crazy to be so immersed in this custom world that’s so closely linked to it without actually riding one – but that could soon change! I recently had the pleasure of trying a Low Rider^® S and I can tell you that it did not leave me unmoved! Maybe soon, who knows…

So, what’s next for my customisation adventure? Last year, I entered the Punta International Motorcycle Show artist competition in Courchevel, France, and was lucky enough to win an airbrush as a prize for my work. My customisation work up to that point had always been done exclusively with a brush. Since then, I’ve taken an airbrush training course with a fellow painter, Drawpers, to add an extra touch to my work.

I’d also like to expand into leather customisation – and I have plenty of other ideas to continue developing my skills! I’d also like to take the time to expand my training workshops. I held my first class in January 2024, where I taught seven students how to paint helmets with the specific brushes I use, and this first session was a great success. Since demand is high, I plan to organise the next session at the end of 2025, here in Lyon.

Working with Harley-Davidson at the Euro Festival was a wonderful experience. Painting live always arouses a lot of curiosity, and I love it because it creates connections and allows people to understand how difficult the work is. Some watch without saying anything, others ask me questions, I’m filmed and photographed, and people come up behind me to follow my brushstrokes. Even though working in these conditions is far from easy for me because of the distractions from the noise, dust and traffic, it is such a rewarding experience every time. I already had the opportunity to work with Harley-Davidson France at the Lyon Motorcycle Show in February, where I customised a tank live, and it went very well. I hope to see you again soon for another Harley-Davidson event!