Throughout a career of T-shirt airbrushing that began in 1961, Tom Davison has airbrushed more shirts than anyone else on the planet.

Imagine, if you will, a world without imprinted shirts, no Mickey Mouse, no professional sports logos, no funny sayings or iron-ons. From out of that void in the mid-1950's, Ed Roth created the very first "statement" T-shirts by airbrushing hot rod caricatures for car club members in Los Angeles.

Simultaneously, Roth became famous worldwide by creating hand sculptured fantasy hot rods and in 1960 toured car shows nationwide showing them and airbrushing. When Roth wheeled into Kansas City, towing his show car with a pink 50' Caddie, a 16 year old, Tom Davison was there to help him unload it. Tom hung out at his booth fetching hot dogs and watching him airbrush. When Roth returned the following year in 1961, Tom had a booth, an airbrush and was attempting to give him some competition. Roth generously gave him pointers and helped Tom get his start.

Tom along with other Midwestern painters, such as Stan Miller ("Mouse"), Russ Rauch ("The Roach"), Vern Holoubek and Stan Peterson began their own car show and state fair T-shirt airbrushing circuits. These artist's not only created contemporary T-shirt airbrushing, as we know it, but were actually the seeds of the entire imprinted sportswear industry.

For instance, Russ Roach and Stan Peterson went on to own and operate "Roach Transfer Company", which was the largest manufacturer and marketer of T-shirt iron-on transfers in the world during the late 1960's, all of the 70's and early 80's.

Vern Holoubek founded Holoubek Studios, which was also among the largest iron-on transfer manufacturers in the world. Tom Davison created the artwork for both of these company's first transfer designs ever marketed.

These are the men who brought the imprinted T-shirt to the masses the world over.

Tom's the only founding father to be working today. Along the way, he's endeavored in several related fields. He's published over 150 designs as iron-on transfers, including the original Roach line. He created Air Waves, a stencil / transfer method, which morphed into the world's largest transfer company. While doing all over custom car paint jobs, he won a record 15 consecutive best paint awards on the National World Of Wheels circuit in 1970.

In 1973, he created Shirtman, the nation's first mall T-shirt shop chain. His KC Sportswear was one of the earliest blank T-shirt wholesalers doing business in all 50 states. He was according to Airbrush Action Magazine, the head instructor at the first Orlando Get-A-Way in 1989. But, he always returns his focus to airbrushing. He's overseen the design, construction and merchandising of 8 West Coast Airbrush Stores, including his own 3 store operations in Phoenix area malls.

Tom has spent 40 years gathering the best, most expedient design concepts into his current line and as you will see in his two West Coast Design Portfolios, his specialties are fast, easy money making designs and his first love, airbrush lettering.

On one hand, his unique style is influenced by nobody, it developed before anyone else came along. But on the other hand, after his style was formed, he picked up flourishes from the myriad of artists he's worked with, a virtual who's who of T-shirt airbrushing today.

Even the most experienced T-shirt professional will learn time saving, money making, style enhancing tips from his first two Design Portfolios and his Custom Car Transfer Package.

To see the history of Tom Davison in pictures, and indeed, t-shirt airbrushing itself, we invite you to click the button below.