With landmark builds like “Jade Idol” and “Solar Scene,” Gene’s popularity blew through the roof. He is responsible for creating one of the most wild and innovative styles in paint and bodywork.
These two builds featured a paint technique that would eventually be crowned the Gene Winfield Fade. This technique produced the perfect blend between colors and a style that appears to be out of this world.
In 1957, Winfield invented the idea of blending candy paints together. This style has become the bread and butter of Gene’s career.
Catching international attention, Gene has been flown all over the world to lay his unique and eye popping paint. The unique blends have been able to stand the test of time, being sought after 50 plus years since its debut. Many of today’s kustoms feature some sort of variation or application of the Winfield Fade.
The process of the Winfield Fade involves a keen eye for detail. Showing any knick or dent in the body work, it requires nothing short of perfection. By laying a lighter base coat of pearl, Gene accents the bodylines with a darker candy and fades into the simple areas of the car. Relying on light to express the beauty of accent lines, the paint seems to pop out, leaving its spectators in awe of the glory of this truly unique paint job.
Without a doubt the Winfield Fade is one of the most recognized and sought out paint jobs even to this day.
At the young age of 86, Gene is still heavily involved in kustom culture. He is still flown out to demonstrate the unique process of his paint and metal work. Always willing to lend his knowledge to the present day youth, Gene expresses to everyone that, “everyday is a school day.”