Robb Ortel is an American artist best known for his work as the in-house airbrush artist on the reality television show American Chopper on Discovery where he is known for his unapologetic candor and never being afraid to speak up for what he is passionate about: high quality art.

Early Life: Robb Ortel was born in Bronx, NY, the son of artist and retired FDNY firefighter Peter Ortel and artist Madelyn Ortel. He started drawing as soon as he was able to pick up a pencil. As a child he quickly began creating comic book superheroes in the styles of DC and Marvel, an influence he attained thru his father, who himself, as a boy dreamed of being a comic book artist.

By 16, Ortel started his first business, custom painting denim and leather jackets.

Early Career: He spent the first 15 years of his professional career working along side his father, who had built a reputation as one of the finest gold leaf artists in the United States and Canada, mostly lettering, scroll work and striping of fire trucks. As the father and son business and reputation grew, so did the demand for Robb’s airbrushed mural work, incorporating caricatures of fire department mascots and realistic murals into the gold leaf emblem work. He quickly expanded his work to motorcycles, cars and trucks.

After several opportunities throughout the United States to be an “in-house” artist for several reputable companies, in July 2008 Ortel joined forces with Orange County, New York resident Paul Teutul Sr., owner of Orange County Choppers. His airbrushed artwork can be seen on hundreds of motorcycles built by OCC on their reality TV show American Choppers. In 2011 Robb was featured , when asked by Tuetul to design a futuristic styled motorcycle for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The finished bike proved once again his diversity as an artist.

While still working full time for OCC, in early 2012 Robb started his own business called Rotten Icon, a horror themed apparel line emblazoning horror-styled artwork developed by Robb, himself, in which he has created zombie caricatures from live models and pop icons from the past and present.

Robb Ortel is currently in the process of taking his brand world wide and is in the pre-production stages of his art-themed reality show, Robb Ortel’s Art Attack.

http://www.facebook.com/RobbOrtel
http://www.robbortelstudios.com/