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September 6, 2013 - UTI Houston Student Wins Best Overall in Mini Hood Contest

Universal Technical Institute Houston student, Gerardo Martinez, is finishing out his coursework at UTI with a lot of color: winning Best Overall on design, color and finish, in the Houston campus Mini Hood Contest.

UTI Houston implemented the Mini Hood Contest in 2010 to put custom paint theories, techniques, methods and design concepts into practical use. Students submit specialty designed mini hoods for a one-day contest voted on by campus staff, faculty and students for a chance to win a variety of prizes including trophies and gift cards. Martinez won for his zombie-inspired work that highlighted his free-hand paint skills.

Martinez grew up in Tampico, Mexico where he learned all about paint and cars from his father. Shortly after his dad moved him Dallas, where he worked three jobs, Martinez discovered UTI and all that it had to offer. With just two weeks left on his apartment lease in Dallas, his father encouraged him to make a leap of faith and visit the Houston campus.

“I decided to go for it,” said Martinez.  “I had nothing to lose and saw UTI as a way to bridge my love of paint, cars and design.”

He started his first class in September of 2012 and has taken 14 classes at UTI’s Houston campus. With just four classes left, Martinez will graduate October 18, 2013.

At first, Martinez did not intend to submit his hood. It wasn’t until the hood was complete and he was encouraged by his classmates that he decided to enter the contest and publicly display his work. Not only did Martinez finish on top, he finished his zombie themed hood in just four days in his Custom Paint course, well before the competition deadline.

“As a zombie fanatic and cartoonist, the design for my hood just came to me as I was drawing, like the rest of my ideas for my artwork do,” said Martinez. “I never use stencils; everything is free drawn.”

“In airbrush, detail is everything,” said fellow UTI student, Dewitt Cooper III. “I also draw and I can tell what it takes to put that kind of detail on a piece of paper, but to put that on a hood… that is talent.”

The hood contest started at a UTI car show in 2010 to add public attraction and to recognize the Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology students. Because of its success, UTI decided to continue with the contest at least twice a year.

“The carrying over of the hood contest from the car shows to our Custom Paint course was designed for the student to be creative in the classroom and showcase their artistic talents,” said Tom Wells, UTI Houston Education Manager. “They are taught various custom painting theories, techniques, methods and design concepts allowing them to learn how metal is formed and the various tools and techniques necessary to accomplish this project.”

Martinez does not plan to keep his hood; he sees it as just another piece of his artwork, nothing out of the ordinary. He wants to give the hood to his niece or donate it back to UTI.

After graduation, Martinez hopes to open up his own shop in Austin or move back to Tampico to work with his dad. He works on cars in his free time, as well and has a ‘64 Volkswagen bus he painted himself and a ‘67 Camaro he is building from the frame up.

To find out more about the Houston campus or the Mini Hood Contest, please visit www.uti.edu/campus-locations/houston.

For more campus news follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/utihouston and on Twitter at @UTITweet.

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