So, like signage we see in market place and highways, coloured patterns have an indelible impact on our psyche. Going by this premise, the Design 99 studio created abstract colour designs on abandoned housed, and claimed that it acted as a deterrent for the vandals and burglars. Mitch Cope, co-founder Design 99 at Detroit, Michigan, has observed that buildings with design pattern were safer from vandalism as compared to those having no such design. Thus black and white geometric distortions, the dazzle camouflage, is a work of art in the same measure as a tool of camouflage in the battlefield of early 20th century. Picasso’s painting of human and animal forms, distorted to the hilt and were yet recognizable. Cubism is an exercise in abstracting a known shape and size. The idea of dazzle camouflage ostensibly came from an art form, cubism, invented by Pablo Picasso around 1907-08. That is, in those days of World War I when weapons were simpler and unsophisticated. The target being visibly different from one on which the enemy had practised in mock drills, proved to be an added challenge in the do-or-die battle situations and proved to be a disadvantage for the German Navy. Hence the boats escaped the enemy onslaught. Variegated shapes and patterns on ships were a positive drag on the aiming exercise of the opponent. The gunners, in some cases, missed the target by as much as 55 degrees. Gunners were directed to aim at these boats and shoot. Some dazzle ships were presented for trial. An experiment on sailing ships did support the idea to some extent. Consequently, they erred in judging the distance of the ship and their gun/cannon fire strayed from the target. Understandably, the new look of allied warships challenged the sensibilities of a naval commander. That is, a ship acquiring a more visible frame, as if to say: here I am, hit me. The very audacity of the idea was a dampener for the enemy. In fact, winning a battle has always involved conning of the enemy in some way or the other. It so enticed Sita that she compelled her husband Ram to get it for her. The reference of a golden deer in Ramayana. Like Horse of Trojan used by the Greeks to enter the city of Troy. There are many references of such out-of-the-box fooling tactics in history. The enemy is momentarily put on the back foot and forced to rethink on the offensive. And that’s quite a gain in battle conditions which call for an unwavering concentration and a cool mind. Hence, the opposite side is bound to be overawed with the spectacle. The new image of the ship would be a sharp departure from the image of it in the enemy’s mind. That would surely surprise, if not shock, the enemy. Given that concealing of sea vessels was not possible, why not make them more prominent over the surface of the water? Prominence would be imparted by painting the body of the ship with myriad shapes and designs in bright colours. So, what could be the possible alternative? An out-of-the-box solution came from British marine painter Norman Wilkinson. Add to this changing colours in the skyline, and it becomes clear that there could be no way out to merge the gross appearance of a boat with the unfolding of colour patterns in its background. Clouds form and disappear, the smoke from chimney leaves a trail which is hard to conceal. But this couldn’t apply to ship floating between skyline and the choppy sea waters. Like a chameleon turning green in green foliage, and brown in a heap of dried leaves. The general rule of camouflage is to blur the distinction between an object and its surroundings. Something had to be done, quickly, to save allied warships. The U boats launched by Germany were capable of navigating below the surface of the water and emerge at a firing distance from the ships of allied forces. The naval battle, then, was more about visual acuity and firing on an anticipated point in the distance. World War I was not the era of guided missiles which can hit moving targets with precision. Conventional camouflage was not tenable for warships Little thought was given to its on-ground efficacy. The idea, called dazzle camouflage, was instantly adopted. Search for their camouflage led to a crazy idea: if you can’t conceal (from the enemy), confuse (the enemy) with paint of colour patterns. The heavy-weight smoke bellowing ships could scare hide between the sky above and the water below. The allied ships, which could only surf on the water surface, became their easy target. During World War I, Germany came up with U boat, the submarine, which could move below the surface of the water. ( Imperial War Museums)ĭodging the enemy in a battlefield is always a strategy of paramount importance. HMS Kildangan with dazzle camouflage, 1918.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |