Coatings specialist steps in and dazzles

World-class coatings manufacturer Sherwin-Williams stepped in to help the celebrations to commemorate a First World War milestone by donating a specialist coating product as part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

To mark the Battle of Jutland, the vessel TSMV Fingal was painted in similar special ‘dazzle’ design, which replicated the designs of the war to help camouflage ships around British waters.

The exercise was repeated using Sherwin-Williams’ C530 range of products on the vessel to help with protection in marine environments with excellent durability.

The Turner-nominated artist Ciara Phillips was commissioned by Edinburgh Art Festival and 14-18 NOW, as part of the EAF 2016 Commissions Programme, with the vessel being towed from Leith to South Queensferry as part of the celebrations. Using strongly contrasting blocks of colour, stripes and curves, Dazzle Ships transformed vessels into a confusing array of shapes, making it difficult to gauge a ship’s direction or speed.