To help mark the centenary of the First World War, 1418 NOW asked digital print specialists PressOn to wrap an entire former Royal Navy warship, HMS President, in dazzle-print camouflage vinyl. The ship’s design was created by Tobias Rehberger, one of the most respected European artists of our generation.
The ship is berthed by Victoria Embankment on the Thames and has become a popular tourist attraction and local landmark. PressOn worked closely with the artist’s studio and design team, advising on artwork, materials and installation, which involved printing 2,000 sq. m of polymeric multi-fix vinyl.
It was essential to protect the print and vinyl from the harsh Thames-side environment. To achieve this, PressOn chose a Landor protective coating, which significantly increased print durability and UV resistance.
Installing vinyl on the Thames, with rising and falling tides, was a logistical challenge involving many 3am starts in the cold and dark. A small vessel circled HMS President at low tide so the installers could fit and heat the vinyl and smooth it across the irregular surface of the hull. Twelve installers took 10 days to complete the job. PressOn has years of experience with Landor protective coatings and has used them on many diverse, everyday applications.
A protective coating was the perfect complement to the whole project and gave PressOn complete confidence during and after such a challenging installation.
