Post by Woody Williams on Aug 31, 2006 8:11:07 GMT -5
Essay on Camouflage
by John Sloan aka Bowriter
From the very first, camouflage was designed for human eyes. Today, only a few patterns have broken the mold and been specifically designed for the eyes of animals. The first to break that mold was ASAT-All Season All Terrain. At the same time and totally separate from ASAT, Predator was under development, the idea of a Wisconsin graphic artist. These two patterns were the first to actually do field testing on animals. They were quickly followed by two patterns that simply used the technology developed by ASAT and Predator to copycat those patterns.
All other patterns were still being designed to appeal to the eyes of specific humans-the hunter. A strikingly smart marketing strategy. It was especially shrewd when it is a fact that all camouflage will work...as will none. If you sit still. The leader at that time, the product thought to be the last word in camo....no longer exists.
When ASAT first developed their 3-D concept, a suit that moved with the wind, as leaves do that was also quickly adapted by other camo companies. Today, it is standard and the standard. A sidebar to the gilly suit, the 3-D suit is cool and comfortable where the gilly suit was not.
The main goal of these early pioneers of camouflage for animals was to develop a pattern that did not blob at a distance and to use colors that matched what animals saw. They looked closely at what Mother Nature used to protect animals that used colorization to hunt or hide. Those animals were tan-brown-black and white. None were green. There were grey shades but the grey shade, in testing, didn’t work under direct sunlight. The tonal “bounce” from material, was too harsh.
And so today, as it has always been, most camouflage is designed for humans. It is designed to appeal to and fool the human eye. The two leaders in the industry actually admit this. And why wouldn’t they. It is the human who buys, not the animal.
And still one fact remains. All camouflage works...and so does none at all. It is the good camouflage that allows you to get away with movement.
by John Sloan aka Bowriter
From the very first, camouflage was designed for human eyes. Today, only a few patterns have broken the mold and been specifically designed for the eyes of animals. The first to break that mold was ASAT-All Season All Terrain. At the same time and totally separate from ASAT, Predator was under development, the idea of a Wisconsin graphic artist. These two patterns were the first to actually do field testing on animals. They were quickly followed by two patterns that simply used the technology developed by ASAT and Predator to copycat those patterns.
All other patterns were still being designed to appeal to the eyes of specific humans-the hunter. A strikingly smart marketing strategy. It was especially shrewd when it is a fact that all camouflage will work...as will none. If you sit still. The leader at that time, the product thought to be the last word in camo....no longer exists.
When ASAT first developed their 3-D concept, a suit that moved with the wind, as leaves do that was also quickly adapted by other camo companies. Today, it is standard and the standard. A sidebar to the gilly suit, the 3-D suit is cool and comfortable where the gilly suit was not.
The main goal of these early pioneers of camouflage for animals was to develop a pattern that did not blob at a distance and to use colors that matched what animals saw. They looked closely at what Mother Nature used to protect animals that used colorization to hunt or hide. Those animals were tan-brown-black and white. None were green. There were grey shades but the grey shade, in testing, didn’t work under direct sunlight. The tonal “bounce” from material, was too harsh.
And so today, as it has always been, most camouflage is designed for humans. It is designed to appeal to and fool the human eye. The two leaders in the industry actually admit this. And why wouldn’t they. It is the human who buys, not the animal.
And still one fact remains. All camouflage works...and so does none at all. It is the good camouflage that allows you to get away with movement.
