Aboriginal Art Beautifies Tanker

It’s not every day you pass a fuel tanker that also serves as an art gallery. But when Australian company Centurion Transport contracted aboriginal-owned Red Dirt Transport as part of a 36-month fuel delivery deal, Red Dirt wanted to convey the importance of aboriginal employment and socioeconomic growth. The company, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, commissioned Yindjibarndi artist Allery Sandy to create traditional aboriginal art to embellish three fuel tankers.

Auto-Vision, located in Perth, was brought in to take the 24 x 35-inch canvas created by Sandy and turn it into three 54-square-foot tanker wraps. Accounts Manager Elizabeth Cockell says they had to turn to outside help to create large-format, high-definition scans of the work. The team then used Photoshop to stitch each scan together.

The art was printed on Auto-Vision’s Mimaki JV3-130SL eco-solvent printer using Arlon DPF 6000X film, and laminated with Arlon 3220 gloss wrap laminate. Each tanker took roughly two days for a two-man team to complete the installation – which included removal of previously installed graphics. Signwriter Malcolm Kininmonth says a wet application was used “to maintain a level job down the length of the tank, to prevent stretching with the curve of the tank, and due to the warmer weather during installation.”

“Graphic design programs have become more in-depth, which allows complex designs to be printed and wrapped,” says Cockell. She adds that the shop is seeing more and more demand for high-impact wrap graphics like this one – but of course, customers are also on the hunt for a more economic price.

Check out other vehicle wraps from our Wrap Insanity issue:

Wrapping a 21-Foot Food Truck

‘Ghostbusters’ Meets 3D Printing

A Fiery Wrap for Disaster Relief Agency

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