Road markings in the UK are pivotal to ensuring that organisation, safety and guidance are maintained. They are there to ensure you are driving on the right side of the road for one. Whether using paint, MMA, thermoplastic, preformed, hand mould or machine, there is an unusual beauty of marking being put down by a trained professional….a lost art form if you will.
A recent short movie launched in the middle of last year highlights a day in the life of Tommy “Tam” Lilley, who has been painting letters on Scotland’s roads for 18 years. Normally something a day to day user takes for advantage, this video gives an insight of just what goes into the process. What’s more impressive and a skill that has taken years to master is the ability to do this all free hand using a hand mould and the letters to look the same. You can watch the short clip below.
O Street the creators of the video decided to create a film about the process after commissioning Tam and his colleagues to create a bespoke font for the studio. The font – which includes a full alphabet, punctuation marks and alternative characters – now appears on O Street’s website, stationery and communications as part of a new visual identity.
With so many systems and variations to use for line marking it is mostly down to the skill of the user as to what they are able to use with different features and benefits selected with the chosen material. High solid paints for example often yields a greater quality finish something Meon Explored in WHAT ARE THE SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES WITH HIGH SOLID PAINTS? faq earlier this year.
I Can’t Do That!
And for those who still are looking for a high-quality finish but without the skill set to match there is still hope! The use of high-quality stencils is often used to ensure that the laying of the paint is generally error proof.
The adoption of machinery in the industry has also made the art of hand laid lining and symbols much easier with many airless spray systems both electrical and petrol powered now available. These have greatly improved the abilities of the lesser skilled individual to ensure they are able to deliver a great surface. Recently Meon has worked with a number of in-house contractors to set up line marking teams and empower them to have a great and functional surface, which you can read in our latest case study.
For any further questions regarding line marking paint, systems or help please call: 023 9220 0606 or email mail@meonuk.com
