In the History of Automotives, the function and form have been in a lot of debate in regards to petrol heads and the makes and models of choice but over time the aesthetics have always been in the forefront of customizations and marketing. In today’s market and futuristic airfoil lines, the form aesthetic customizations are endless- whether you’re looking for a sleek restoration or a rusted, beat-up sleeper. In this article, we’re going to explore the art of the pinstripe and how these sleek lines have accented your favorite models over the years.
Dictionary.com defines pin striping as “a very thin stripe, especially in fabrics. [and/or] a pattern of such stripes”; now we are all familiar with the pattern used on vehicles applied with paint or adhesive vinyl and made to enhance the feature of the vehicle body or create a freestanding design to make your vehicle stand out from the crowd. The history of pinstriping has essentially been around since the time of the ancient Egyptians where they used the idea of pinstriping for making ‘decorative line art'(Boddington, 2018). Essentially the same fundamental concepts for the idea to decorate, design, and fill negative space.
During the industrial revolution, the pinstripe was used for numerous things from signage to furniture and even on horseless carriages and early automotive. The transition to the automotive design industry became a staple from the Ford Model T to today’s modern vehicles.
After WWII American Auto Industry soared to new heights of success and innovation as the rationing of goods was done and American’s were allowed to spend freely. Mass production of the automobile began and consumers and America found a love for the industry. Manufacturers were coming up with new designs, shapes, and models to keep up with the demand and so began the automobile customization and Hot Rod Culture-consumers began creating their own modifications.
As the culture of modification grew so did the want for more personalization. Pioneers began to use these vehicles as canvases creating amazingly intricate designs on fenders to keyholes, “…[In] the late 50’s/ early 60’s, If you built a hot rod, it’s had stripes…”(Andy Kawahara). As the years went on the love for massive intricacies of pinstriping faded and the simplistic aesthetic came back to the forefront mimicking their predecessors.
With the advances in today’s technology the art of pinstriping also advanced with precision cuts and long-lasting vinyl! With less time and effort and the ability to use different finishes and custom patterns; the industry took by storm as the long-lasting solution to hand painting signs and pinstriping. Still, a valued skill, the art of hand-painted pinstriping is always an amazing craft with an everlasting finish but if you’re looking for a quick and fully customizable design vinyl as a great option.
At The Car Salon, we have all the tools, resources, and specialists with the ability to serve Calgary Alberta to do any auto body customization. Whether your looking to create an adventure mobile with some customized decals to personalize your ride or simply accentuate your bring to life the sleek vision for your ride we have everything you need to do it! Located in the North-East quadrant of Calgary AB (1725 32 AVE NE Calgary AB Canada) The Car Salon has been serving Calgary since 1998 and Calgary’s trusted source and one-stop-shop “For Everything Automotive”. Call today and request an appointment!
