Though it might seem like a death wish to paint a military ship in whimsical patterns and colors, there's a strategy to dazzle camouflage. It's a form of disruptive camouflage, an example of which can be found in nature on zebras (the animals starkly contrast their tan, grassy surroundings).

Because the colors of the ocean water and the horizon are always changing, blending a ship into the natural backdrop is almost impossible. So WWI ships went the opposite route. Because the ships were painted in disorienting patterns with strange shapes, it made them harder to identify as a target. The somewhat illusionary patterns made it difficult to know which way the ships were sailing, how fast they were going, how many there were, and if they were turning or going straight.