Wait, you can print that? Five ideas that might surprise you

Print is everywhere but, like anything ubiquitous, we often overlook just how awesome it is. Every year, we offer the latest innovations in large format and flatbed printing technologies that surprise even our print service providers in what they can achieve. And this is great, as it leads to more creative ways to colour our world – from faux leather headboards to fibreglass surfboards! Here are five inspiring ways our customers are using print to make an impact.


Creating custom chic: bespoke printing for interiors

We’ve all been in stores that immediately feel a little special, simply because the surroundings give the impression of an upscale experience. Ida Svenungsson and Anette Bragvin of Fiori, a boutique flower shop in Norway, had a vision which combined modern touches with historical elegance – creating a romantic space, perfect for customers who appreciate the more luxurious things.

But Fiori’s timeless look didn’t take countless hours scouring though antiques stores or scanning catalogues for the perfect wallpaper. Instead, they quickly commissioned a custom glass ceiling design, acoustic panels and even printed mirrors – all produced using our Colorado UVgel roll-to-roll and Arizona flatbed printers.

Livette’s Wallpaper Company in Latvia know this need well – they’ve been creating special wallpapers for homes and businesses all over the world since 2014, speeding out designs on their Colorado M-series M5 printer to keep up with changing fashions. And it’s easy to take inspiration from Fiori and Livette’s if you want to quickly refresh the look of your own home. Use a beautiful photo to print cushion covers or add unique flourishes to furniture. Design your own wallpaper – even tiles.

Finding beauty in light: printed glass and stained-glass effects

Stained glass is beautiful and timeless, but anyone who has ever seen it being crafted knows the process can be lengthy. So, many are turning to print to achieve this classic and desirable look, and Printerior in the Netherlands is on hand to turn ideas into reality.

But you’d be forgiven for being taken aback by the speed at which they can produce a stained-glass effect using a Canon Arizona printer. First the colour on the glass is printed onto the back of polycarbonate, followed by the surface to give the look and feel of ‘leading’ before being trimmed to size.

Overall, it looks fantastic, but there is also an additional benefit for any budding interior designer – adaptability. Because while an effective talking point, it’s also a stylish way to let light into a room, making it increasingly popular in homes and entertainment spaces. And because it’s printed glass, it can even be used in more unusual places. Imagine a ‘stained glass’ shower door?

Taking to the streets: vehicle wraps and graphics

Buses, taxis, lorries, carnival floats, even classic cars… any vehicle that needs a big message or a splash of vibrant colour can be transformed with a printed wrap. It might seem like a huge and complicated task to cover an entire vehicle, but our latest technology makes it surprisingly fast.

Companies, like Mellink Advertising and Spectrum Reclame in the Netherlands are experts in these rapid transformations, using the Colorado printer and its unique UVgel technology to print wraps that dry incredibly quickly. Their technicians then lay them smooth over cars, buses and lorries before sealing them in place with a simple heat gun. It’s a wonder to watch – you’d never believe that a vehicle could be transformed into a bright and moving billboard or a moveable work of art so quickly!

Bridging the gap between artifacts and modern audiences: digital print reproductions

All over the world there are ancient artifacts and fragile works of art, safely stored away, touched only by trained professionals. While necessary for their preservation, we now have the power to bring these extraordinary objects to the wider world, and our customer, Factum Arte, has been at the forefront of using technology in art and conservation.

Their two specially modified Arizona flatbed printers are regularly used to make touchable replicas of objects and paintings for museums and galleries all over the world. Like their facsimile of Rembrandt’s Portrait of an Elderly Man, which was commissioned by the Netherland’s Mauritshuis for both research and educational purposes.

Our technology is also being used to create a contemporary take on a well-established technique – but one that is notorious for being one of the most demanding in the industry. Lenticular art is where, using a fine, overlaid lens, a flat picture changes, moves or look three dimensional as you walk past it, and it requires nothing short of absolute precision and accuracy to print.

Slovenia’s Lenticular Planet are experts in this challenging field and they use our imagePROGRAF PRO printers to create stunning designs for luxury fashion brands, as well as works that have been exhibited at two juggernauts of the world’s art institutions – the Louvre and the Venice Biennale.

It’s making the world a better place: tactile, elevated print

In cities all over the world, blind and partially sighted people are beginning to feel the effects of combining tactile print with technology, whether it’s in very practical day-to-day ways, such as navigating a city, or in the ability to enjoy experiences that may not have always been readily available.

Our own initiative, World Unseen, saw us work with famous cultural institutions, sight loss charities, world-renowned photographers, respected medical experts, experienced accessibility consultants and, of course, those with sight loss, to understand how to take this further. Together, we demonstrated how elevated print, produced on the Arizona printer with PRISMAelevate XL technology, could not only make art more accessible for everyone, but how it can be introduced into the everyday – for example, by making ultrasounds touchable for expectant parents.

In a world that feels increasingly digital, it’s good to remind ourselves of the colour and value that print can bring to everyone’s lives – whether it’s a more enjoyable shopping experience, conserving our most precious art or finding new ways to create greater accessibility, print never fails to surprise.