Business - Applications

 

The new range of paper bags by Pixartprinting is now online - a selection of completely new, highly customisable products from the web to print leader. They are available in different formats and finishes, and are an important promotional tool used widely for branding purposes. Available with a custom or neutral design, the bags are suitable for an incredibly wide range of uses. They have been developed specifically with the marketing needs of the retail, industry and events sectors in mind, and range from ready-made shopping bags, also available in small print runs, to more exclusive, refined products, as well as 100% eco-friendly paper bags.

“Our new shopping bags have been perfected by our R&D department on the basis of the input received from the ongoing dialogue we have with our clients. We have been offering fabric and polypropylene bags for some time, and now, to meet the demands of the market, we are adding new paper ranges, including environmentally-friendly solutions" commented Andrea Pizzola, Sales & Marketing Director at Pixartprinting. "They come either ready-made or customised with your own artwork, using the templates available to download from our website, with all the added value the Pixartprinting service provides: quality, speedy production and customer service".

Four ranges have been developed to meet clients' differing requirements: Express, Premium, Wineline and Eco-giftline. They share the common denominator of high quality printing (offset or flexographic), FSC certified paper and the greatest possible level of customisation. Indeed, clients can pick the format, colour, finish and lamination type of their shopping bags, and choose between string or cotton handles.

• Perfect for carrying anything from small accessories to larger items, the Express range allows clients to choose between four different formats and a range of 12 basic colours for last-minute, tailored solutions, including small print runs.
• Stylish, completely adaptable to match clients' image and customisable on all surfaces, the Premium range is recommended for sophisticated, high-end uses. Three different formats are available, three different types of paper, and matt or glossy lamination. The result is a top-of-the-range promotional item.
• Extremely high quality, elegance and a refined finish are also the hallmarks of Wineline, created especially for bottles of wine and made from superior, durable ribbed paper with a reinforced base.
• For those who care about the environment, Eco-giftline is an eco-friendly solution with strengthened handles and a bottle-friendly shape. Made from 100% recycled, environmentally-friendly Biokraft paper created using select, high quality pulp, the result is a fully recyclable, FSC® certified and compostable product.

 

When Worthing and London-based L&S Display was approached to produce a bespoke graphic application to the outer building of renowned auction house Christie’s, the company responded to the challenge by producing a graphic substrate suitable for application even though both the surface and the finish were far from being typical for digital production print. 

L&S Display’s task was to wrap part of the Christie’s King Street Gallery in central London, working from visuals that demanded a specific type of material with high levels of adhesion for direct application onto the stone surface of the walls as well as onto the pavement. Utilising its many years of experience in the wide-format arena and engaging with its highly skilled technicians the company provided Christie’s with the ideal solution. Using Asphalt Art non-slip media, that conforms perfectly to irregular and rough surfaces, the job brief required a product which offered excellent conformability and strength but was easy to remove when required.

The application was printed on L&S Display’s EFI VUTEk GS2000 2m roll-fed and flat-bed wide-format printer which proved to be the ideal solution for generating the vivid green colour required. Each section was cut to size on the company’s Zünd G3 digital cutter, which incorporates advanced material handling and the right tools for even the toughest of substrate types, leaving a clean edge on the finished application. The bold green visual graphic was produced and installed within very tight deadlines, and performed excellently for the period required.

“Because the building is stone, and we had an extremely tight install time, a conventional brick vinyl was not an option for us as the material would have needed to have been heated in,” explains Adam Broomfield, Sign and Display Sales Manager at L&S Display. “We ran some tests on the Asphalt Art material from CMYUK and, because it adhered very well to the stone fascia and the pavement, it was immediately approved by Christie’s.”

The material was printed using UV-curable inks on the VUTEk GS2000 which, again, demonstrated excellent performance characteristics, before being finished on the company’s Zünd G3 in a variety of required sizes. Installation of the Asphalt Art media was also straightforward, and simply required a squeegee for it to adhere satisfactorily to the stone surface of the wall and to the pavement. 

“This job is a typical example of the sort of challenge where CMYUK thrives on providing innovative solutions, from printer to cutter and to the most suitable materials,” comments Michael Crook, Commercial Director – Consumables Division at CMYUK. “Although this was only a six-day project, it was vital that every part of the job was produced to the highest standards, was able to perform as expected, and was easy to remove without leaving a trace of residue.”

Asphalt Art has been developed as a non-slip graphics material that is ideal for applications which need a durability of up to twelve months. It requires no over-lamination and is thin enough to conform to untreated and rough surfaces including stone, brick and paved areas. Simple and quick to apply, it is also easy to remove, making it a popular choice for events, wayfinding, street art and retail graphics.

“L&S was created in 1981 and, since then, we’ve been busy producing the highest quality print products for leading brands, institutions and the creative industries,” continues Broomfield. “We have successfully evolved into a new breed of communications’ provision offering a full service, end to end solution from creative to production, storage and distribution, plus mail and delivery, also providing a build and installation service for all our client partner’s events and exhibitions.

“Our extensive plant list gives us the capability to produce all of our clients marketing and print requirements in-house under one roof. Built on a reputation for hitting the tightest deadlines, we pride ourselves on delivering products on brand, on time, every time,” Broomfield concludes. “Our obsession with service and the quality of products we provide has led to continuous investment in staff, equipment and technologies.”

CMYUK is the UK’s long-term partner of EFI and the VUTEk GS2000 numbers among the portfolio of the company’s wide- and superwide-format printers that covers widths from 1.6m up to 5m in combination and roll-to-roll options. The company also is a key distributor for Zünd digital cutting solutions as well as products from Mimaki and Vortex. Its growing range of materials includes Asphalt Art media along with A Berger textiles, plus complementary framing systems from Spirit-Tex.

[Photo caption: Christie’s King Street Gallery was partly wrapped for a special event by L&S Display using Asphalt Art, an EFI VUTEk GS2000 printer and a Zünd G3 cutter, all supplied by CMYUK]

In the rapidly growing vehicle wrapping sector, customers are demanding ever-more creative solutions to make a real statement. One small family-run business in the West Midlands has now taken the medium to new heights (quite literally) with investment in a Mimaki JV150-160 solvent printer from Mimaki reseller, CMYuK.

Coleshill-based Sign & Graphics Services offers a full range of wide format print services to the retail, exhibition and sign & graphics industries and in the process has established itself as something of a specialist in out-of-the-ordinary vehicle wraps. Owner Mike Bolton takes up the story: “I set up SGS just over three years ago after many years working in the digital print industry. Whilst we may be relatively small, we’ve carved ourselves a nice little niche in large scale vehicle wraps for the mobile exhibition sector. We’ve completed a number of complete double-decker bus wraps for promotional purposes which present some unique challenges.”

As Mike goes on to explain: “Our real skill lies in having the knowledge and experience to turn a designer's dream and vision into reality. It’s a huge undertaking and preparation and adaptation of design concepts is all part of the process. Experience has taught us little tricks such as where to use Contravision media and where not to and how best to format such large scale graphics.”

All this might seem rather daunting for many other vehicle wrappers, but Mike believes it’s all down to meticulous planning. “We reckon that two of us can complete a full double-decker bus wrap in around four days. Good teamwork and detailed preparation has made us pretty good at what we do,” he muses.

Reliable, high quality print is also at the heart of any great vehicle wrap job and SGS has continually invested in the best wide format kit available. As Mike explains: “I’ve spent a lot of time working with Mimaki kit over the years in different companies and always found it to be reliable and capable of delivering spectacular quality and durable results even when under pressure. I was a big fan of the JV33 and when the new JV150 series was launched I just knew it was worth checking out. I’ve known Robin East at CMYuK for many years. Input and advice from both Robin and Sarah Fenna in demonstrating the new Mimaki was invaluable and led to the purchase of a JV150-160. The colour gamut and resolution even in 4-colour mode is simply stunning and a really critical part of any high impact vehicle wrap – especially when it’s as big as a bus!”

Mike and his team at SGS are now doing more specialist work for the trade and marketing promotions industry and have become so adept at these large scale wraps that they’re getting increasingly involved in complete re-fits and builds. “Using specialist tradesmen such as carpenters and auto-electricians we’re now regularly managing the whole project for clients,” comments Mike. “A double-decker bus promo unit for Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey was a particularly challenging project but as the pictures prove, the results were amazing. Equally, the conversion of a flat bed truck for Continental Tyres used as a promotional vehicle in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup, involved adaptation of original designs, fabrication and a well-executed combination of cut vinyl graphics and digital print”

“Tackling these large scale projects just requires a bit more time and thought in the planning and preparation, but experience has taught me that having the right equipment is also crucial to any successful project. Mimaki kit has always delivered for me, I know I can rely on it and the new JV150 just raises the bar even higher.”

... as high as a double-decker bus perhaps?

[Images show (above) completed bus wrap for Tullamore Dew; and (below) the wrapping work in progress]

Several of the contemporary works on display in this year’s Royal Academy Schools Show have been inspired and created using Epson’s large format printers and projectors. Housed alongside the Schools’ historic studio spaces, the on-site Epson Digital Suite provides students with the opportunity to experiment and create their unique pieces with the very latest Epson digital imaging technology available.

All 17 students have worked with Epson technology at some time during their three years course and it features strongly in several students’ work at the show this year.

Caroline Abbotts combines and collects materials from both the chemical and the natural world to create her installations. She used an Epson large format inkjet printer to produce her Faders series of blue-toned silver gelatin prints imaged by the moon:
 
 
 Josie Cockram works with photographic print, moving images, sculpture and sound. Works on show include her Wanting series of inkjet prints on plywood, produced on an Epson printer:

 
Maria de Lima works across a range of media, spanning painting, video, print and sculpture, pivoted on explorations of colour and perception. Her Triumphal Arch inkjet print was produced on an Epson printer:

 
The only free three-year postgraduate art course in the UK, the RA Schools programme is tailor-made to the individual, affording each artist the space and flexibility to develop their work across a wide range of media. It receives no government funding and relies on the generous support of its patrons and sponsors such as Epson.

Situated at the heart of the Royal Academy, the exhibition is held in the RA Schools’ rarely-seen working studios and provides visitors with a unique opportunity to view exceptional pieces from a new generation of artists. The finished artwork spans a range of media from painting to photography, sculpture, digital print and film.

Mark Hamspon, Head of Materials Processes, Royal Academy Schools, said: “The standard of work produced by the students for their final show is, as always, exceptional and demonstrates the wonderful creative outcomes of the collaboration between the RA Schools and Epson. The purpose-built Epson Digital Suite allows students to experiment with and draw inspiration from the latest digital imaging technologies, often in unexpected and alternative ways, and supports their works across a vast range of media.”

Nick White, business manager, ProGraphics at Epson UK, said: “Epson is very proud to continue its support of the Royal Academy Schools and its new generation of emerging artists. Through our mutually beneficial partnership we are able to offer the students the opportunity to work with Epson equipment and media to develop their creative ideas and produce some visually stunning works.”

Further information:
The RA Schools Show runs until 28th June.
Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. Tel: 020 7300 8000 www.royalacademy.org.uk

A unique request from a unique venue – the ICEBAR in London - has won Willow Graphics the ‘creative use of a substrate’ award at The Print, Design and Marketing Awards held in London last week.

Using the JETRIX KX7 direct to media UV printer, Willow Graphics reverse printed bespoke menus on to 3mm cast acrylic using multiple layers of white ink and varnish to ‘seal in the design' and ensure it could withstand temperatures of -5% all year round.

And it has not stopped there, with this stationary flatbed featuring 6 picoliter head nozzles for razor sharp edge-to-edge HD, even being capable of printing on ice itself, as this video from Willow Graphics shows - https://vimeo.com/125557802

As Ben Woodruff, JETRIX UK Sales Manager says: “We are delighted that Willow Graphics have won this fantastic award, as it demonstrates their capabilities of producing distinctive large format digital printing projects and it really reflects the capabilities of what the JETRIX printer series can achieve.”

Flourishing surface pattern designer and illustrator Rachael Taylor will be in London on Thursday June 25, 2015 to join an impressive speaker line-up at the New Designers exhibition.

Rachael will be joining The Design Trust’s Creative Start-up day, which is a full, information-packed speaker event for recent design and craft graduates during the first week of New Designers. The Design Trust have invited some very successful creatives and experts to take the stage between 10:30am and 4:30pm who will each share their trade secrets.

Rachael will take to the stage at 12:30pm for 30 minutes to deliver her presentation ‘How to make it in the surface pattern design industry‘. Here she’ll share all her top tips, practical advice and story of how she’s made it in this exciting industry.

Rachael took a brave move seven years ago to branch out on her own and has never looked back. She has a bank of inspiring success stories along with a valuable list of things she wished she knew when she first started out. The things Rachael will talk about could save emerging surface pattern designers years of trial and error, money, time and heartache, but also give them insight and the confidence to help them go for it!

Says Taylor: “I am thrilled to have been invited to speak at The Design Trust’s Creative Start-up day this June. It’s going to be an amazing and really informative event and I’m really looking forward to having the opportunity to share my story and meet lots of new creative talent.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some awesome things in my career for which I’m truly thankful. But it’s not always been easy. I want to take this opportunity to share all the things I’ve learned to help others making the journey into this industry stress free, easy and highly rewarding.”

Rachael will be accompanied by her studio manager Kelly Crossley and they'll both be on hand to help answer any questions and review any design work (limited to one per person) presented to them. In addition, other members of the Make it in Design team will also be there on the day to chat about this year’s Summer School, The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design September classes, ways to get involved and how to access all of the amazing resources available to support designers throughout their careers.

Rachael will be sharing the stage with the likes of Lara Watson – editor of popular craft magazine ‘Mollie Makes’, Alison Lewy – founder of the specialist business support agency ‘Fashion Angel’, Anna Denise-Floor – senior market development specialist of ‘Etsy UK’ and many more.

Check out the full speaker line up at http://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk/start-up-day-new-designers-2015-london and to visit the New Designers show website http://www.newdesigners.com 

To find out more about Rachael Taylor visit: www.rachaeltaylordesigns.co.uk and for details about Make it in Design visit www.makeitindesign.com