“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” – Mark Twain
By Pierre-Olivier Esteban, Guest blogger, European TDS/DGS Marketing Director, Canon Europe
Many people have said that the only limit to wide format print is the imagination. And whilst this is absolutely true, perhaps what is needed is something to feed the imagination of printers to help them truly push the boundaries of their capabilities. Unfortunately, the phrase ‘use your imagination’ can actually be quite restrictive if you have no starting point to build upon!
With a blank canvas you can let your imagination run wild; so the ideal place to start is an empty space (or room). This space could be anywhere – an office building, a home, a retail outlet, etc. The challenge you have is to bring that space to life using print in/on everything you choose to fill the room with.
All of the following decorative elements can be created using print and the possibilities are truly endless…
Take a house as an example. Imagine you walk through the front door, over the shiny laminate floor and into a hallway decorated floor to ceiling with bespoke wallpaper. You walk through a living room which features a trompe l’oeil of a beautiful Italian landscape and large personalised glass coffee table displaying framed family photographs. The open plan kitchen/diner has changeable wall coverings, customised tiles, marble worktops, carved wood cupboard doors and a striking glass splashback. On the bedroom walls hang canvas prints and posters, complimenting window graphics and customised floor coverings.
Your imagination needn’t stop at decorative items; functional applications can also be produced using wide format printers (including membrane switches for TV remotes and heating/lighting panels).
The challenge for printers offering wide format services is to maximise the potential of the equipment available and explore application areas that can broaden their portfolio and, ultimately, generate higher margins. Printers need to be inspired to add to the ‘bread and butter’ wide format work they may already be producing on a daily basis (standard display work, for example) and consider more creative ideas that make them the go-to place for innovative ideas. It’s all about making applications that are appealing, accessible and exceptional.
So, if you’re in need of something to fuel creativity, consider that empty space and imagine how it could be filled – or come along to Hall B1, Stand 310 at FESPA Digital 2014 and let us show you how our customers are already reaping the benefits of working with Canon, and how we can help you to push the boundaries with imaginative wide format print.