RA Smart, the exclusive UK reseller of the HP Stitch dye sublimation printer series, recently worked with Thames Festival Trust on a project which saw school pupils produce printed flags in partnership with other children around the world.
Using an HP Stitch S1000 the UK schools worked with counterparts in Ethiopia, Morocco, Lebanon, India, Tanzania and Sudan to produce artwork inspired by rivers in the UK and abroad.
In previous years the Rivers of the World pieces were printed only onto rigid boards for public display but for 2020, inspired by previous work using flags as her medium, project leader and artist Shona Watt commissioned RA Smart to print six flags using the HP Stitch.
HP Stitch uses dye sublimation technology designed specifically for wide-format textile applications including interior décor, sportswear and fashion, and soft signage.
‘Digital printing creates such brilliant detail,’ said Ms Watt, who has been the lead artist on Rivers of the World since its inception 16 years ago. ‘I’d never seen that before we saw the samples from RA Smart. The colours are incredible.
‘Printed on boards, art pieces look the same as on a computer screen, but on flags the colour is on both sides, the light comes through and there is movement. I’ll have to use digital printing for flags in my own work!’
