Currently enjoying its 11th season as the official wallpaper product sponsor for popular Channel 9 reality TV show ‘The Block’, renowned design and printing company Grafico has once again helped the contestants deliver against a seemingly impossible challenge. This time the brief was to capture artwork designed by each of the 5 pairs of contestants using Canon imaging technology, digitise and print it as custom wallpaper using a Canon Colorado, all in one ‘mega-day’.
Top left pic shows The Block presenters Scotty Cam and Shelley Kraft with guest judges, Grafico's Damian Corney and Kabinett Studio artists, Melissa MacFarlane
Creative Director and founding CEO of Grafico Group, Damian Corney, says: “Scotty really put both our team and Canon Production Printing’s team to task to make this happen. It was a logistical nightmare, which took months of pre-planning, but in the end everything just worked.” See short video of the logistics here .
Whilst the challenge itself amounted to less than 20 minutes prime-time viewing on TV, this belied the epic logistical feat of transporting and commissioning a Canon Colorado wallpaper printer all the way out to leafy Daylesford in the Victorian countryside, and setting up a ‘pop up’ Grafico studio around it, complete with qualified designers, printer operators and more.
Steven Badger, Head of Sales & Professional Services, Canon Production Printing, adds: “This type of industrial sized printer can take weeks to commission, but our team managed to get it up and running to spec in 24 hours to ensure the printer was ready to go for filming.”
“The pay-off being that the way Grafico and The Block used the Canon Colorado printer really highlights all of the key strengths of its UVgel technology: dimensional stability, repeatability, and durability.”
Even in the high-stress environment of The Block, where construction dust and constant handling are common, the prints remained vivid and scratch-resistant. The printer also ensures dimensional stability, so there are no issues with prints bowing or stretching. Moreover, the durability of the UVgel inks ensured the wallpapers were able to endure the wear and tear on The Block sets without needing to be replaced.
Badger says: “To see the journey from a physical artwork to digitally printed wallpaper within hours was absolutely amazing and this kind of turnaround is only possible with technology like the Colorado.”
Corney adds: “Switching to the Canon Colorado a few years ago was a game-changer for us. The UVgel technology offers superior colour consistency, ensuring that every print, whether produced today or in six months, looks exactly as intended. This level of consistency is crucial, especially when our designs are used across multiple projects.”
"More than this, The Block is all about making fast decisions and executing quickly, so we needed a printer we could depend on for accurate, high-quality results in record times and the Canon Colorado's performance enables us to achieve that."
The challenge itself reflects bigger design trends that Grafico sees gaining traction in the current market, with ‘wallpaper’, according to Damian, ‘enjoying a renaissance’. "We’re seeing a shift from bold, bright tropicals to softer, textured designs like linen-look palms," says Corney. "And classic patterns like stripes and checks are making a comeback too: perfect for those who want to add warmth and interest without committing to a full mural."
He also highlights the increasing demand for customised wall coverings. "No one wants to just pick something out of a catalogue anymore. Clients want wallpapers that reflect their personality or work with the specific tones and colour palette of their room.”
“Seeing what’s possible in customised wallpaper on TV just brings more awareness and interest."
Damian Corney himself, alongside renowned artist Melissa MacFarlane of Kabinett Studio, were guest judges for the DIY Wallpaper Challenge, which was ultimately taken out by House 5 who won a $5000 prize from Grafico and a custom painted mural on one of the walls in the house, from Melissa.
Grafico Group’s online store took off during the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown to become a key part of its business. Fans of The Block are able to purchase the exact designs featured on the show, shipped directly to their doors, whether in Australia, New Zealand or anywhere in the world.
