What can’t you make with a Roland device? That’s the question many visitors will ask when they experience the Roland DGA Creative Center located at the company’s headquarters in Irvine, California. This recently updated gallery of innovative applications includes hundreds of exhibits celebrating the imagination of Roland professionals from around the world.
The Roland DGA Creative Center brings together the work of Roland customers focused on a wide range of creative disciplines, including screen printers, sign makers, label makers, fabric decorators, interior designers, product designers, fine artists, package designers, engravers, jewelry makers, vehicle graphics designers, movie and television set designers and others.
“The words ‘imagination’ and ‘Roland’ go hand in hand, and today, more than ever, our Creative Center showcases the sheer imagination and amazing craftsmanship of Roland customers,” said Dave Goward, president and CEO of Roland DGA Corp.
Recent additions to the Creative Center include “Roland at Work” and “Roland at the Movies” exhibits.
The new “Roland at Work” exhibit (pictured above) showcases some of Roland’s most advanced inkjet, engraving, vinyl cutting and 3-D technologies, including a floor wrap completely printed with Roland metallic silver ink. Featured exhibit items include real-world examples of UV-printed package prototypes created by Lava Partners of Irvine, California, 3-D milled items and engraved awards, gifts and glassware produced by Roland designers and production experts, and a series of personalized watches produced on the MPX impact printer by Montrehologramme of Quebec, Canada.
As the primary seating area for company guests, the exhibit also features a collection of custom designed faux-leather chairs printed on a Roland VersaUV LED inkjet printer/cutter. Wall graphics and wraps surround the area, designed by local Southern California artists and brought to life by Roland vinyl cutting and metallic silver inkjet printing technologies. A wrapped Greek-inspired column produced by 858 Graphics of San Diego, California, adds texture and interest.
The new “Roland at the Movies” exhibit features the graphics of Martin T. Charles, owner of SagaBoy Productions and one of Hollywood’s foremost film graphic designers. The exhibit includes a video kiosk where guests can view film clips and images of Martin’s work from popular movies, including Miami Vice, Public Enemies, Charlie Wilson’s War, and Leatherheads. Replicas of the film sets are also featured, including a wrapped art deco elevator from the Leatherheads set and faux marble walls from the 1930s bank décor featured in Public Enemies.
A counter display features movie posters produced by Luma Brite™ of Ormond Beach, Florida, combining Roland inkjet prints with Luma Brite’s illumination technology. Additionally, AoSA of Huntington Beach, California, created sublimated theater drapes designed by Roland’s creative team.
In addition to these two new exhibits, existing Creative Center exhibits have been expanded with important new graphics including, most notably, an authentic Roland drum set that has been colorfully wrapped by Iconography of Los Alamitos, California, as well as an official Richard Childress Racing NASCAR #29 Budweiser car hood, printed with Metallic Silver Eco-SOL MAX ink.
All together, the U.S. gallery is divided into five themed sections and includes more than 100 exhibit items. The centerpiece, a twenty-foot replica of the 1895 Otto Lilienthal flying machine, hangs from the ceiling and features full-scale fabric wings printed on a Roland AdvancedJET grand-format inkjet printer. The gallery is part of an international network of Roland Creative Centers, with additional venues in Japan, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Australia. An online tour of the Creative Center gallery is available via webcam at www.rolanddga.com/gallery/creativeCenter.
Local Southern California residents, schools, organizations and businesses can schedule a tour of the Roland Creative Center by contacting Roland Public Relations at [email protected].
Roland users everywhere are invited to submit samples of their work for inclusion in the U.S. Creative Center. Please send photos to [email protected].
For more information on Roland products, call 800/542-2307 or visit www.rolanddga.com.
