Large format graphics transform Phoenix, AZ Art Museum

How do you transform the great hall/gallery of the Phoenix Art Museum into an under-sea environment for a high school Father-Daughter dance? That was the challenge facing the Xavier College Prep Dads’ Club and sophomore class.  They called on Designs Phoenix Signs and Graphics to assist in that endeavor.

Every February, the sophomore class and the Dads’ Club of the top-tier all-girl school in central Phoenix host a very popular event – the Father Daughter Dance. The Dads’ Club is active in the functioning of Xavier College Prep (XCP) in the staging events and activities designed to provide quality time for fathers and their daughters.  As the Club often states, you only get five chances to dance with your daughter:  at her wedding and at the Father-Daughter Dances. Therefore, the dance is a highlight of the year and the décor/environment is a key component to the experience.

There have been many interesting venues for the dance over the years, and one of the most enjoyable has been the Phoenix Art Museum. The main gallery is a massive room with large-scale art and thirty foot ceilings. The goal was to make the room at once impressive in scale and inviting for conversation. Oh, and maintain the theme of “Enchantment Under the Sea”.

The design concept centered on several large edge-lit clear panels printed with underwater scenes in clear vinyl. The panels were complemented with large format graphics printed on matte banner material. The panels were used to separate the dance floor area from the main gallery and provide an under-sea feel, while the 10-foot tall by 12 to 16- foot wide graphics decorated the walls and entrance-reception area. Some of the panels and mural graphics were hung on pipe and drape frames and some were mounted on refreshment tables.  Together, they, along with a computerized light show system created a visually stunning environment for the event.

Designs Phoenix instructed the XCP team to find several suitable pictures for the undersea panels on an internet stock photo website. We then printed the scenes using our HP 25500 latex printer. Since the 25500 does not have white ink, the photos we used were selected to have a minimum amount of white.  The chosen scenes were printed on 3M IJ62 clear vinyl and wet-mounted to Lexan panels. The panels ranged in size from ten feet wide by five feet high to four feet by four feet and were edge- lit to make the graphics come to life for the dance. As the pictures show, the results were spectacular – during the dance set up, several morning museum guests commented on the fact that the panels overshadowed some of the exhibit art.

The large format graphics featured jelly fish, mermaids, and underwater shots of women in long flowing garments. Using Photoshop and our Onyx RIP program, we muted the colors for effect: nearly black and white images with green and blue tinting. These were front lit with blue and green spotlights.

This was a very enjoyable project which went well beyond the typical sign requirement. It allowed Designs Phoenix to exercise its creative side to help XCP put on another tremendous Father-Daughter Dance.