Glass Magazines’ weekly feature “Great Glazing” takes a look at thirteen digitally printed glass panels depicting the history of basketball. This aesthetically seamless glass mural is installed at Kansas University.

These 13 panels were set up in sequence for final internal inspection. This glass mural is a digitally-printed depiction of the history of Kansas University Basketball.

FROM THE ARTICLE

The basics:  A glass mural, measuring 66 feet-1-inch wide by 12 feet -4-inches tall, depicts the history of basketball at Kansas University. Made from thirteen digitally printed panels, the wall serves a functional and aesthetic purpose as a decorative guardrail. The laminated panels present a series of high-resolution images that appear as one seamless, long mural.

The players: Design, Ralph Appelbaum Assoc.; contract glazier, Kennedy Glass; glass manufacturer, Pilkington; interlayer supplier, Kuraray America; glass fabricator, AGNORA; digital printer, Dip-Tech

The glass and systems: The history of basketball is presented on the panels and includes text that needed to be as legible as any other print medium. AGNORA manipulated the client’s raw files to produce accurate images. Extensive testing using traditional litho-print methods translated to digital ceramic ink helped create opaque, dark rich colours and white text. Printing spot ink and mixed ink colors together presented additional challenges.

As images carried across the panels, alignment was critical to the fabrication process as was ensuring the accuracy of Kansas University’s team colors. The panels, fabricated using Pilkington Optiwhite glass with interlayers from Kuraray Trosifol, were sized to 1/16 inch and pre-washed to ensure a spotless printing surface.

The client had a limited budget for the project demands and AGNORA responded by creating a more efficient testing process that involved producing samples and shipping them to the client. Every image was manipulated in Photoshop and individually tested on small sample glass before final files were prepared for full-size production. That process eliminated waste, ensuring accuracy and client satisfaction.

Learn more about the Kansas University glass basketball mural here