One of the most interesting aspects on a recent visit to Barcelona was talking to people who are actually using HP's latex printing technologies for work away from the usual remit of sign-making and display production. These folk are outside the conventional channels for digital print yet they demonstrate clearly how wide-format ink-jet is now being used by creative companies and individuals as a valuable tool for innovative design.

In her blog this week, Laurel has outlined many of the areas where latex printing technologies can help in different sectors of the graphic arts industry, but there is every reason to extend the use of these systems beyond the more traditional parameters. As such, increasingly we're seeing talented individuals and businesses turn to flexible digital means to make their creations reality.

Jonas Bendiksen's exhibition, 'The Places We Live', featured life-sized prints output on HP Designjet latex printers

I remember fairly early on in the days of latex technology reading about, and seeing, a fascinating application which certainly extends the boundaries of what can be produced. When Magnum photographer Jonas Bendiksen wanted to create an exhibition called 'The Places We Live', which recreated the living rooms of families from the slums of Jakarta, Mumbai, Nairobi and Caracas, he produced his life-sized prints on HP Designjet latex printers so that he could incorporate portability and durability as well as depict vivid colour and realistic images.

Since then, there have been other applications of note based on photographic and fine art skills demonstrating the ability to output large prints which can be used indoors and outside. One notable example was the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) which, during its 75th anniversary celebration, created an outdoor exhibition, called 'MNAC Takes the Streets', that featured reproductions of works of art produced on HP Designjet and Scitex latex printers.

With this type of creative tool on tap, it's not difficult to see why interior designers are another group turning to latex printing technologies to produce concepts and applications which can be generated from a single machine onto a variety of roll-fed materials. And these can range from banner scrims and canvases through to textiles, extending the use of this type of production across to innovative applications which are a vital part of the design remit and enable experimentation without huge financial penalty and waste.

Design wears many hats, but the fact that it incorporates a strong mix of colour and image use, as well as photographic elements, makes digital generation of concepts a valuable asset. Yes, this has always been possible using other ink technologies, but the versatility of latex technology across so many different types of media is now proving it can bring new levels of flexibility to all areas of the creative world.