Australian first - Grafico wraps Porsche Taycan Turbo Electric and creates a unique NFT (Non-Fungible Token)

This article first appeared in the Oct issue of Digital Image Magazine

In a unique collaboration with contemporary artist Nigel John Sense – Porsche Australia commissioned a bespoke Australian artwork to create a one-of-a-kind NFT auction, celebrating Porsche’s 70 years in Australia. The Grafico team was chosen to turn the 2D artwork into a digital print wrap applied to the latest electric Taycan Turbo.

A 'flat' artwork file was supplied to the design team; the challenge was to conform the artwork around a 3D object; being the Porsche Taycan. The team spent many hours ensuring each panel lined up seamlessly with the next as the elements in the artwork had to flow around each other to ensure there were no harsh lines. Damian Corney, Managing Director of Grafico Group, says they even wrapped the wheel inserts.

Grafico printed the artwork using an Avery Dennison digital print wrap film with gloss laminate on the new HP Latex 800.

Custom wraps that involve artwork are not a simple print and apply, as they would be with flat colour or single panel. The process requires a sizeable amount of time dedicated to artwork and design, ensuring boards and graphics line up appropriately. The Grafico team worked tirelessly to make the printed panels perfect.  Following careful design and rework, the auto team took over carefully applying the panels. A few panels had to be redone in the process, as the auto team were not happy with the alignment, a testament to their attention to detail and industry knowledge.

The finished wrap had to have a “painted on” effect per the client’s requirements, and this detail can be seen in the front and rear of the car, where the elements, like the hand lines, flow seamlessly into each other.

Both the client Porsche Australia and all the artists involved were extremely pleased with the result. 

The finished wrap was photographed to create three unique digital works of art in the form of multimedia photographs. In collaboration with the German NFT collectibles start-up Fanzone.io, the three unique photos were certified as Non-Fungible Tokens. A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, that certifies a digital asset to be unique and, therefore, not interchangeable. NFTs can be used to represent items such as photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files.

The three unique artworks created from the wrapped Porsche were auctioned on SuperRare.com, a digital art marketplace using Ethereum technology.

The net auction proceeds were donated to the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), which plays an inspirational and critical role in investing in the artistic and wider communities.