How was this done?!?

[TyrantDesigner]

It's a digitally printed plywood panel with a wooden french cleat on the back ... only it's smooth like it's coated but the black is printed on the front, sides and back ... I was thinking this was a pre cut, sanded and coated but the seemless side and back printing are throwing me for a loop. I know the printing was done with a flat bed, maybe the black was covered with a different stage then all the panels with that cream coating are left just a square to be printed?

I don't see too much of this going on, so yeah ... is there a company that is specializing in this, or something special to do this? I've seen similar done to mdf and pre coated panels, but not marine grade ply. and the sides are usually painted afterwords or had a laminate border glued to the surface of the sides.

 

[MikePro]

there's youtube vids out there that show how you can transfer the ink from a photo to a wood surface using various methods:
for example (link)

 

[TyrantDesigner]

those mostly revolve around the surface being open to absorb the image or with it using a medium to capture the image ... this was coated and was obviously a direct print on a coated surface with the front sides and back either coated black (with a mask to make the print area) or done all at once. I know it wasn't a hand process because all 30 panels were exactly the same black border, risers and back with the same print area and the only difference was the images. I'm more concerned with the coating and if anyone has an idea on this because it was rather unique. it's almost like an enamel but didn't have any of the paint qualities you would expect (subtle rippling from the spray particles for example) and you could still see the wood grain on the top of the ply. The quality of these panels were extremely high for how minimal they were. At a chili's none the less. either that or I'm completely missing something. That and how they got the black to look like it was printed/painted on the surface to avoid either a lip from a paint mask or how they were able to get the sides and back with the same coating without that distinct painted edge look (little overlaps on the edges) or over spray on the piece if it was done all as one big panel, then cut down and the backs and sides coated to match the front border.



I know of 3 ways I would do something like this, but none that would achieve the look of these panels as each one would be able to produce an undesired quality in the work with such a minimal substrate.

 

[SignManiac]

Do you have a larger image than that. I can't see enough detail to offer any suggestions. My eyes are crap.