COLOR essentials

special surface
Plike (from "plastic-like") is designed for the world of graphics and creativity. Rich colors and a special surface treatment gives Plike interesting printing effects that cannot be achieved with uncoated papers. The grade is applicable for the most varied graphic, photographic and technical applications. It is part of the family of Impressive Papers from Gruppo Cordenons, which offer color, texture and special effects.
Contact: www.gruppocordenons.com

colorful since 1914
Rockland Colours is a family of uncoated products by the Cascades Fine Papers Group. They have been made since 1914, and are a sound choice for putting color into most any printed project. The family includes Rockland Covers, Rockland Opaque Colors, Rockland Multipurpose Bond, Rockland Bristol Vellum and Rockland Index. The Fine Papers Group of Cascades manufactures high-end uncoated fine papers, a line of coated papers and labels for glass containers, all of whose content is largely recycled.
Contact: www.cascades.com

eye candy
Smart Papers just unveiled the Kromekote Candy Collection, the largest-ever expansion of its flagship, ultra-premium, cast-coated paper line, and a new swatchbook displays the line's deep colors, foils, metallics and pearls. Smart Papers head Tim Needham says the launch is Kromekote's "most ambitious expansion yet in its 75-year history." Adds director of marketing Tom Kleimeyer, "Kromekote Candy is eye candy for the creative mind." The swatchbook was created by the Kuhlmann Leavitt design firm, which also assisted on development of the product line. "The driving logic was to create a family rich with versatility and relevance," says principal Deanna Kuhlmann-Leavitt. "It has a very usable, sophisticated palette of saturated, vibrant colors that designers can turn to regularly for a variety of clients and industries."
Contact: 800.443.9773 or www.smartpapers.com

restoration hardware
Microtek's ScanMaker i900 uses DIGITAL ICE technology to eliminate almost all physical damage, dust and scratches from prints while it scans. All the while, it is doing some neat color restoration, as well. The scanner is also characterized by great depth and clarity, a large-size scan bed and many other professional attributes.
Contact: www.microtekusa.com

copy paper is an original
Mohawk Color Copy is a new breed of paper engineered to optimize print engine performance and stand apart from others on the market. Four products - a premium color copy paper, a high volume version, a recycled and a gloss - feature Mohawk's proprietary new Digital Imaging Surface, a unique technology that creates an even, uniform, smooth paper for superior copies with extraordinary toner adhesion.
Contact: 800.THE MILL or www.mohawkpaper.com

all in a flash
Starwhite, Fox River's premier paper line, is adding two new flash colors - Flash Blue and Flash Pearl. Starwhite Flash Colors offer a sparkling sheen for bold statements, while the two-sided application assures even-sidedness and quality performance. The papers are manufactured using organic materials, with no metals or foils used in the formulation.
Contact: www.foxriverpaper.com

more power(book)
Apple's new line of PowerBook G4 notebooks have faster PowerPC G4 processors running at up to 1.5 GHz, faster graphics performance, and a 4x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) for burning professional-quality DVDs - all housed in the aluminum enclosures that have defined the latest generation of PowerBooks. All new PowerBook G4s also come installed with Apple's latest Panther operating system, Mac OS X version 10.3 and AirPort Extreme for wireless networking right out of the box.
Contact: www.apple.com

intelligent tools
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 12 offers intelligent tools that make for fewer steps in the design process, less re-purposing time, faster reviews, better control over the placement of text and objects and more accurate layouts. Built for Windows, the suite includes CorelDRAW 12 for illustration, page layout and vector drawing; Corel Photo-Paint 12 for professional digital imaging; and Corel R.A.V.E. 3 for motion-graphics creation.
Contact: www.corel.com

black inks switch
The Epson Stylus Pro 4000 creates exhibit-quality images with widths of up to 17" and at speeds nearly double that of previous Epson Stylus Pro printers. It features an eight channel printhead and a seven color Epson UltraChrome pigmented ink system that automatically switches between Matte Black and Photo Black inks for optimum print quality on different media surfaces. Senior product manager Mark Radogna asserts the combination of quality, speed and media handling make this a "must-have" designer product.
Contact: 800.GO.EPSON or www.epson.com

easier than ever
A new Product Information Guide from Alcan Composites USA highlights the broad range of graphic display boards available from the company. These include Sintra, Dibond, Gator and Fome-Cor. The guide provides information on sheet construction, colors, gauges, sizes and the like. The piece is part of Alcan's marketing communications program, "It's What Legends Are Made Of - Create Your Own."
Contact: 800.626.3365 or info.usa@alcan.com

constellation jade goes country
CTI Paper USA has added four new surfaces to its Constellation Jade offering. Country, Reptile, Satin and Spring are available in 78 lb. text and 80 lb. cover weights, along with matching envelopes. The grade offers extraordinary options in coated embossed papers. Its surface is derived from a mica based coating that creates a distinctive pearlescent sheen receptive to printing processes. The uncoated reverse side allows for excellent line and half tone reproduction.
Contact: www.thepapermill.com

shimmering specials
The latest innovation in the Zanders ikono product line is "ikono specials," a special-finish paper with a pearlescent effect that comes in gold, silver and bronze. The restrained effects present an impact of varying intensity, depending on the person looking at them and the angle of incidence of the light. A sample book for designers is available.
Contact: 800.827.8053 or www.ikono.de

he's back
Due to the success of the 2003 Wally Awards, Yupo Corporation recently launched the 2004 Wally Awards. The program, open to both North and South American designers, recognizes design achievements on YUPO synthetic paper. Winners will receive a cash prize of $1,000, a copy of the Adobe InDesign CS software and a customized Wally Award statue designed by illustrator Bill Mayer.
Contact: www.wallyawards.com or 888.USE.YUPO 

textures redux
Wausau Papers adds an 100 lb. cover stock to its Royal Linen line of premium textured papers. The heavyweight, acid-free newcomer comes in four colors - Black, Burgundy, Emerald Green and Midnight Blue - and is suitable for folders, covers, cards and promotions. Says Charlie Peth, vp of sales and marketing, Wausau is noticing both a trend toward dark colors and the return of textures: "Textured papers ... have enjoyed a steady following for certain projects, but it's been some time since we've seen wide demand. Now, texture, along with deep, rich color, is hot."
Contact: www.wausaupapers.com

that's cool
Nikon's Super Coolscan 9000 ED film scanner is engineered to meet the exacting standards of imaging professionals, and to handle a broad range of film formats, including 35mm and 120/220. True 4,000 dpi optical resolution, 16-bit A/D conversion of input signals and a 16-bit output combine to deliver brilliant, color-true images, while a broad dynamic range reveals fine details. The scanner also features the powerful Nikon Color Management System and Digital ICE4 Image restoration capabilities.
Contact: www.nikonusa.com

powerful proofing
Enhanced versions of EFI Designer Edition 4.0 and EFI Photo Edition 4.0 become available this month. These sophisticated proofing and color management software solutions feature EFI's Best technology. Both products also feature a new cross Mac OS X and Windows operating platform, plus support for HP's CMYK plus standard and JDF support. Accordingly, they offer powerful proofing solutions capable of optimizing almost any workflow.
Contact: www.efi.com/essential or 800.875.7717

fast times
The Xerox Phaser 7750 color laser printer produces 35 pages per minute in black and white, and is just as fast in color. A sophisticated color management system and a printing capacity of up to 11" x 17" full bleed make it an ideal color tabloid offering for design firms, ad agencies, corporate and publishing inhouse departments and more.
Contact: xerox.com or 877.362.6567

answer packs
A recently introduced series of Domtar Answer Packs reference guides will educate designers about the company's products and stimulate their creativity by demonstrating the colorful yet
cost-effective results achievable with Domtar text and cover papers. Available to designers and printers, the three packs released thus far are On Color, On Texture and On Dots.
Contact: 800.6.DOMTAR or
www.domtar.com