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Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Technology & Products
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Avatrex Transportable Imaging Receives 2012 InterTech Technology Award

Avatrex Transportable Imaging was named as a recipient of a 2012 InterTech Technology Award that judges selected for being truly innovative and for the significant impact the technology is expected to have on the graphic communications industry.

Award winning product for the graphic arts industryAvatrex Transportable Imaging is a thin, multi-layer coating with built-in adhesive and protection properties that can be printed with a variety of print platforms and transported to practically any surface.

Printing Industries of America recently selected 12 technologies to receive a 2012 InterTech Technology Award from a variety of technology nominations ranging from digital presses and related enhancements to a variety of mobile and Web-based software for the printing industry.

“The judges were impressed with Avatrex’s remarkable versatility – it can produce high quality images with most printing processes and bond to virtually any surface,” said Dr. Mark Bohan, vice president, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “The coating technology that underlies Avatrex allows images to be used in ways previously not thought possible.”

Avatrex Transportable Imaging works across a variety of print platforms, including virtually all digital and traditional print methods: offset, flexo, screen printing, inkjet (aqueous, latex, solvent, low-solvent and UV-curable) HP Indigo and dry toner systems.

New technology for the sign and graphics market
Thomas Reprographics used LexJet Infinium, which is based on Avatrex Transportable Imaging technology, to produce these antinqued signs for a restaurant chain. Andrew McConnell of Thomas Reprographics says Infinium's ability to conform to the painted aluminum blanks made the signs look more authentic than a vinyl application.

Some of the commercial printing applications include book covers of all types, packaging and specialty labels. And, since Avatrex Transportable Imaging takes on the color and texture of the substrate, heavily textured or embossed surfaces can now be decorated with full-color, photographic images and graphics.

LexJet Infinium, which was introduced in December of 2011, is based on Avatrex Transportable Imaging technology, and is compatible with latex, solvent and low-solvent wide-format printers.

“Its significance lies in its avatar-like ability to take on the look, color and texture of whatever surface it is applied to, disappear into that surface and essentially become part of that surface, while at the same time be impervious to UV light, water, temperature and contaminants because of its inherent protective layer,” explains Ralph Giammarco, one of the developers of Avatrex Transportable Imaging. “Avatrex is the first technology to address the increasingly customized requirements of the printer.”

Beyond its application and print platform versatility, Avatrex Transportable Imaging is water-based, contains no VOCs, the carrier can be turned over and re-used as a white backer for many applications to minimize waste, and a separate laminate is not required, which cuts down on labor, time, materials and cost.

The InterTech star, a symbol of technological innovation and excellence, will be presented before an audience of industry leaders during the 2012 Premier Print Awards Gala featuring the InterTech Technology Awards and web2awards, Oct. 7, in Chicago, Illinois.

A technology review booklet showcasing all of the entries will be produced and distributed this fall at GRAPH EXPO 2012 and with the September issue of Printing Industries of America—The Magazine; the booklet will also be available at www.printing.org/InterTech.

For more information about Avatrex Transportable Imaging go to www.avatrex.com. And, to find out more about LexJet Infinium, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Promotions & Rebates
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Combine Rebates on the Canon iPF8300 and Save up to $2,300

Rebates on Canon wide format inkjet printers

On the fence about buying a new Canon iPF8300 44″-wide inkjet printer? Well hop on down. Canon just announced an additional $500 instant rebate when you purchase one between now and Sept. 30.

Then, you can stack ’em and pack ’em with Canon’s other rebate programs, including the Cash Back with Large Format Printer Purchase program ($1,000 mail-in rebate) and the current trade-in rebates ($880 when you trade in a 36″ or wider eligible printer).

The iPF8300 features a 12-color LUCIA pigment ink system to maximize color gamut and enable the coverage of more than 90 percent of PANTONE colors, a Print Plug-in for Photoshop, a Media Configuration Tool and more.

“The printer is so easy to use and it comes out exactly as I designed it straight out of the printer,” says Stacey Granger, owner of Life Art Imaging in Philadelphia, who adds that the printer has paid for itself since she got it only a couple of months ago.

To find out how low you can go on the purchase of a new Canon iPF8300, and for more information about all of Canon’s rebates, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends
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Digital Art Creation Magazine App Now at iTunes

Magazine for digital art and productionAs noted earlier in July here at the LexJet Blog, Digital Art Creation magazine premiered as a digital publication and is now available optimized for the iPad at Apple’s iTunes store. The app is free and a monthly subscription is $3.99.

However, you can access the July issue for free by using the code: issue1_preview. To use the code, click on this link, then click on subscribe>current subscribers and put the code in the window. A free read-only text version is also available at the website.

Published monthly, Digital Art Creation focuses on photography techniques, post capture software and techniques, printing and post-printing ideas, and an exploration of a variety of other techniques and platforms.

The August issue is expected to be ready around Aug. 15 and will be available at both iTunes and the Digital Art Creation website. Here’s a preview of the subjects that will be covered in the August issue: 

  • Attorney Carolyn Wright talks about copyright issues
  • Artist Melissa Gallo demonstrates some Corel Painter techniques
  • Renoir is featured in the Old Masters section
  • Marketing Buzz profiles Cookie Monster, Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross’s Happy Trees
  • Find out the truth about the color wheel as Scott Naismith urges you to choose between the proverbial red and blue pills. Part two of a three part series
  • The Great Output section provides helpful direction on fine art and fine photo printing, plus choosing the best rendering intent
  • Skip Allen shows how to build custom libraries for you brushes in Corel Painter

For more information, go to www.digitalartcreation.com. Back issues of Digital Paint Magazine – the precursor to Digital Art Creation dedicated primarily to digital painting – can be found at www.digitalpaintmagazine.com. June 2012 was the last issue.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Printing Unique Promotions that Stick at the Point of Sale

Printing cornhole boards for tournamentsPrinting point of sale promotions and advertising can become a bit humdrum: banners, cooler wraps, window signs… They’ve all been done, but that’s the beauty of the plethora of the latest printer technology and printable materials; you can advertise on just about anything.

At Caffey Distributing in Greensboro, N.C., production manager Bob Korabek has been finding new places to stick adhesive-backed materials to boost their brands at the point of sale, like cornhole boards for tournaments and on mini-fridges.

Cornhole, in case you’re not familiar with it, is a bean bag toss game that has swept through bars and pubs across the nation. Rumor has it that the game, at least the version now being played, was popularized in Cincinnati, moving its way south as transplanted Ohioans moved to warmer climates.

Whatever its origin, Korabek saw promotional opportunity and ran with it as local bars began holding cornhole tournaments. It’s a simple process: Korabek prints LexJet Extreme AquaVinyl w/ PSA on one of his HP Z6100 inkjet printers, applies it to the approximately 4′ x 2′ board and cuts out the vinyl where the hole at the top of the board is located.

“The bars set up four sets of boards for the tournaments, and the winners get some kind of big prize. I printed some with Miller Lite, Blue Moon and other beers we wanted to promote, usually tied in with a beer special,” explains Korabek. “Instead of just a logo in the middle of the board, I covered the entire board to give us more promotional space.”

Printing mini fridges with logos and promotionsThe printed cornhole boards have been a huge hit in the market, creating widespread interest and driving demand for both the game and the printed versions of the game.

Another popular application for adhesive-backed materials that Korabek introduced to the market is decorated mini-fridges. The graphics are usually tied to whichever sport is in season, whether it’s football or basketball.

Because the temperature of the mini-fridges can vary, Korabek was looking for a material that wouldn’t expand and contract as the fridge got colder or warmer. His customer specialist, Kelly Price, recommended LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Self Adhesive Polypropylene.

“They’re very popular and our accounts will often buy a couple of extra ones. For one of the March Madness promotions the contest winner got a fridge with the team they wanted on the fridge. It’s a little perk that our competitors don’t provide; it’s something extra special we do for those accounts,” says Korabek.

“When I first started here 16 years ago all I had was a Gerber EDGE and a plotter. The technology has moved so quickly since then and Kelly is awesome because she keeps me up to date on new products and she gives me great suggestions that work for my printers and any application I’m trying,” adds Korabek. “Plus, with LexJet’s distribution network I get everything on time; turnaround time for me is super-fast.”

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Tips & Tricks
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Learn How to Maximize the Digital Workspace with Digital Art Creation Magazine

Magazine for digital art, printing and paintingProsperity Publishing Group, North Platte, Neb., is launching a new free virtual magazine, optimized for the iPad, called Digital Art Creation.

The new magazine is dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and photographers that utilize a part or whole digital workspace. Digital Art Creation will be published monthly and is expected to be available at the Apple newsstand later this month.

“Digital photographers, painters and even traditional image makers utilizing digital negatives will find useful information and inspiration in the magazine”, says Tim O’Neill, owner of Prosperity Publishing. “We will focus on blending traditional art with new techniques available in the digital realm,” he adds.

Digital Art Creation magazine is essentially a re-branding and an expansion of the content found in Digital Paint Magazine. While Digital Paint Magazine was primarily a magazine dedicated to digital painters, as the title of the magazine implies, Digital Art Creation expands the focus and includes photography techniques, post capture software and techniques, printing and post-printing ideas, and an exploration of a variety of other techniques and platforms.

Sections of the magazine include: Capture, Image Processing, Marketing Buzz, Great Output, Post Print and a Marketplace. A Reader’s Gallery will be added in the second issue.

“We are not abandoning our love and dedication to digital painting; Digital Art Creation encompasses many different arenas in image capture and processing and distills that information with a focus on fine art,” says O’Neill.

The Digital Art Creation app is free, the iPad magazine download is $3.95 and the Web version download is $4.95. A free read-only text version will also be available from the website. For more information, go to www.digitalartcreation.com. Back issues of Digital Paint Magazine can be found at www.digitalpaintmagazine.com. June 2012 was the last issue.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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The Ties that Bind Analog and Digital Imaging at Colortek of Boston

Fine art and photographic reproduction

Reports about the demise of traditional film processes are greatly exaggerated, at least at Colortek of Boston, which has a healthy mix of digital and analog processes to serve a growing and dynamic client base.

Printing and reproducing fine art with inkjet printing
The image on the left was reproduced on Sunset Photo Metallic Paper. Colortek of Boston uses this paper for specific clients looking for the pearlescent pop that best represents their work.

Like most photo labs, Colortek of Boston transitioned to digital imaging and inkjet printing in the early ’90s. And like other labs, this watershed industry migration to digital and how each company handled the transition would determine long-term success or failure.

It was during this crucial time that Colortek of Boston decided to embrace the future without forgetting the past. The decision served the company well since local universities and their photography programs continued teaching the art of film for capture and processing.

“They still teach film and film processing at all the universities in the Boston area. Even MIT teaches a film class. It’s a unique art process that won’t go away, and it’s magical,” explains Jackie Anderson, Colortek of Boston’s owner. “Students need to go somewhere to process their film, so we offer student discounts and processing for 35mm, 2 1/4, 4×5 and 8×10 formats. We end up with good relationships with the students who then go out in the field and work at different places.”

Reproducing digital artwork on canvas
Colortek of Boston's owner, Jackie Anderson, designed this piece of digital art that combines photography with Photoshop printed on Sunset Select Matte Canvas.

The relationship between Colortek of Boston and the local universities acts as a feeder program of sorts. Former students often become loyal clients. Moreover, since Colortek is part of a shrinking group of companies with full processing capabilities, a dedicated legion of film enthusiasts from all over employ Colortek’s film processing services.

Even with this loyal band of film aficionados, inkjet printing reigns supreme at Colortek of Boston. Film processing usually ends up being inkjet-printed after it’s scanned and digitized. Plus, inkjet printing opened doors to other types of accounts, like museums, architects, lawyers and other more commercial accounts who need large reproductions of their work for displays and presentations.

Photo lab and fine art reproductionThis client base supplements the foundation of artists and photographers seeking consistent, quality output. “I’m beginning to see a lot more mixed media people because digital has become part of the process where I do a base print and they work on the print afterwards. For example, I have a client who gives me a file that I print it on Sunset Fibre Rag, then she draws on and manipulates the print and frames it,” says Anderson. “We have a loyal customer base; the people who are printing with me are coming back because they get what they see. We keep a close watch on our color calibration to make sure they’re doing what we see on-screen. A lot of people don’t have large printers at their home, business or studio, and they know they can get a quality print at the size they need.”

Colortek of Boston focuses almost exclusively on printing, preferring to farm out mounting and framing to local vendors. In order to satisfy an increasingly diverse client base Colortek of Boston relies on LexJet for a diversity of materials as well as expertise in finding and selecting inkjet materials for the project at hand.

Canvas photographic reproduction“I just started using Sunset Fibre Rag and that’s become my favorite paper because it feels like the old fibre prints and it provides more shadow detail than a cotton rag paper,” explains Anderson. “We started our inkjet printing with Sunset Photo eSatin, and that’s our staple paper, but now I can offer canvas, metallic paper, banner materials and even wall graphics with Photo Tex. Someone came to me recently looking for freestanding banners for their coffee shop so I called Rob Finkel at LexJet for some direction. He recommended LexJet Water-Resistant Satin Cloth and they’re very happy with the end product.”

Anderson adds that having LexJet’s resources available means never having to say no. “Whenever someone comes to us with a project, we figure out how to get it done. We’re trying to offer unique products to meet the needs of anyone who comes to us for images.”