Vermont Designer and Publisher Wins National and International Awards
Unique Equestrian Guide Printed on YUPO Synthetic Paper New Haven, VT (September 6, 2006) Christopher Bray, New Haven, VT, writer, editor and book designer was recently named an award-winner at two major book competitions for his book, “The Barbier Dressage Training Companion” by Dominique Barbier. Bray was awarded an IPPY award in Washington DC at the International Independent Book Publishers Awards competition as well as First Prize at the New England Book Show, one of the oldest and most prestigious book fairs in the United States. .jpg)
At the May IPPY Awards in Washington DC, show organizer Jim Barnes cited Bray’s Barbier book as “brilliant and informative.” The show, which drew over 3,400 entries, coming from every US state and Canadian province as well as 17 other countries, was the strongest field seen in the show’s ten years. “This year more than ever, the writing and publishing in these books has been truly outstanding, and it has been extremely difficult to choose some and exclude others,” continues Barnes. The New England Book Show, now in its 49th year, features books from designers around the country. Bray’s entry, “The Barbier Dressage Training Companion,” was selected by the judges from over 600 entries for its “superb choice of materials for this creative, well-crafted field manual, and its elegant yet practical design.” “Dominique’s way of working does not rely on force but on quiet power, working from the center, and clear, direct partnership with the horse,” says Bray. “The challenge was to create a design for the book that would express that simplicity and finesse, while creating a book that was actually practical and would stand up to the equestrian environment.” To address this challenge, every detail is meant to convey refinement and ease of use. The font, illustrations, and text book are clear, concise, functional and color-coded. The book is tabbed for easy access to the information and it is small enough to conveniently fit in a pocket. The book is printed on ultra white and washable YUPO synthetic paper. “I chose YUPO because I knew it would be able to withstand the abuses of the barn environment,” says Bray. “The paper has a silky, premium feel that adds a tactile experience to the book as well.” The use of YUPO also ensured crisp text reproduction and brilliant color with no bleed or show through. The book is spiral bound to increase its durability. In addition to its prestigious awards, “The Barbier Dressage Training Companion” has the unique honor of being included in two rare books collections at the University of Vermont and Boston College. About Common Ground Communications
Common Ground Communications is an award-winning publishing services provider offering publishers, organizations, and authors support from concept development and editorial through design, layout and production. 'Bringing Books to Life since 1990'. About Barbier Productions
Barbier Productions is based at Barbier Farms, home to French riding master Dominique Barbier. Dominique is the author of the best-selling Dressage for the New Age, the award-wining Barbier Dressage Training Companion, and several other books. He has also produced a series of videos and DVDs for both serious amateur riders and professional trainers. Dominique also imports and trains horses, primarily Lusitanos, at his farm in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, California. For more information about Barbier Productions, visit www.dominiquebarbier.net or call (707) 433-8026.
Escaping the “Board” in Board Game
Designer uses YUPO synthetic paper to deliver innovative board game format We often hear the old adage of using “the right tool for the job.” Designer Bruce Leone proved the truth of the saying when facing the challenge of designing an innovative version of that most traditional staple of family entertainment, the board game. Ocean 88 LLC, the developers of a new board game called “Island Run: Put Your Feet in the Sand,” brought this challenge to Leone’s graphic design firm Ink Inc. In order to make this new game stand out, the company needed a design that would have an immediate, unique appeal to a specific target audience—tourists and travel professionals. 
Island Run was conceptualized as a traditional board game: flat paperboard game board, playing cards, money, game pieces - the whole Monopoly® approach. Based on the idea of traveling in the Caribbean, this game is targeted to families who might be planning to visit the area, and to cruise ships, hotels, resorts and travel agents looking for a unique item for promotional giveaways. Dubbed “The game that brings ‘em back!” Island Run is intended to entertain families and encourage first time or repeat visits to the Caribbean tropics. The challenge
The design challenge for Leone was how to give a board game with a traditional format a distinctive appeal. As an experienced commercial designer, he also recognized that the design needed to be cost effective, since Ocean 88 intended to market the game as a promotional item to the travel industry, which has become increasingly price conscious. Thinking outside the box (literally) his almost immediate response was “YUPO!” Not an eccentric cry of discovery, YUPO is the name of synthetic paper made by Yupo Corporation of America. This unique product does not possess the physical limitations of standard paper. In contrast, it is tear and stain resistant and 100% waterproof, without requiring lamination. Unlike laminated paper, however, YUPO’s superior durability is also combined with complete flexibility, which greatly enhances its functionality and versatility for meeting a wide range of project requirements. Those attributes led Leone to his innovative concept, a flexible board that could be conveniently packaged in a tube and would provide a durable playing surface that could be used anywhere, even on the beach or next to a cruise ship pool. He knew from previous experience that a board made from YUPO would provide the required flexibility and durability and would also lay flat after being stored in a tube. “Because it is a synthetic paper,” he points out, “it doesn’t have the paper grain that tends to hold the curled shape.” Being able to package the board in a tube would also provide a practical mailer, a compact hotel gift item and a space-saving travel souvenir for tourists. “This could also be a unique gift, like the complimentary shampoo travelers get from hotels, with the same goal of being a memento to remind them of their great vacation,” says Leone, “so it should be as compact as possible.” Island Run
The 24” x 17 ½“” flexible game board was printed on YUPO 78lb. text in four-color process using Braden Sutphin Synthetic Process inks. The vibrant colors Leone chose let the graphics practically jump off the board. “One of the other advantages of using YUPO synthetic paper,” Leone adds, “is that inks really ‘pop’ on the smooth surface.” With colorful seashells serving as engaging game pieces, the board shows game spaces weaving among the islands of the Caribbean. Playing cards, color-coded “sand dollar” money, instructions (printed on parchment with the feel of a treasure map) and a die for determining moves complete the set. All items were designed by Ink Inc., including the graphics for the printed plastic tube that holds all the elements. When Leone presented a finished game prototype to Ocean 88, the company was extremely pleased with the final design. “The result was an awesome hit with the customer,” reports Leone. “Because it was an entirely different approach from the usual board game, it really stands out. It had the ‘punch’ and the flair that they wanted.” To get the game in front of potential customers, such as cruise lines, Ocean 88 ran a small production of prototype game boards. This limited run ended up being much more economical than it would have been if paperboard game boards and cartons had been used instead of YUPO synthetic paper and tube packaging. “Eliminating the bulky board and carton packaging from the game format reduced their costs for test marketing,” adds Leone. “Multiple cruise lines are currently looking at the game as a possible marketing piece, and the ability to make cost-effective prototypes makes it possible to make a very strong presentation.” For more information about YUPO Synthetic Paper, visit www.yupo.com or contact Martin Fiorillo, Vice President, Sales and Distribution, Yupo Corporation of America, 800 Yupo Court, Chesapeake, VA 23320. Telephone: +1 888-USE-YUPO. For more information about Ink Inc., visit www.planetink.com or contact (330) 875-4789. For more information about Island Run Board Game, visit www.ocean88.com or contact (330) 705-7988.
Durable Beachcomber’s Companion© features YUPO
Educational Aid Withstands Sun, Surf, and Sand Outside of the Classroom The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the world’s largest, private, nonprofit ocean research, engineering, and education organization, is dedicated to research and higher education at the frontiers of ocean science. In keeping with the WHOI charge, Tracey Crago, a communicator for the Sea Grant Program, had an idea over four years ago to develop scientific flashcards to aid educators in teaching their students about marine invertebrates. She teamed up with local talent Michael DiSpezio, a marine education consultant, and Tessa Morgan Lineaweaver, an illustrator, to help bring the idea of creating lively flash cards that would be both educational and fun to fruition. Crago and DiSpezio whittled down the list of possible marine invertebrates to include, while Lineaweaver made several field trips to beaches and marine resource facilities in and around Woods Hole where she observed scallops, worms and 100 other invertebrates. After seeing real life specimens and collecting samples, Lineaweaver went on to create beautiful—and scientifically accurate—watercolor paintings for the WHOI project. 
Paintings in hand, Crago turned to designer MB Flanders, of Flanders + Associates. The project took on a new life when Flanders and her team created an eye-catching way to blend facts about each organism into a compact design; what they came up with was a portable field guide to marine invertebrates. Both Crago and Flanders discovered that while field guides existed for fish, birds and other animals, a guide devoted to marine invertebrates was nowhere to be found. They selected 50 of the most common and visually appealing organisms and compiled interesting scientific information, cool facts, beachcombing tips, and a special animal checklist (see sidebar). The guide had to be portable and extremely durable to survive the sand, sun, surf and little hands using the guide to learn about the world around them. What substrate would do justice to Lineaweaver’s colorful illustrations as well as provide the necessary durability? “We were looking for a material that would be reusable but not heavy like plastic,” says Crago. WHOI as a proponent of long-lasting, recyclable, environmentally favorable products, wanted a material that would allow their guide to follow this environmentally friendly path. Ordinary paper would not have durability, while lamination would not work as water could seep in. The ideal material would be durable, light weight, recyclable and would have a smooth texture, making it the perfect companion for trips to the beach. The printer, Dynagraf, Inc., found the answer in YUPO – an ultra-white, extremely durable synthetic paper. Crago was thrilled. “YUPO offered the exact qualities we’d been looking for—it’s durable, lightweight, waterproof, recyclable, and, when printed, the colors looked amazing. I don’t know of any other material that would have given us such great results.” As a finished product, the Beachcomber’s Companion© is the perfect accompaniment for a hands-on trip to the beach. From squid to crabs, anemones to lobsters, the beachcomber guide is a great informative tool to enjoy the beach while discovering and learning more about the critters at the seashore. Appropriate for beachcombers young and the old, the guide comes packaged in a handy mesh bag for shell collecting and includes a wax pencil for the animal checklist. Some Trivia from the Beachcomber’s Companion© Did you know that squid are more closely related to clams than fish? Horseshoe crabs have been around since the time of dinosaurs; they are more closely related to spiders than to other types of crabs? Did you know that the carnivorous twelve-scaled worm will roll up like a pill bug - and may lose some scales - if disturbed? The common name for Ensis directus—razor clams—came from their close resemblance to a barber’s straight-edge razor. If you catch a squid, beware of squid “ink,” squirted as a defense mechanism to escape predators! About the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
WHOI is a private, independent marine research and engineering, and higher education organization. Its primary mission is to understand the oceans and their interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Institution is organized into five departments, interdisciplinary institutes and a marine policy center, and conducts a joint graduate education program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. www.whoi.edu About Flanders + Associates:
Flanders + Associates was started in 1983 by MB Flanders. Based in Boston, F+A provides print, environmental and digital design services for all types of businesses and organizations, ranging from small non-profits to large corporations. F+A clients include EcoTarium, Houghton Mifflin Company, American History Textile Museum, City of Boston (Millenium Park), Tufts University, MIT, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and The Art Institute of Boston, to name a few. www.flandersandassociates.com
YUPO® SYNTHETIC PAPER PASSES WITH FLYING COLORS
Community College Introduces "Tough" New Student Handbook When they arrive at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Baltimore, Maryland for the beginning of the school year, all entering freshmen receive a student handbook, which is designed to assist students in acclimating themselves to their new academic environment. Last year, college officials decided to update and expand the Student Handbook and to make it less subject to normal "wear and tear." They found the solution to this "tough assignment" in YUPO synthetic paper, manufactured by Yupo Corporation America in Chesapeake, Virginia. As a synthetic, YUPO is 100% waterproof and highly resistant to tearing and to staining. In addition, YUPO is acknowledged for its superior surface finish characteristics. 
“We wanted our new student handbook to be viewed by incoming students as an indispensable tool,” says Margaret McKinley, Publication Designer in CCBC’s Marketing Department. The new handbook reflected extensive planning, including focus groups the Marketing Department conducted among members of the student body. At the top of a long list of ideas that evolved from these sessions was the suggestion that the handbook include a semester planning section. “Once we decided to incorporate a new planner section, we knew the handbook had to be very durable," McKinley says. "As you can imagine, these student handbooks are subjected to a great deal of abuse and the inclusion of the semester planner was only going to increase wear and tear." McKinley was familiar with YUPO but had never specified it. When she mentioned the handbook project to a friend who is also a printer, he immediately recommended YUPO for the cover. “In fact, he raved about YUPO,” she recalls. “He touted it as pretty much indestructible. You really can’t rip it and it holds its own against pretty much everything, so I was convinced that YUPO was the perfect cover material. The spiral bound handbook measures 6" by 9" and is a hefty 188 pages. The content is organized within seven different sections, ranging from the Chancellor's "Welcome Message" to financial aid information to codes of conduct. The handbook also includes maps of each of CCBC's various campuses along with listings of important phone numbers and addresses. The largest section is devoted to the semester planner. The arresting four color cover is printed on YUPO 86 lb. cover stock and features photographs of students and teachers against a sharp blue and white background. The entire book was printed and converted by The Printing Corporation of America, located in Timonium, Maryland. Based on reports from follow-up focus groups, the new student handbooks are proving to be very popular. The handbook also is proving to be quite tough. “Our students are referring to the planning section on a regular basis," McKinley says. "The handbooks are being constantly shoved into and pulled out of their book bags and knapsacks but they're holding up quite well, just as we expected." “But there's more to this story than durability,” says McKinley. “YUPO’s got an outstanding whiteness to it, a nice sheen, and that really makes the cover colors pop. The photos are very true to real life, very vivid, and the color quality is great. “People have called and sent us e-mails about how great the handbooks look. Truth is, once we saw YUPO, we knew this was the way we would go. It just makes total sense for the piece,” McKinley says. The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
The CCBC was founded in October 1998 , combining the three colleges Catonsville, Essex and Dundalk Community Colleges. CCBC today is a single-college, multi-campus institution. The public college anticipates and responds to the educational, training and employment needs of the community by offering a broad array of general education, transfer and career programs, student support services, and economic and community development activities. For more information visit www.ccbcmd.edu | 
