The graphic design community, brand owners and advertising agencies now have another new tool to assist in their understanding of the importance of metallic and special effect inks for effective product branding.

ECKART, a leading ink and pigment manufacturer, has created a new microsite for the North American market, www.eckartbebrilliant.com, solely to reach out to graphic designers and brand owners with the latest news on metallics for the graphic arts.

According to Pete Brown, ECKART business development manager of graphic arts, “This new microsite is full of captivating imagery, informative articles and useful links that designers can use to gain a better perspective on how metallic inks deliver results for upscale brands. ECKART’s unique range of golds, silvers and special effect pigments used on labels, packaging and other printed pieces really impact perception and purchasing. Printed metallics make designs pop, with mirror-like reflections, cutting edge looks and luxurious, rich sheens that bring prestige to cosmetics, HBAs, and wine, spirits and beer packaging. Metallics help brand owners win the decision battle in the shopping aisle.”

In addition to these articles, the complete archives of ECKART’s e-zine for the design and brand community is shown. This e-zine, titled Be Brilliant, is designed to regularly offer creatives new ideas and solutions to make their brands stand out. Visitors to the microsite can sign-up to receive this free e-mail based e-zine.

Another section of the microsite provides a forum for designers to submit their latest creations using metallics in print, which in turn are featured for others to see. “This is an area of the microsite that will continue to grow in the future and will be an inspiration to other designers looking for new successful ways to decorate their brands with metallics to create high-end appeal,” Brown adds.

Other sections provide resource information related to upcoming trade shows that ECKART America will be attending, a full section on all the literature offered by the company on its various ink and pigment products, and easy-to-use links to the many graphic design and print magazines and industry marketing/color websites in the industry.

Also presented in each issue are various resources available from ECKART including technical and marketing information on the wide range of ECKART effect inks offered to the graphic arts industry. In addition, other factors that impact metallic designs are discussed such as new technologies, various paper and film substrates, how different types of printing processes affect designs, and achieving "mirror-like" effects that reportedly rival foil.