Domtar Paper Trails – Make The Journey Colorful

Domtar Paper set out to create an educational book that highlighted the performance and versatility of Cougar® paper, with a specific focus on shade and brightness. The challenge was to clearly demonstrate how subtle shifts in shade and varying brightness levels affect mood, contrast, and readability across applications, while avoiding a purely technical presentation. The book needed to engage a broad audience and translate these paper attributes into something tangible, relatable, and visually compelling.

Design Ranch drew inspiration from the experience of camping and outdoor exploration to create a narrative driven visual journey. The Paper Trails™ Shade & Brightness Edition uses the natural contrasts found in the outdoors, from sunrise to dusk and firelight to starlight, to illustrate how Cougar paper performs across shades and brightness levels. Rich photography of camping scenes anchors the story, while thoughtful design details elevate the educational content. Subtle textures, layered inks, and controlled highlights showcase clarity, warmth, and depth on Cougar paper. This immersive approach transforms shade and brightness education into an experiential story, demonstrating how the right paper enhances every moment of the journey.