Choosing the right paper for your printed media can be tricky. Paper
tells about the function of the product, it's feeling and quality. Therefore
it's a crucial part of the overall experience of your final product. Best of
all is to start thinking about the choice of paper even before you start your
work on the computer, not only to get the feeling right but also because of
printing issues and costs. You can then optimize the production and design
according to the paper of your choice. Here are some of the things to keep in
mind about the use of paper for your printed media production.
The Paper Choice
To choose between the function and quality of a paper isn't easy.
Sometimes you'll find a paper that you really want to work with, but in the end
you realize that if you choose it, the production cost will go up
significantly. This is usually just a concern when you work with a bigger
production and need a lot of paper, then the price will escalate quickly. But
even smaller projects can have problems with cost, especially if you choose
unusual inks or post processing methods. So choosing a paper that's cheap, but
still good for your product, can be tricky. It's therefore recommended that in
the beginning of your project, you take your time and think though a few
issues:
- What
is your final product? It can be a book, poster, flyer, business card,
etc.
- How
long would you like the durability of the product to last? A book that
will be read throughout the years should definitely be planned for a
longer durability than a one day flyer.
- What
feeling do you want your product to give the receiver? Should it be fancy?
Cheap? Solid? Traditional?
- What
kind of material will the product be handling? Will it be spread after
spread with large photos? Or a textbook?
- After
you've answered these questions you can take a look at the different
elements that can be crucial for your paper choice.
What Distinguishes Different Papers?
Coated or Uncoated?
The decision to use either coated or uncoated paper is probably the one
choice that will affect the overall feeling of your product the most. So choose
carefully. Coated papers have china clay or other kinds of coating applied to
one or both sides. It comes in a variety of smoothness, like matte, semi-matte
or silk, and gloss.
All of the above except matte coated papers are usually best for
printing photographs and other kinds of art. Why is that? Because of the paper
quality the ink in the printer doesn't get absorbed by the paper fibers but
stays at the top. This gives brighter colors and the paper a somewhat glossy
finish.
The uncoated paper, which has a rough, natural feel to it, is preferred
before coated paper for productions that include lots of text. With this paper
the printer ink gets inside the top layer of the paper and sinks into the
fibers beneath. The thing to consider is that a glossy coated paper reflects
light more than uncoated paper does. This can sometimes make it harder to read
longer texts. Still the final decision should be all about what feeling you
want to achieve with your product.
Usually coated paper is used for:
- Photography
- Illustrations
- Things
that should "pop"
Often Uncoated Paper is Used For:
You've probably already noticed that all kinds of in betweens exist when
it comes to the choice of coated or uncoated paper. One example is that the use
of uncoated paper has increased as an alternative for catalogues and brochures
to give them a more unique and exclusive feel.
Thickness and Weight
The weight of a paper is tricky to write about. It can be measured in a
couple of different ways depending on the country you're working in. Two of the
most used are grams per square metre or the pound weight of a 500-sheet ream of
17" x 22" bond paper. For different types of paper the size of the
basis ream may differ resulting in vastly different weights. For example, a
ream of 20#, 8.5 × 11 bond paper weighs 5 lb, because it has been cut from a
larger sheet into four pieces.
Note: Paper weight is sometimes stated using the "#" symbol.
For example, "20#" means "20 pounds per basis ream of 500
sheets."
As for the thickness - in general, the more a sheet of paper weights,
the thicker and/or stiffer it is. This is often measured by caliper, which is
typically given in thousandths of an inch.
Some Guidelines:
- 20~24#
- Standard weight paper
- 24~28#
- For ordinary posters
- 80~100#
- Preferred weight for most business cards
17"x 22" paper = 20#. 1/4 of this paper is 8.5" x
11" i.e. 5 lb.
Opacity
A paper's opacity describes the amount of light which is transmitted
through it. This determines how much printing will be seen through the reverse
side of a sheet. Complete opacity is 100% which means that no light can pass
through, while a lower percentage lets more light through. Opacity is important
to have in mind when printing booklets, as a sheet with good opacity will
prevent ”show through text” when printing on both sides. A paper's opacity can
increase or decrease depending on the use of different fillers, but also by its
weight, whiteness or coating.
Brightness
The brightness measures the percentage of a wavelength of blue light
that a sheet reflects. It's typically expressed on a scale of 1 to 100 with 100
being the brightest. Most papers reflect 60-90% of light. The brightness of a
paper can effect readability, the perception of ink color and the contrast
between light and dark hues.
Some last things to consider
- Acid-free
papers are not as yellowing as other papers.
- Uncoated
papers aren’t always cheaper than coated.
- Colored
papers are usually more expensive than white.
- The
post processing can affect which paper you’ll be able to use.
Poster Production
For art posters, use preferably a silk or gloss coated paper. Exactly
which one should depend on the amount of photography and illustration work on
the poster. For brighter, more saturated colors it also is good to use a fairly
coated paper so that the colors really pop. The coated paper will also be
resistant to dirt and smudges, and sometimes even for simple physical damage.
The weight is an important aspect to think about while deciding the
right paper for your poster. If your poster will be put outside you should use
a durable paper that will not fade in the sun. Papers with greater weight will
hold better against wind and rain, and therefore it will stay as you put it up
for a longer time than a thin paper. A good reference is to use 24# or 28#
paper for posters. The bigger the poster, the thicker the paper should be for
best durability.
For those who want their poster to last a really long time, there are a
couple of alternatives with a nice price tag of course. You could print the
poster using tarpaulin, which is basically a plastic mesh. Another option is
plastic printing. It’s not really paper, but a good alternative for those
couple of posters which should last for months.
Conclusion
Always start by defining your final product. Is there's anything special
you should think about in terms of printing or post production? The next step
is to choose the function and quality you want your paper to have. Take your
time to think through if you want coated or uncoated paper, what weight and
opacity you wish to use.
One last tip is to
always check with your local printing service. Ask them what paper they
recommend and what they have in stock at the moment. This can, in some cases,
help you out getting away with a better result and a much cheaper paper.
Need help call us at 02 8372 0000 www.docusoft.com.au
Docusoftonline is a specialist with large format paper and plotter paper. We have plotter paper for Canon plotters, HP plotters and Epson plotters. Wide format plotter paper rolls available in all shapes, sizes and grades. Bond paper, coated paper and different types of photo paper available in all different sizes. We also have specialised wide format paper ideal for printing architectural and engineering documents, posters, and signs. We stock satin paper, clear films, canvas and matt photo paper as well. If you are looking for a wide format paper supplier then browse through our docusoftonline.com website. Next day shipping.
source: www.design.tutsplus.com
Authour: Carolina Hansson