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ARE YOU CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAPER?
A person will usually decide within 4 seconds whether a printed
piece is worth reading. Paper has the power to communicate beyond
words-so your challenge is to choose the right stock, at the right
price, when selecting paper for your printed piece.
First, you may want to review many printed samples and find one
that resembles your project-by so doing, you will better predict
how your job will look on that particular stock. Next, decide which
element is most important-color, white space or type?
A coated sheet is best suited to color reproduction and is the
best choice when a lot of white space is needed. A gloss finish
would be best for vivid photographs or highly reflective art. You
would choose a dull surface for glare-free readability, and an uncoated
sheet would work well if the printed piece needs a textured surface
to enhance it. If your final piece will be used for writing with
pen or pencil, you should choose an uncoated sheet with a smooth
surface. To the left is a "Glossary" of terms with which
you will want to become familiar as you make paper decisions. Pay
particular attention to the following terms:
Brightness - The brighter the paper, the higher the grade. The
lower the brightness factor, the more that contrast and highlights
are muted. The paper price goes up as the brightness goes up due
to additives such as titanium dioxide.
Finish - A gloss finish allows sharper, brighter reproduction of
color images, while dull and matte finishes make a text-heavy piece
easier to read. Rough finishes tend to not hold ink very well.
Holdout - The color holdout quality closely relates to the paper
quality. Coated paper reproduces brighter ink colors than paper
with a flat or matte finish which absorbs color instead of reflecting
it.
Opacity - Gloss-coated sheets have the least opacity and the vellum
uncoated sheets have the most. This is important if you want to
print on both sides of a sheet. If the paper is too clear, the image
on the reverse side makes reading more difficult.
BEWARE:
- It may be a mistake when selecting paper to choose price over
quality. You need to consider how much you are going to demand
of the ink’s performance on the sheet. When you have solid
PMS colors or heavy coverage of dark colors, it is better to use
a number 1 grade sheet.
- Supplying your own paper can end up costing as much or even
more than ordering through your printer. If the paper is out of
balance with pressroom moisture, has a mixed grain, or if it is
the wrong type of stock, it is your responsibility!
- It is best to avoid using paper stocked only at the paper mill,
because it must be purchased in full cartons and takes longer
to get delivered.
- It is usually a mistake to demand a particular paper. Paper
prices are greatly affected by demand and availability. In considering
price, specify grade, color, and finish of the paper to your printer
and have him/her suggest a stock.
If you would like to learn more about paper and the way it is made,
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRINTING has a paper mill video we would be happy
to loan you at any time. Call to request it at 1-800-480-5403 or
222-9300.
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