Showing posts with label paper weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper weight. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Choosing Paper


Choosing the right paper makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the appearance and acceptance of your printed piece.

"Consider that the touch and feel of your brochure is a first impression just as much as the color and size of the item," Jennifer Beaty said. Jennifer is a principal in the Executive Press.

"When it comes to paper, we consider the choice as much as we do the ink color and design," Jennifer continued. "If we've done the design, then we've chosen the paper based upon how it fits the rest of the design. If we aren't the designers, then we work closely with the outside designer to ensure the finished product looks and feels the way they envisioned it would be," she said.

Based in Richardson, Texas, Executive Press is a leading provider of printing and printeing related services, mailing and distribution services.

When choosing paper, consider some if not all of teh following:
  • Weight.
  • Color.
  • Surface finish.
  • Texture.
  • Adaptability to ink.
  • Final use.

Papers come in many weights, usually measure in pounds (lb). A 100 lb stock is heavier than a 50 lb stock, for example. The weight is based upon the weight of a specific number of pages of a certain size.

Color is usually white. Ink will be used to change the look of the paper based upon the final design. Colored papers are usually used in office situations and not in custom printing jobs.

Coated, uncoated, coated one side are all considerations for the surface of the piece. Will you be writing on it? Will it have to be folded?

Some coated stocks are resistant to certain inks and some specialty inks dry from the top down to the paper and some from the paper up.

Will teh final piece be a brochure or a mailer? Will it be kept in a file or used daily?

Lots of considerations, so consult a professional. For more information, contact Jennifer or any member of her team at Executive Press at 214-217-7000.

The Executive Pressman

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Primer on Paper

Paper is a basic ingredient in anything printed. But there is more to it. Here is a basic primer on paper. There is more to paper than what you will read here, so our intention here is to share some basics to get you started.

Paper is comprised of ingredients like all things. Most papers include paper pulp, cotton, postconsumer waste fiber, millwaste fiber, calcium carbonate, dyes and colorings, optical brighteners, fillers, sizings and coatings.

When choosing paper, consider:
  • "Hand"
  • Grade
  • Weight
"Hand" is the way paper feels to the fingertips. It will be the first impression a reader or viewer gets of your brochure, book, catalog or other printed piece.

Grade refers to the quality and type (application) of paper. Grades include:
  • Opaque
  • Offset
  • Coated
  • Writing (bond)
  • Text
  • Cover
Ways to measure paper start with weight, but also include:
  • Caliper (the thickness)
  • M weight (the weight of 1000 sheets)
  • Basis weight (weight of 500 sheets in a specific size)
  • GSM (grams per square inch, a metric measure which standardizes weight regardless of size)
This should get you started and prepare you for that discussion with your designer and printer. For more information visit us at Executive Press (www.executivepress.com)

The Executive

Source material for this post came from www.mohawkpaper.com