Stock considerations.
selecting paper
Selecting paper stocks & weights, print specifications, quotations and colour reproduction.
When considering a print quotation for a particular project, it is important to make sure the stock selected suits the proposed project. The key consideration should be the design and objective of the project, will a particular paper stock support or devalue the project. Your client will have an idea of how much they would like to spend on design and print, the aim is to achieve the highest quality design and print that is close to or within their budget. It is a good idea to coordinate a wide range of print options and permutations.
Paper affects the perception of a project, colour reproduction will be altered by the choice of stock and finishes. For example the final dry page colour will differ from a coated and uncoated stock. When specifying a stock, first check examples previously printed on the particular stock and weight, to ascertain whether it is suitable for the project. If the weight too heavy, it may have an affect on the folding and mechanics of the publication. Discuss the weight of paper with your client, will the particular stock increase the postage of the final publication, therefore incurring increased costs for your client once the publication has been designed printed and finished. These considerations can affect the design and printing of the project.
Always discuss with your client the paper stocks you are considering, show them previously printed samples and paper swatches. You and your client have to be aware of the final outcome of the printed document, avoid any confusion regarding paper weights and final finishes. Ask several printers for quotations and production advice. Use printers who have evidential experience in printing and producing similar projects. Ask a printer you think is suitable to produce a dummy or a blank mock-up of the proposed paper/papers to investigate the texture, finish and weight. Again liaise with your client, involve them as much as possible in crucial decisions such a the print and production stages.
Your client relies on the designer/agency to project manage their desired required print or publication, detailed investigative consideration has to be applied to the paper stock, colour reproduction, weight, print finishes, binding and presentation techniques. This is crucial to create a successful representation of your design and the clients objectives. In most cases you may be required to organise quotation and print specifications before you design the proposed project, to give the client an idea of production costs. There has to be flexibility and consideration that the print and finishing requirements may change, therefore increasing or decreasing the final project costs. As with all considerations regarding the design and print of a project the process and printing production has to support the design and objective of the project.
Selecting paper stocks & weights, print specifications, quotations and colour reproduction.
colour reproduction
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When discussing paper stock and weights, you can also check colour reproduction through Pantone swatches, this will illustrate accurately how a colour will reproduce on a particular surface, coated or uncoated for example. It is crucial that you show examples of colour reproduction on different surfaces, to illustrate the differences. When you specify uncoated paper stocks, show how the colour(s) you have selected will reproduce in relation to same palette on a coated stock. There may a requirement within the project, to produce a document printed on a smooth coated surface. Considerations have to be made to make sure the colour pallete you have selected is a close as possible and successful in reproduction across a range of paper surfaces and finishes. Work with the printer, ask for examples and advice, but don’t accept that some colour selections just print that way...determine the final outcome of colour selections, if the colours need slightly adjusting for uncoated stocks, then amend the colour scheme to achieve a successful comparative colour reproduction.
These decisions are yours, the printer will reproduce your artwork based on your aims and objectives: colours, paper, image reproduction and processes. When the printer runs your artwork/job to the colour proofing stage, you will then present this to your client, to check colour, image quality and legibility. The printers proof will almost always be a different stock to the final printed document. Therefore this is closest colour reproduction the printer can show you, which in turn you will show your client, but there will be a difference when the project is printed. This is particularly the case when printing on uncoated stocks and surfaces. It is important that you show an example of the proposed paper stock, the printers proof illustrating image quality, and previous printed examples through the process you have specified from your designated printer.
From the point of discussions and final approval of the proofs/examples for your client, you can then press-pass the project. A press-pass is when the artwork is going through the printers press on the actual stock using the print process you have specified, you are able to check the first sheets through the press. You can approve the project, slightly adjust the colours or if the reproduction/stock is not correct or successful, the process can be stopped and the artwork adjusted at the final artwork/repro stage. A different process and paper stock can be specified to meet the requirements of clients brief and objectives.
pantone.co.uk team-impression.com
Selecting paper stocks & weights, print specifications, quotations and colour reproduction.
Coated paper
Uncoated paper
Wove
Laid
Bond
Weight of paper
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Paper with a clay or other coating applied to one or both sides is coated paper. Coated papers are available in a gloss, silk (sometimes called satin) or matt finish and are used for projects requiring a fine finish, which is why coated paper is sometimes referred to as 'art' paper. Coated paper generally produces sharper, brighter images and has better reflectivity than uncoated paper. Coated paper is used to print brochures, leaflets & posters and a wide range of design for print formats, especially high volume print runs.
Paper that does not have any kind of coating applied is uncoated paper. Through not having a coating this stock is not as smooth as a coated page. Uncoated paper is available in many different finishes, colours, and weights and is generally more absorbent than coated paper. Premium quality uncoated paper is used for business stationery, and commonly used in laser printers. Uncoated stocks are also used as an alternative or in conjunction to coated stocks in a wide range of design for print disciplines.Uncoated papers are available in a range of finishes:
Paper made on a closely woven wire roller or mold and having a faint mesh pattern. Wove is a popular sheet for stationery and book publishing. Wove is a premium quality paper with a uniform surface, not ribbed or textured like laid paper.
Laid paper is a premium quality paper with a textured pattern of parallel lines, similar to hand made paper. Commonly used for business stationery.
An economic, uncoated wove paper, often used for copying or laser printers. A higher quality bond stock can be used for letterheads.
It is normal practice to specify the weight of paper in GM or GSM abbreviations for ‘grams per square metre’. This indicates the weight of paper or other stock. For example a typical photocopier paper is 80gsm, a good letterhead paper might be 120 gsm, a postcard would be about 300gsm.
As papers are graded by weight, one manufacturer's 150gsm paper may seem slightly bulkier or thicker than a competitor's product. A paper's GSM rating is a good guide to how 'thick' or 'stiff' the paper will feel but always ask for paper samples if you're unsure. Card or 'board' as it is usually called in the industry is sometimes measured in microns, a micron is 1000th of a millimetre.
internationaldesigngallery.co.uk zanders.com
Selecting paper stocks & weights, print specifications, quotations and colour reproduction.
Paper sizes
Bleed
Paper sizes
SRA size paper is used by commerical printing companies. It is slightly larger than the A series to provide room for grip, trim and bleed. These paper series are untrimmed raw paper. RA stands for “raw format A” and SRA stands for “supplementary raw format A”. The RA and SRA formats are slightly larger than the corresponding A series formats. These paper sheets will after printing and binding be cut to the match the A format.
This prevents unwanted white borders around the edges of a printed document. It is not possible to print all the way to the edge of the paper sheet. To achieve this effect it is necessary to print a larger area than is required and then trim the paper down. Bleed is an essential part of creating artwork for print. A design will always extend or 'bleed background elements and images beyond the edges of the document by an additional 3mm.
A0 - 841 x 1189mm A1 - 594 x 841mm A2 - 420 x 594mm A3 - 297 x 420mm A4 - 210 x 297mm A5 - 148 x 210mm A6 - 105 x 148mm
SRA0 - 900 x 1280mm SRA1 - 640 x 900mm SRA2 - 450 x 640mm SRA3 - 320 x 450mm SRA4 - 225 x 320mm
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