Introduction

Paper is unappreciated, undervalued, and

sometimes overlooked by designers. We

spend so much time creating smart and

beautiful design, but our paper choice has

the possibility to transform the design into

something completely different.

After taking field trips to printing

facilities, learning about and doing

research on paper, and experiencing

our own frustrations and triumphs with

printing, our Graphic Production class has

compiled our knowledge into this book.

The sections featured here supplement

information provided by paper

distributors, ultimately helping us to spec

paper. With topics ranging from paper

grain to brightness, Paper Cuts is our

reference for the vast and daunting world

of paper.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAPER MAKING 7

RECYCLED PAPER 13

SYNTHETIC PAPER 17

PAPER WEIGHT AND SIZES 22

PAPER CATEGORIES 24

SPEC’ING PAPER 28

PAPER GRAIN 31

SURFACE TEXTURE 35

PAPER BRIGHTNESS 39

INK HOLDOUT 43

COLOR CONCERNS 47

SPECIAL EFFECTS 51

BOOK BINDING 59

CHAPTER ONEpaper making

Paper Making8

History

Beginning in China, papermaking spread

to the Islamic world in the 18th Century.

This is where bulk manufacturing of paper

was designed. Moving forward in history,

Canadian and German inventors created the

machine and process for pulping wood to

make paper. Previously, rags had been used to

make paper, and during the great plague in

Europe, the use of rag-made paper was said to

be a source of the spread of the plague in its

transfer to England.

With the rapid development of technology, the

need for paper was growing more than ever.

This created a greater need for efficiency in the

papermaking process.

Modern papermaking started in the early

19th century with the development of the

Fourdriner machine which allows a continuous

roll of paper rather than single sheets. In

today’s papermaking, materials have grown

to include raw logs, wood, paper waste and

recovered paper. Other materials such as cotton

fibers, flax, sugar cane, and fibrous plants are

used to create specialty papers.

Paper Making 9

The Process Simplified

Certain differences alter the way the

papermaking process is completed but the

simplest explanation of the hand created

process breaks it down into its main parts.

1. No matter the material, the process starts

by shredding the material into small strips

and soaking them to loosen the fibers.

2. Next, the fibers are boiled for 2 to 6 hours,

being stirred periodically. The fibers are

then washed with fresh water and particals

or imperfections are removed by hand.

3. After this, the fibers are beaten in a blender

until it becomes a creamy pulp. 4. At this stage, dyes can be added to create

different colored papers.

5. The pulp is poured into a large tub and the

fibers get suspended in the water.

6. A framed screen is then dipped into the

water and lifted to the surface catching the

fibers on the screen.

7. The screens are then left to dry and the

paper is created.

Paper Making10

Manufactured Paper Making

1) Delivery and Preparation

Most of the mill’s raw material arrives by truck

or rail as logs. The logs are soaked in water

and tumbled in slatted metal drums to remove

the bark. The debarked logs are then fed into

a chipper, a device with a rotating steel blade

that cuts the wood into pieces about 1/8” thick

and 1/2” square. (In some cases, the wood may

have been chipped, bark and all, when it was

harvested.) The wood chips are stored in a pile

outside the mill; as new chips are added to the

top of the pile, others are withdrawn from the

bottom and carried by conveyor to the digester.

2) Pulping

Digesting is the process of removing lignin

and other components of the wood from the

cellulose fibers which will be used to make

paper. Lignin is the “glue” which holds the

wood together; it rapidly decomposes and

discolors paper if it is left in the pulp (as

in newsprint, which is usually made from

groundwood pulp with little or no chemical

treatment). Since this is a “kraft” mill, the

lignin is removed by the action of sodium

hydroxide (“caustic soda”) and sodium sulfate

under heat and pressure. The chips are fed

into the top of a digester and mixed with the

cooking chemicals, which are called “white

liquor” at this point. As the chips and liquor

move down through the digester, the lignin

and other components are dissolved, and the

cellulose fibers are released as pulp. At the

bottom of the digester, the pulp is rinsed, and

the spent chemicals (now known as “black

liquor”) are separated and recycled.

3) Bleaching and Refining

At this point, the “brownstock” pulp is free of

lignin, but is too dark to use for most grades

of paper. The next step is therefore to bleach

the pulp by treating it with chlorine, chlorine

dioxide, ozone, peroxide, or any of several other

treatments. A typical mill uses multiple stages

of bleaching, often with different treatments

in each step, to produce a bright white pulp.

Chlorine bleaching generally provides the

best performance with the least damage to the

fibers, but concerns about dioxins and other by

products have led the industry to move towards

more environmentally friendly alternatives.

At this point, the individual cellulose fibers

are still fairly hollow and stiff, so they must

be broken down somewhat to help them

stick to one another in the paper web. This

Paper Making 11

is accomplished by “beating” the pulp in

the refiners, vessels with a series of rotating

serrated metal disks. The pulp will be beaten

for various lengths of time depending on its

origin and the type of paper product that will

be made from it. At the end of the process,

the fibers will be flattened and frayed, ready to

bond together in a sheet of paper.

4) Coating, Drying, and Calendering

After leaving the press section, the sheet

encounters the drying cylinders. These are large

hollow metal cylinders, heated internally with

steam, which dry the paper as it passes over

them. The sheet will be wound up and down

over many cylinders in the drying process.

Between dryer sections, the paper may be

coated with pigments, latex mixtures, or many

other substances to give it a higher gloss or

to impart some other desirable characteristic.

After another round of drying, the paper sheet

is passed through a series of polished, close-

stacked metal rollers known as a “calender”

where it is pressed smooth. Finally, the sheet is

collected on a take-up roll and removed from

the paper machine. From the head box, it may

have traveled half a mile or more in less than

a minute.

5) Cutting and Packaging

In many cases, the new paper roll is simply

rewound on a new core, inspected, and shipped

directly to the customer. Other paper grades,

however, may be further smoothed by passing

them through a “supercalender” where the

sheet is polished by passing between steel and

hard cotton rollers (much like ironing fabric),

or they may be embossed with a decorative

pattern. The paper may also be cut into sheets

at the mill, often by automatic equipment

which accepts a roll of paper at one end and

delivers packages of cut sheets at the other,

already boxed and wrapped for shipping.

Papermaking today is one of North America’s

most capital-intensive industries, devoting

large sums of money to the development

and construction of newer and more efficient

equipment and processes. Although we

ourselves might not recognize the paper mills

of three hundred years from now, the same

basic processes will almost certainly be in

use to produce a product that will still be in

demand far into the future.

recycled paper how it’s made, benefits, and myths

CHAPTER TWO

Recycled Paper14

How it is Made

A load of paper for recycling is brought into

the paper mill where it is cut into smaller

pieces, soaked in hot water, and pulverized.

The resulting pulp is rinsed and strained to

remove any non-paper materials (pieces of

glue, plastic, etc). The cleaned pulp is then

bleached and treated with chemicals to make

the next process faster or to pre-dye the paper.

It is then poured on an ultra fine mesh screen

where the water can be pressed out while the

fibers remain. The screen is dried and the paper

is removed. The paper is then pressed, heated,

and processed for sale. This could include

adding texture, adding more dye, and so on.

The process is very similar to the making of

virgin paper (paper made from original fibers

rather than recycled fibers). Most fibers will

only go through this process 5-7 times before

the fibers are so small that they slip through

the fine mesh screen when the pulp is pressed.

Recycled Paper 15

Benefits

Recycled paper has a number of

environmental benefits.

• The process creates less greenhouse gasses

like carbon dioxide and methane.

• It reduces the need for virgin fibers,

helping to better utilize the materials we

already have.

• It reduces waste by utilizing the used

paper for new uses.

• Due to the lack of need for new materials

to be grown from scratch, energy and

water consumption is reduced.

Myths

There are many myths and claims about

recycled paper, but most are not true.

All recycled paper is thin, brown or tan, and is rough or lumpy to the touch.

FALSE. Recycled paper is no different than

virgin paper. It can be as rough or smooth as

the company wants to make it. It can come in

a wide variety of textures, colors, and weights.

The notion that they have to look like the

paper used for cardboard or cheap dime novel

pages is completely false.

Recycled fiber paper can jam printers, clog ink heads, and get damaging dust buildups in printers.

FALSE. This is not a trait of recycled paper,

but of poor quality paper in general. Papers

that are not as well pressed or have poorly

trimmed edges can lead to these results.

Recycled paper can be as high a quality as any

other paper on the market.

Recycled paper is super expensive or super cheap.

FALSE. Recycled paper, like all other papers,

can be any quality and any price the company

selling it wants. Like any other paper, it is best

to consider what you plan on doing with the

paper before buying what is cheapest available

or the most expensive

CHAPTER THREESynthetic Paper

Synthetic Paper 19

SYNTHETIC PAPER

General Definition

Synthetic paper is partly a misnomer as it

has come to represent a blanket term for

paper-like substrates that are made almost

exclusively from petroleum derivatives. In

essence, synthetic paper is a combination

of polyethylene (one possible derivative of

petroleum) acting as thin plastic film and a

clay coating to give that thin film a paper-

like feel. The clay coating is also what makes

synthetic paper printer-friendly, giving it

relatively high ink holdout compared to

traditional, wood-pulp based papers.

Benefits & Disadvantages

Other benefits inherent to most synthetic

papers include: water resistance, tear resistance,

extended durability over time, enhanced color

reproduction, and a general weather resistance

wood-pulp papers do not possess. Although

traditional papers may be treated with different

coatings to gain these strengths, they incur an

extra cost to the buyer because they are not

present during paper-making. In fact some

coatings actually damage the organic fibers,

weakening the paper.

A major disadvantage to synthetic papers, no

matter how paper-like producers claim the

substrate to be, they lack much unique, tactile

feedback and texture. Because the substrate is

derived from petroleum, it’s doomed to always

feel like plastic.

CHAPTER FOURpaper weight & sizes

paper categories

spec’ing paper

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper22

PAPER WEIGHT AND SIZES

Different weights within paper categories

are measured in basis weight, which is often

misunderstood as the weight of one sheet of

paper. The basis weight of a paper is designated

by the fixed weight of a ream of 500 sheets,

measured in pounds for a given dimension.

A sheet of 80lb text paper is not the same as

80lb cover because of the basic sheet size, which

is a specified uncut sheet in the ream. A ream of

writing paper may have a basis weight of 20lb,

but that doesn’t simply mean that the ream

weighs 20lb; the 20lb is based on 500 17" x 22"

sheets of the paper.

Basis Weight, Basic Size, and M-Weight

The basic size or parent sheet of 500 sheets of

bond paper is 17" x 22", 25" x 38" for offset

paper, 20" x 26" for cover paper, 24" x 36" for

tag stock, and 25.5" x 30.5" for index paper.

Similarly to basis weight, M-weight is another

system for weighing paper. It is the weight of

1,000 sheets, in pounds, of a basic sheet size;

for example 100M means that 1,000 17" x 22"

sheets weigh 100lbs.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper 23

ISO Paper Sizes

The International Standard (ISO) is a system of

paper sizes used in most countries besides the US

and Canada. The main standards system is the

ISO 216 size that includes the A and B series,

but the supplementary standards are ISO 217

and 269 that define the RA, SRA, and C paper

formats. All ISO standard paper sizes have the

same aspect ratio of 1: √2. This ratio allows the

paper to be cut or folded in half widthwise, and

the halves have the same aspect ratio. Each ISO

paper size is also one half of the area of the next

size up.

What is a broken carton?

A broken carton of paper is less expensive

than a full carton of paper. Full cartons of

paper are expensive. When choosing paper,

it is important to think about cost and how

often the type of paper you are using is used

regularly. If it is used regularly, it is very likely

that the printing place already has it in stock,

and you get the “broken carton” price.

However, if the paper you are using is not

often used, such as a light green glossy

cardstock, the printer will probably make

you pay for the full carton of paper since not

many people use it, and they will most likely

have to store that paper or throw it away.

PAPER WEIGHT AND SIZES

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper24

PAPER CATEGORIES

Types of Paper

The different categories of paper include writing,

text, cover, offset, coated, tag, and index papers.

Available in a variety of whites and off-whites,

with textures from smooth to embossed, writing

papers are lightweight and appropriate for

letterhead and written communication.

Text Paper (25" x 38")More tactile than other papers.

Text paper is great for printing applications,

such as office or school work. It is “standard”

print paper. This type of paper is uncoated (often

of an interesting color) and is often used for

announcements, memos and general daily use.

Bond Paper (17" x 22") Good absorption, rigidity and erasibility.

Bond paper is a very durable writing paper that

has a weight greater than 50 g/m2. The paper

was originally made for government bonds and

other similar documents. Now, it is mainly used

for letterheads or office documents because of its

clean finish. It is created using eucalyptus pulp,

making it very popular in office settings and with

graphic designers.

Its smooth finish makes it resistant to smudges

and imperfections. Some finishes that are

available are laid, cockle, linen and woven.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper 25

Bristol Paper (25.5" x 30.5") Heavy, high quality, inexpensive, stiff board grade.

Bristol paper (also known as Bristol board) was

originally produced in Bristol, England, for the

purpose of painting, illustrating, and drawing,

which are what it is mainly used for today. It is

great paper for post cards, wedding invitations,

technical drawings, illustrations, and many

other artistic works. There are different types

of Bristol board just like there are paper; the

heaviness is set in terms of “plies,” which refers

to how many layers of paper have been used to

create the board, much like plywood. Bristol

board can come in a variety of surfaces, ranging

from very smooth to very rough.

Coated Paper (25" x 38") High gloss, and absorptivity.

Coated paper has a thin layer of material such

china clay applied to one or both sides of the

paper. This is done in order to create a surface

more suitable for high-resolution halftone

screens. It is then calendared, which provides

great ink holdout to minimize dot-gain.

Coated paper consists of coated groundwood

free paper. This paper is usually used for

advertising materials, books, annual reports,

and high quality catalogs.

Cover Paper (20" x 26") Thick, stiff, multitude of uses.

Cover stock is often known as card stock or

pasteboard. It has a multitude of uses, from

printing to regular arts and crafts. It is versatile

and can be used for almost anything. Cover

stock is a specific term used to characterize

heavy weight paper meant to be used for

a decorative tone. It is often found in an

assortment of colors, finishes, textures, and

coatings. It is usually classified by its paper

weight and it can be coated or uncoated.

Cover paper is usually used for book covers,

brochures, business cards or post cards.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper26

Offset Paper (25" x 38") Bright white, lightweight, allows colors and graphics to characterize, smooth, high contrast.

Offset papers are sold in large volumes and

are intended for long web-press runs. They

are most often used for offset printing. Offset

stock is very white and is usually used in the

making of books, manuals, or leaflets.

Tag Paper (25.5" x 30.5") Durable, can withstand frequent handling and bending, and are tear and water resistant.

Tag paper is a heavy grade of paper durable

enough for die-cutting, scoring, and folding.

It provides strong performance on press and

is ideal for menus, folders and hangtags.

Index Paper (25"x 38") Excellent for die-cutting, inexpensive.

Index papers are stiff yet inexpensive and

sold in high bulk. Index papers have good

ink holdout, snap, and resistance, as well

as exceptional die-cutting, and scoring and

folding possibilities. These can be used for

signage or business reply cards.

Newsprint Paper (24" x 36") Weak and easily destroyed, recycled look, dark, does not often come in white, highly acidic, degrades quickly.

Newsprint is used for printing newspapers and

associated issues. It is a low-quality, absorbent

paper made from coarse wood pulp. It is fragile

and discolors easily. However, although it is

often used primarily for newspapers, it can also

be used for picnic table covers, craft projects for

children, packing material, or wrapping paper.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper 27

From top left to bottom right: Text paper, bond paper, coated paper, offset paper, cover paper, newsprint paper, and bristol paper.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper28

SPEC’ING PAPER

Paper Spec’ing

Design is not only appreciated by the actual

aesthetic, it is also appreciated when the paper

works well with the design. Selecting paper

can oftentimes be essential to making a design

successful. Designers must “spec” paper or

specify what they need in a paper. By Spec’ing

paper, designers consider the needs of the

design by finding the right paper for it.

Paper Spec’ing Considerations

There are important terms that a designer must

know when spec’ing paper such as: basis weight,

gloss, brightness, finishes and opacity. They

must also consider how many number of pages

must be produced, if they plan to run offset or

digital printing, the project trim size, caliper,

grade name and whether or not environmental

attributes are a factor.

When spec’ing paper, a designer needs to

consider two things: physical and visual

characteristics. A designer’s objective must be to

inform the paper supplier exactly what the paper

is expected to do. They must know what kind of

color, weight, caliper, folding strength, or finish

of the paper is needed in order to fulfill the

needs of their design.

Some environmental attributes are that the

paper is made 100% by wind power, carbon

neutral, recycled content and are FSC certified

(Forest Stewardship Council). FSC certified

papers are produced in a respectful way by not

causing harm to the environment, wildlife and

indigenous people.

Weights, Categories, Spec’ing Paper 29

Common Questions

Designers must ask themselves a few questions

before going to a paper supplier. Specifications

for paper vary and can include things like color

brightness, gloss and folding strength. Here

are a few examples of what kind of questions

designers must ask themselves when

spec’ing paper.

Need bright colors and sharp details?

In order to get the best color and detail, a

designer must consider what kind of finish

they are willing to work with. In terms of

getting the best color and detail, smooth, glossy

paper is the best choice because it preserves the

sharpest dots. Rough paper reduces brightness

and detail because it absorbs more ink and

scatters the light.

Is color fidelity important?

Color fidelity or color accuracy depends on

what the subject matter is. Blue-white paper

does not show warm-toned subjects or designs

accurately. However cream-white paper does

better with these tones, but produces less

accuracy with pure whites.

How stiff do you want your paper to be?

Usually fine paper is milled to maintain

smoothness but board stock preserves stiffness

and thickness

What finish do you want?

The two most common finishes are glossy and

matte. For brightness, glossy finish is the ideal

choice, whereas for a matte finish, it dulls the

colors and the inks tend to fade. However,

matte finishes are a lot easier on the eyes than

glossy because glossy papers create a glare.

More or less opacity?

Paper with less opacity means that the inks

printed on it can show through. That means

lighter-weight paper are not ideal for printing

with lots of text because of the density

of the inks.

Is there a certain thickness you need?

A designer must spec the caliper, or the

thickness of the paper, in coated or uncoated

paper. Thicker paper such as cover are suited

for business cards and postcards, whereas text

paper is used for general purposes such as flyers

and memos.

How strong do you want your paper?

High gloss coated paper can crack when it is

folded, compared to uncoated paper. Some

coated paper can tear more easily as well.

CHAPTER FIVEpaper grain

Paper Grain 33

PAPER GRAIN

Introduction

The grain of paper refers to which direction

the majority of the fibers in a sheet of paper

lie. The direction of the grain is determined

during the printing process, and is helpful for

designers to know for various reasons.

Long Versus Short Grain

Paper grain is often classified as long or short,

which refers to the direction of the grain

relative to the dimensions of the paper. If the

grain goes along the longer edge of the paper it

is considered long grain, and vice versa.

Determining Paper Grain

When purchasing paper, the side parallel to the

grain will often be marked in some way on the

dimensions of the paper (for example, it may

be bold or underlined). If you need to know

the grain direction of an unfamiliar paper, there

are several tests that can be performed. Perhaps

the easiest is to lightly moisten one side of the

paper. This will cause it to curl, creating a tube

in the direction of the grain (which will flatten

as the paper dries). Another option is to tear

the sheet in each direction. The tear pattern

will be straighter with the grain and more

jagged against the grain. If these methods are

too destructive, it is possible to determine the

direction of the grain just by bending the sheet

of paper. It will be noticeably easier to bend

in one direction (bending against the grain

creates more resistance). The bending method

works better with thicker papers.

Knowing the direction of the grain can be a

key part of making certain design decisions.

For example, paper should always be folded

parallel to the grain to avoid tearing fibers

under the stress. Also, books should be bound

with the spine parallel to the grain direction so

that pages turn more easily and the book has

less of a tendency to close itself.

CHAPTER SIXsurface texture

Surface Texture36

SuRfACE TEXTuRE

Coated vs. Uncoated

Coated

Has a waxy finish and can be shiny or matte

(coated one side- a cover stock that has a

coating on one side and is dull on the reverse

side, coated two sides- a cover stock that has

coating on both sides.)

Uncoated

Untreated surface is dull and/or unreflective.

Glossy vs. Matte

Glossy

Typically more of a coating than a finish, creates

a shiny finish and increases the durability of the

paper. Generally this finish is one sided and is

used to enhance image quality.

Matte

Typically a very smooth finish paper with a

matte coating. The paper will have a smooth

silky finish that can be double sided.

Heavy Textures

Weave

A subtle random bubbled surface, subtle

enough to not be distracting, can rubber stamp,

heat emboss or print, also watercolor or chalk.

Stipple

Pebble like surface that is ideal shading and

blending, primarily used for dry medium.

Laid

A paper that is manufactured with textured

lines on its surface, this is primarily used for

business papers such as letterheads, envelopes,

and business cards.

Felt

Can range in look, can vary in deep or subtle

finishes. The deeper finish is commonly used

for watercolor, heat embossing, pastels, die-

cutting, and scoring. The more subtle finish

is more elegant, but can also be used for the

techniques previously listed.

Canvas

Has an artistic texture embossing and is

generally used for fine arts such as painting

and watercolor.

Surface Texture 37

Light Textures

Vellum

When looking straight on looks smooth, but

from the side there is a roughness shown. This

is called a tooth and differentiates a vellum

finish from a smooth finish.

Kid

Resembles the surface of unfinished kid leather.

Oxford

Also known as tweed, has a fabric appearance

like a professors jacket, the finish is easy to

rubber stamp or heat emboss.

Eggshell

A slightly grainy finish that resembles the

texture of an eggshell.

LinearColumns

More of a modern finish, that creates a lined

pattern that is more noticeable on one side of

the paper versus the other side, and embossed

into the paper.

Linen

Similar to a laid finish, but the lines are finer

and more regular, most frequently used for

business stationary.

SmoothSmooth

Also called an English finish, similar feel to

quality copy paper and is most common for

social stationary.

Wove

A smooth paper with a woven pattern that is

embossed into the paper and can only be seen

with a magnifying glass. There is no apparent

tooth to it, the pattern is so subtle it feels

smooth to the touch.

Laser

A paper that is guaranteed to be more

compatible with the laser printers.

CHAPTER SEVENPaper Brightness

Paper Brightness40

PAPER BRIGHTNESS

The type of white (brightness of a sheet of

paper) definately makes a difference in the

graphic designer’s vision. It plays an important

role in terms of color vibrancy, which in

turn influences the reproduction of images.

“Brightness” is defined by the amount of light

it reflects. Papers with a higher brightness

allow the colors to stand out while lower level

brightness papers are best for reading for

longer periods of time.

Brightness Scales

Paper brightness is usually measured using

a brightmeter machine. The values from the

machine are then organized on a scale of 1

to 100, where 100 is the brightest a sheet can

be. Each level of the scale is standardized. In

the U.S., the brightness scale is referred to as

the (TAPPI) GE Scale. In European, Asian

and other countries, they follow a brightness

scale from the International Organization

for Standardization (ISO). Both types of

brightness measurement differ. The ISO levels

of brightness in comparison to TAPPI/GE

Scale measurements are that ISO levels are two

units of brightness lighter. This is due to the

standardized source of light used in ISO and

GE scales. For example, if the ISO of a paper

is 100, then on a GE scale the paper would be

rated as 98.

Most photo papers are at the higher levels

of paper brightness (90s and above), for

papers used in desktop and copy printing

the brightness level is reduced (around

levels near the 80s). Levels are reduced due

to the intended use of the final product.

In photography more importance would

be the vibrancy and crisp look of a fine art

photograph, whereas desktop and copy

printing are more likely used for documents

the eye shouldn’t have to stain upon when

looking over.

Paper Brightness 41

Designer Beware

“Paper whiteness” is not the same as paper

brightness. Instead of the percentage of light

reflected from a sheet of paper, paper whiteness

refers to the shade of color the sheet of white

paper is. Two different color whites at the same

brightness level can have very different effects.

For example, two papers at different white

shades with the same GE of 90; the bluer white

colored paper would appear brighter despite

being the same GE level. The shade of white

will influence the final printed color depending

on what shade the paper is (bluer shade will

make images look more pale compared to a

warmer shade of paper.)

Some vendors may also advertise paper without

brightness levels, and describe their paper

as “Bright White” or “UltraBright” these

labels may be deceiving because of the vague

description of Paper Brightness and even Paper Whiteness.

CHAPTER EIGHTink holdout

Ink Holdout 45

INK HOLDOUT

Introduction

Ink holdout allows ink to dry on the surface

of the paper rather than it being absorbed into

the paper. Inks achieve better quality when

they dry on the surfaces rather than when they

are absorbed into the paper.

The papers ability to hold ink on the surface

consistently will result in a sharper, more

clearly defined dot and produce a higher ink

gloss. When ink is absorbed into the paper, it

spreads and creates often undesirable dot gain.

Ink holdout prevents excessive absorption of

the ink and ultimately depends on how porous

the chosen paper substrate is.

Paper Choice

Less porous papers are required for best results.

Coated glossy papers have low ink absorption

with a high holdout rate, while high absorption

paper substrates such as newsprint or 20lb.

have a relatively low holdout. Depending on

the porosity and moisture contents of a paper,

the degree of ink holdout can change. Bond

weights have a higher absorption and lower

holdout rate overall.

Additional Processes

Different printing applications may be applied

to paper with a low absorption rate in order

to prevent potential problems associated with

high holdout including overprint varnishes,

aqueous coatings, and UV coatings. However,

in some printing processes including high-

speed web printing for newspapers, it is often

desirable to obtain rapid ink absorption and

drying where ink holdout is undesirable.

Special Considerations

High holdout can also create problems in

printing. Ink sitting on the surface of the paper

can rub off and smear onto other documents.

For printing that needs rapid ink absorption

and drying, such as printing newspapers, the

designer should expect a much longer drying

time to prevent any ink smears.

CHAPTER NINEcolor concerns

Color Concerns48

COLOR CONCERNS

How do I know which paper to use to get the best color results?

Matte Paper has a smaller gamut than semi-

gloss and glossy papers, which means there

will not be much color vibrancy and contrast.

Matte paper is good to use when there is a

concern for light reflections and glares. Also

matte papers produces a softer feel to their

image. Lastly, matte papers are not as expensive

and can be used in situations where they will

be viewed from a distance and where detail is

not as important.

Semi-Gloss Paper produce the widest color

range and the best resolution among matte

and semi-gloss papers. The only down sides of

glossy paper are glares and finger prints. The

reason the ink shines is because unlike matte

paper where it absorbs the ink, on glossy

paper, the ink is not absorbed, but sits on top

the paper.

Glossy Paper is a selection between matte

paper and glossy paper. Semi-gloss or “luster”

paper allows one to have a similar color range

to glossy paper without producing so much

glare and finger prints.

Brightness In general, the brighter and whiter

the paper, the brighter and lighter the image

will look when printed.

Tips for accurate color reproduction:

Color Matching Sometimes it is impossible

to match colors using CMYK. In order to

match colors more closely, one can refer to a

“swatchbook” and use spot colors which will help

one to better match the colors seen on screen.

CMYK vs RGB Print material is CMYK and

web material is RGB, but what you see on sreen

is not always what you get; that is why it is

helpful to use a “swatchbook” as mentioned above.

Color Concerns 49

Before sending your file off to the printer:

1. Consult your printer about what you

want to print.

2. Make sure your file is in CMYK.

3. Make sure your resolution is at least 300 dpi.

4. Check your CMYK values against a

“swatchbook”.

5. Do not flatten your layers.

How will the ink effect my paper?

Ink Opacity White ink is usually used for

plastic films or foils for packaging, it can also

be harder to control. Opaque ink is thicker and

it drys slower, which can lead to smudging

and bleeding.

Metallic Inks To receive the best results in

printing metallic ink, it should be printed on

glossy paper since the ink is not absorbed into

the paper, which will allow it to shine better.

Metallic ink can get chalky and flaky so an

aqueous coating is a must. Metallic ink can

also be used with other inks to make color

metallics; these should be mixed as spot colors

due to the opacity of metal.

Printing on Colored Paper:

When considering colored paper, think of

it as another color on the printer that will

automatically be added. One can use an opaque

white ink as a base for specific colored ares that

will help to keep colors true, but remember,

white ink can be difficult to print. Therefore, it

is a lot easier to print color in the background

than printing light colors on a dark colored paper.

What is foil stamping?

A specialty printing process that uses heat,

pressure, metal dies, and foil film. Using

pressure the foil is pressed onto the paper

leaving a raised impression.

What is the best paper to use for foil stamping?

Paper that is smooth and coated will allow the

foil to lie flat and stick well as compared to

uncoated paper which will make it harder for

the foil to lie smoothly. Also, high gloss coated

papers helps the foil to shine brighter because

it will reflect the greatest amount of light.

CHAPTER TENcoatings die cutting foil stamping

Special Effects52

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Coatings

SummaryThere are various choices to make when

it comes to coating your printed product:

aqueous coating, varnish, ultra violet coating, or

lamination. Coatings are applied to a printed

product for two main reasons. Protecting a

product from moisture, finger prints, extreme

temperatures, scratches, or frequent handling is

important if the product needs to last through

the years. Coating also adds style to the

product. Coats can bring out the color; having

certain elements covered in an aqueous coat

will draw the eye to those elements.

Aqueous CoatingAqueous coatings are water-based, fast-drying,

sealants that are very resistant to smudges

and fingerprints. Because of its water-based

feature, it is more environmentally friendly

than varnishes. The advantages of aqueous

coating are faster drying, no yellowing with

age, environmentally friendly, higher gloss, and

higher rub resistance.

These coatings can be finished as matte, glossy,

or many varients in between. Being low cost,

many people choose this type of coating. The

cost is so low because it it able to be applied

inline with the printing and it dries fast.

Both of these features decrease the time for

the process. The less time a process takes, the

cheaper the cost will be. Being water-based is

yet another reason people choose this method

of coating their printed products.

VarnishesVarnish is a petroleum based sealant that

provides style to the product and little

protection. Varnishes take at least two hours

to dry after applied to the finished printed

work. Varnish is more commonly used than

aqueous coatings when applying a spot coating

because it can be applied on the press and can

be applied very precisely. Yellowing over time,

varnishes are not used when trying to perserve

paper, they give little protection as well.

Special Effects 53

Another cost of varnishes is the printer’s offset

spray powder used to keep the sheets from

sticking together.

Ultra VioletUltra Violet coatings give the most protection.

They are applied like aqueous coatings and

varnishes, but are exposed to ultra violet

lights to harden the coating, which shortens

the length of drying time. This provides a

magnificent gloss finish, but requires expensive

machinery. When using UV coating, the ink

must not contain micro crystalline wax (wax-

free inks). Ultra violet inks can also be used.

Using this coating is difficult to recycle. It can

also crack when folding.

LaminationLaminating is the last type of coating that is

a film-based and liquid-based. A film is laid

down on the paper, or a clear liquid is spread

over the sheet. Laminate coating is more

expensive, but will shield from water, will

provide a strong, washable surface, and will not

yellow with age.

Paper ChoiceWhen coating a product for stylizing purposes,

uncoated paper will be the proper choice. If a

specific element in the piece should be given

special attention, a coated paper will give

no contrast. The task of stylizing will fail in

delivering the special effect.

Special Effects54

Die Cutting

SummaryDie cutting is a technique where shaped

metal is hammered into wood and used to cut

uniform custom pieces from materials such

as wood, plastic, metal, fabric, and paper. The

process of die cutting is similar to traditional

printing, but the printing plate is replaced by

a sharp embossing plate, or die. Die cutters

range in size from large industrial models to

small, human operated models marketed for

education and scrapbook enthusiasts. Industrial

die cut machines are able to mass-produce die

cuts, and they are much faster and more precise

than personal models. They offer pressure

adjustment for the cut, automatic paper feed,

and a variety of customizable options. The final

product is called a die.

In die cutting, a sharp blade is bent into a

desired shape and pressed into a material to

cut. Some dies can cut one piece of material at

a time, while others can slice through multiple

layers. Die cuts are areas of an application

that are partially or completely cut, shaped, or

cutout in unique shapes. Simple slits designed

to hold the corners of a business card are

examples are die cuts. It is typically the last

step in the print production process. The

advantages of using dies would be that all

the cuts would come out all the same for the

final products.

Benefits of die cutting include the ability

to create rounded corners, flaps, holes, or

Special Effects 55

pop-ups. Like all techniques, die cutting has

its drawbacks. For instance, repair size of die

cut is more expensive than buying a new die.

Common applications include: keys, doilies,

business cards, folders, and other products, not

necessarily just paper.

What type of paper?It all depends on how strong the blade is, and

how thick the paper is. For example, traditional

Chinese die cut patterns are very intricate,

and would require the thinnest of paper to cut

out the small detail. However, Ghirardelli’s

annual holiday chocolate box is very simple in

shape, which in that case, the paper thickness

could be much thicker. Paperweight can vary

between 20lb-130lb, in either cardstock or

text weight. Any paper will do, and the more

variation in the kind of paper, the more of an

affect you can give it.

Special Effects56

Forms of Die• Blanking die cuts are made in one step

and produce a flat shape. This is the type

of die cutting most often encountered in

standard paper die cutting.

• A bending die bends a flat material

into the necessary shape by pressing the

material over a specially shaped die.

• Forming dies curve a blank by bending it

along a curved surface.

• A bulging die literally “bulges” the closed

end of a tube, either with a rubber part or

with use of oil or water, depending on the

type of die.

• A shaving die shaves off the sides of a

shape until it reaches desired accuracy,

while a trimming die cuts off irregular

parts of a blank.

• Coining dies form blanks that have

different sides, as with a standard coin.

Special Effects 57

Foil Stamping

SummaryFoil stamping involves metallic foil that is

gold, silver or pastel, creating a glossy, reflective

finish. A heated die is stamped onto the foil

and transfers a thin layer of the foil film to

the paper surface, leaving the design imprint

on the paper. The material can be paper, vinyl,

hard plastic, leather, or textiles like satin

ribbon, polyester and nylon. Foil stamping

is often paired with embossing to create a

striking 3D image. The edges of the foil stamp

can be straight, curved or sculpted.

There are countless foils from which to

choose: glossy and dull colors, metallics, pearls,

transparent colors, and various patterns and

grains. Foil Stamping is typically a commercial

print process used for wedding invitations,

napkins, photographs, book covers, envelopes,

and other projects.

Recommended Paper for Foil StampingUncoated papers are not well suited for foil

stamping because it is difficult to make the foil

lie smoothly on uncoated papers. That being

said, foils can be used with uncoated stock

(such as pocket folders). The reason being,

pigment and gloss foils provide more of a

quality color coverage than conventional

inks, especially on darker or very textured

surfaces. Textured papers need additional

Special Effects58

pressure to ensure the foil doesn’t stick up

on the paper surface.

Coated papers are rarely stamped because

gases may get trapped and bubble between the

coating and the foil. Because most foils are

opaque and smooth, choosing a dark colored,

textured paper provides contrast and impact.

Clear and pastel foils on light color papers can

create effects that cannot be accomplished on

an offset press.

In general, foil stamping is most effective on

a smooth, coated stock. The foil will cling to

the paper well and lie flat on the surface. The

heavier the paper, the better. For the most

shine, highly reflective gloss coated papers

can be used to accentuate the foil stamping

technique. When using both embossing and

foil stamping, a dull or matte coated paper

can be used.

Foil Stamping Considerations• Never foil stamp over coatings and

varnishes because it will trap gases

and blister.

• Be sure to check that the printer uses

wax-free inks.

• Printing over foil can be done with care,

registration, flexibility, and lots of time.

• Plan carefully for registering a foil stamp

to a printed knockout.

• Foils tend to fill in across narrow spaces

so avoid fine type and tight kerning.

• Always test a sample in the laser printer

to be sure it doesn’t pucker or bubble.

CHAPTER ELEVENbook binding

Book Binding60

BOOK BINDINGHistory

Prior to first century A.D., books were usually

clay tablets or long rolls on papyrus or cloth.

They were not really bound with how we

would define a bound book today. It wasn’t

until during the first century that books were

being made out of sheepskin vellum and were

being bound in a similar way to binding used

today. The first books that were bound were

bound by hardcover but they did not have any

sort of uniform because pages were all written

by hand. When the Gutenberg printing press

was developed in 1447, it gained more unifor-

mity but the binding was still constructed

by hand.

David McConnell Smyth patented one of

the first sewing machines in 1868. It was

specifically designed for bookbinding and over

the next three decades, he developed machines

for gluing, trimming, case-making (hardcover),

and casing –in. In 1895, perfect binding was

invented but not used much until 1931, when

Albatross Books first introduced the paperback

book as an experiment. Then Kevin Parker

created the process of the punch-and-bind

systems in 1983. Thus, many developments in

binding have occurred over only the last 150

years, which means books and their binding is

still developing through other aspects.

Book Binding 61

Hardcover Binding

Hardcover book binding involves rigid covers

and the book is stitched down the spine.

Several signatures are bound together with

threads, that can also be visible in the middle

of the book when it is open. Modern hardcover

books are made with thick cardboard and it has

an overlap of a paper, cloth, leather, or other

material. Hardcover books are often the most

durable with four different variations.

Case Binding

Case binding is also known as perfect binding,

cloth binding, or edition binding, and it is

the most common type of hardcover binding.

Pages are often average weight for books and

are placed into signatures that are glued into

a “text block.” The textblock is attached to the

case that is made of cardboard covered with

paper, cloth, leather, or vinyl.

Double-Fan Adhesive Binding

This type of binding begins with two

signatures of loose pages that are applied with

glue and perfectly aligned to form a text block.

The edges are then attached to a piece of cloth

that forms the Double-fan adhesive bound

books also have wide margins and can open

flat. However, the pages can come loose and

tear easily when certain types of paper are used

that do not hold adhesive well.

Over sewing

Over sewing binding is a stronger method of

binding that is best used for books that are five

inches or thicker. The only disadvantage is that

the pages will not lie flat when opened because

the margins are reduced. The signatures begin

as loose pages that are clamped together

and small holes are punched through each

signature on the left-hand edge. They are then

Smyth Sewn

Smyth Sewn, also known as sewing through

the fold, is when signatures are folded and

stitched through the fold. This kind of sewn

binding have wide margins and open flat, but

it is not very secure which causes signatures

to become loose. In Smyth Sewn binding,

signatures are sewn or glued togehter at the

spine to form a text block after being stitched.

Book Binding62

Punch and Bind

There are several versions of punch and bind

binding. There is double wire, comb binding,

velobind, spiral binding, proclick, and zipbind.

The most common types of punch and bind

binding are comb binding, velobind, and spiral

binding. Double wire binding is often for

books that will be used in an office or home

type environment and there are several patterns

that can be used. Proclick and zipbind are

manufactured by General Binding Corporation

and they are both similar types of binding that

are easy to edit and swap out pages.

Comb Binding

Comb binding is best used for books that

possibly would need to be disassembled and

reassembled by hand because it can be done

with damaging the book. There is a rectangular

hole pattern that is punched into pages near

the bound edge, and a curled plastic comb is

fed into the slits to hold pages together. The

supplies are sold in variations of colors and

diameters. The benefit of using comb binding

is that the supplies can be re-used and recycled.

Spiral Binding

Spiral Binding is similar to comb binding

because the basic type is made by punching

holes along the edge of the binding area and

winding a wire helix through the punch holes

along the entire spine. The most common

pattern of hole style is 4 holes per inch (4:1).

Spiral binding is the most economical form of

binding when plastic or metal is used.

Velobind

Velobind is more of a permanent binding

with using a plastic strip on the front and

back of the book. The pages are punched

with holes near the bounding edge. Pins are

then attached to the top and bottom strip of

plastic to bind the pages togehter. When the

plastic is heat-sealed, it creates a relatively

flat binding method. Velobind is mostly used

for small publications and business or legal

presentations.

Book Binding 63

Thermally Activated Binding

Thermally activated binding is normally

associated with perfect binding, but there

are several other types of thermally activated

binding, such as thermal binding, cardboard

article, tape binding, and unibind. All but the

unibind involves a process with gluing together

the spine. Unibind uses resin rather than glue,

which creates a more sturdy spine. It also

involves a special steel channel for the spine

where the resin is placed. Thermally activated

binding is also the most common type of

binding for paperback books.

Perfect Binding

Perfect binding involves the cover being

heavier than the paper inside the book. The

paper inside the book is rough-cut and glued

at the spine with flexible glue so that the book

can open up easily. If each page is fully cut

and glued, the book will most likely fall apart

which is why the cutting and gluing needs

to all be done together for the best binding.

Perfect binding is used for most paperback

books and magazines. A cardboard article is

a similar binding to perfect binding, but its a

paperback with a hardcover that is performed

by a machine.

Thermal Binding

Thermal binding involved using a piece of

the cover with glue down the spine to quickly

and easily bind the pages without punching.

There are specific covers sold for this kind of

binding because it fits a standard size of paper

and comes with a glue channel down the spine.

The process involves paper being placed in the

cover and when it is heated and the glue cools,

the glued spine adheres to the paper.

Tape Binding

Tape binding is a type of binding that wraps

and glues a piece of tape around the base of

the book. There is a tape binding machine that

is involved that is usually used to complete

the binding process. It also actives the thermal

adhesive glue strip.

Book Binding64

Stitched or Sewn Binding

Stitched or sewn binding is a very easy type of

binding to understand. Books that are stitched

or sewn with some sort of string or thread are

similar to how the hardbound books are made.

The only thing sewn books lack are a hard

cover but they are still just as durable. Saddle-

stitched books are not technically stitched but

they are stapled in the centerfold. Many comic

book and some magazines, depending on the

thickness, are saddle-stitched.

Book Binding 65

Chapter Title: Gill Sans regular, 20pt, 24pt leading

Header: Gill Sans bold, 10pt, 12pt leading

Subheader: Gill Sans italic, 10pt, 12pt leading

Body: Adobe Calson Pro regular, 8pt, 14pt leading

Caption: Gill Sans italic, 10pt, 12pt leading

Alternate: Gill Sans bold, 10pt, 6pt leading

Pagination: Gill Sans italic, 10pt, 12pt leading

Paper: Hammermill Bright White, 32lbs

Binding: Perfect binding

COLOPHON