Stock

The stocks available to designers are so broad that there are various factors that need to be taken into account during the selection process, factors such as; Size, Colour, Texture, Composition, Printability, Suitability.

The suitability of a stock can be characterised by its GSM and Grain.

GSM (Grams per square metre) a measurement that is part of a paper specification based on the GSM (Grams per square metre) a measurement that is part of a paper specification based on the weight of the stock. The higher the GSM, the heavier the paper.

Paper Grain refers to the lining of fibres that are made during the manufacturing process, this is determined on the way the paper passes through the paper-making machine. You can use this in-formation to your advantage, understanding the way fibres lay means that your able to identify what stocks are; easier to fold, bend or tear (along its grain direction)

Paper types & Print Quality

You need to remember that adding different colours and textures to a print job will alter the print-ability, characteristics and cost of your print.

Affecting Printability;Smoothness.Opacity / High opacity papers have no show-throughAbsorbency / Each stock has its own absorbency levels, meaning that ink penetrates each and every type to a different degree, Absorbent stocks might dry quicker...but they might also cause problems such as 'Dot Gain'Ink holdout / The degree to which a stock resists ink penetration, coated stocks may be particu-larly prone to ink holdout as the ink sits on the surface, which in turn increases drying time.

Types of Paper

Antique - a high quality paper with a clay coating on both sides to give a good printing surface, es-pecially for half-tones, where definition and detail are important.

Artboard - Uncoated board, primary uses include Cover stock.

Cast coated - Wet coated paper is pressed against a hot polished metal drum to obtain a high gloss, often used for promotional material, provides a smooth, glossy surface.

Flock - Paper coated with flock; very fine woollen surface, used for decorative covers. Other coat-ings might be refuse or vegetable fibre dust to give a velvety or cloth-like appearance.

Greyboard - Lined or unlined board made from waste paper. Packaging material often used for front covers. Provides a rough texture/ good bulk and grey colour.

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SustainabilityCompanies are now actively engaging in efforts to reduce their environmental impacts which means the concept of sustainable printing is becoming a growing service in the printing industry. The growing niche of consumers that want to make a difference will only be getting larger so keep this in mind when you next specify your print job.

Send PDF's instead of print outs!Obtain print estimates at the start of a job where there may be cost-saving flexibility related to Obtain print estimates at the start of a job where there may be cost-saving flexibility related to format size.

If your seeking to make an informed and responsible choice when it comes to selecting your stocks, look out for the 'Forest Stewardship Council Logo', A non-profit organisation looking for so-lutions to the problems created by bad forestry practices.

Binding

Securely holding together various pages so that they function as a publication.Many different types of binding are available and they all have different durability, aesthetics, costs and functional characteristics...

Comb Binding - A spine of plastic rings that bind and allow a document to open flat. Rectangular holes are first punched into the pages. The plastic comb is then threaded through the punched holes and wraps around itself to hold the pages in place.

Spiral bound - Holes are punched or drilled into the pages. Wire is then shaped and threaded into Spiral bound - Holes are punched or drilled into the pages. Wire is then shaped and threaded into the holes. Each end of the wire is then crimped to prevent the wire slipping off.

Wiro Binding - A spine of metal rings that bind and allow a document to open flat. Similar to spiral binding, but in this case the wire passes through each hole twice. By doing this it removes the need to crimp the ends and enables the book to lie exactly flat.

Bolts/ Screw bound - This usually requires the insertion of a punched or drilled hole for the bolt or Bolts/ Screw bound - This usually requires the insertion of a punched or drilled hole for the bolt or clip to pass through. A barrel post is inserted through and a cap screw is then screwed into the barrel post which holds the pages in place. Often used in swatch books.

Saddle stitched - This very common binding technique is created by punching wire through the pages at the spine. The wire is then bent flat on the inside to grip all the pages. Similar to, but not the same as stapling.

Loop stitched - Similar to saddle stitching. The difference being that a loop is created with the wire Loop stitched - Similar to saddle stitching. The difference being that a loop is created with the wire on the spine so that the document can be inserted into a ring binder.

Sewn bound - Similar to saddle stitching at just a few pages, but thread is used instead of a wire and thread is stitched along the whole spine.

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Perfect bound/ Pur Binding - The backs of sections are removed and held together with a flexible adhesive, which also attaches a paper cover to the spine, commonly used for paperback books.

PUR binding is very similar to perfect binding. But uses a more durable and flexible glue. It is nearly impossible to remove pages from a PUR Bound book, and the spine doesn't deteriorate with age. Ideal for printed items that need to be durable reference tools - Catalogues, price lists, prospectus, brochures, town plans, parish plans etc

PUR Binding follows the exact same process except we change over the glue from Perfect BindPUR Binding follows the exact same process except we change over the glue from Perfect Bind-ing Adhesive to PUR Adhesive by exchanging the glue pots. PUR glue reacts with the moisture content in the paper. This chemical reation creates a much stronger bind than the conventional glue.

Digitally Produced Book Blocks

Report and Accounts

Require a long shelf life

Books which undergo temperature changes

Heavy stocks

Stocks which are against the grain

High page content.

Edition binding - A common hard cover bookbinding method that sews signatures together, flat-tens the spine, applies end sheets and head and tail bands to the spine. Hard covers are attached and the cover edges act as hinges.

Saddle stitch - Bound with wire stitches, applied through the spine along the centrefold.

Folding types

Single-fold; This type of fold is mainly used for brochures, postcards and I actually saw some creative business cards with half fold as well.It is usually constructed by folding an 8.5″ x 11″, 8.5″ x 14″, 11″ x 17″ or 11″ x 25.5″ sheet of paper once, creating 2 equal halves. The inner pages are usually used for the content, while the front and the back page presents some company information.

C-fold; This common fold, used for mailings and brochures, is much like a letter folded by hand for C-fold; This common fold, used for mailings and brochures, is much like a letter folded by hand for inserting in an envelope. Basically folding an 8.5″ x 11″,8.5″ x 14″, 11″x 17″ or 11″ x 25.5″ sheet of paper twice. The inside right panel folds to the left and the inside left panel folds to the right on the top, forming the cover page.

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Gate-fold; The gate fold is very attractive as the succession of message presentation is dramatic. It requires either handwork or specialised equipment. Lining up images that cross over the inside flaps can be very difficult. The left and right edges fold inward with parallel folds and meet in the middle of the page without overlapping.

Z-fold; The “Z” style offers an advantage for multi-page letters to be collated and hand inserted for Z-fold; The “Z” style offers an advantage for multi-page letters to be collated and hand inserted for mailing. Because the pages nest together, the letter is opened with the pages in sequence. Fold-ing the sheet of paper twice (the outside left panel folds to the left and the inside right panel folds to the left, forming the brochure cover)as a result it shapes as the letter “Z”.

Triple- fold; This is the four panel version of the previously mentioned “Z” fold. It makes a nice presentation. Zigzag type of fold, opens in the manner of an accordion, permitting the paper to be extended to its full size with a single pull. Used for travel brochures,  direct-mails. 

Creative techniques

Embossing and DebossingThese two techniques are where a design is stamped into a substrate to produce a raised or in-dented surface.

EmbossingThis requires a megnesium, copper or brass die which holds the image to stamp into the stock and leave an impression of your design as a raised surface. A good trip to remember is your design should be slightly oversized with heavier lines and extra spacing between letterforms. Copper or brass are the most popular for high print runs, used when you have  a highly detailed design or using a thicker stock.

If your choosing to impression a detailed design, using a thinner stock would work more effectiveIf your choosing to impression a detailed design, using a thinner stock would work more effective-ly, however it doesn't reproduce well. If you are embossing on a coated stock make sure the coat-ing doesn't crack. An uncoated stock works more efficiently because not a lot can go wrong in the process. Slight embossing is used alongside foil blocking to add more depth and effect to the area.

DebossingA deboss uses a metal die containing a design which is stamped from above on to the stock to leave an indentation. Debossing also produces better results on a thicker stock because a deeper indentation can be applied. Generally thinner stocks can hold finer lines, but there is a danger of puncturing the stock, on the other hand thicker stocks are more robust, but lose detail as there are more paper fibres. Choosing the right stock for the process is essential and so is the design; you need to make sure you have the balance right.

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Laminates

A laminate is a layer of plastic coating that is heat-sealed on to the stock to produce a smooth and resistant finish to the printed product; it also acts as a protective layer to the stock.

Types of Laminates:

- Matt

a matt laminate helps diffuse light and reduce glare to increase the readability of text heavy dea matt laminate helps diffuse light and reduce glare to increase the readability of text heavy de-signs.

- Satin

This laminate provides a finish that is between matt and gloss. It provides some highlight, but its not as flat as matt.   - GlossA highly reflective laminate that is used to enhance the appearance of graphic elements and pho-tographs on covers as it increases colour saturation.- SandA laminate that creates a subtle sand grain within a design- LeatherA laminate that gives a subtle leather texture to a design.

Costs (Approximate guid, Taken from Solo Press, 24HR turnaround printers)

Don't rely on a quote from ONE printers! Always identify at least 3 printers and compare costs, you'd be surprised how much you could save.

Don't just think your paying for your print-outs! in some cases you'll have to consider distribution costs!

The following guide of figures should just be used as a benchmark of costing, giving you an idea of the costs relating to different papers.

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120 GSM Recycled, FSC approved

Quantity 1 / A4 = £ 16A3 = £ 16A2 = £ 23A1 = £ 30A0 = £ 45A0 = £ 45

Quantity 10 /

A4 = £ 25A3 = £ 25A2 = £ 95A1 = £ 165A0 = £ 315

Quantity 25 /Quantity 25 /

A4 = £ 30A3 = £ 40A2 = £ 215A1 = £ 397A0 = £ 775

Quantity 50 /

A4 = £ 35A4 = £ 35A3 = £ 55A2 = £ 275A1 = £ 401A0 = £ 780

Quantity 100 /

A4 = £ 55A3 = £ 90A3 = £ 90A2 = £ 280A1 = £ 408A0 = £ 795

Quantity 200 /

A4 = £ 85A3 = £ 120A2 = £ 285A1 = £ 418A0 = £ 843

Quantity 1000 / Quantity 1000 / 

A4 = £ 140A3 = £ 245A2 = £ 310A1 = £ 538A0 = £ 1, 117

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170 GSM, Recycled, FSC approved

Quantity 1 / A4 = £ 34A3 = £ 34A2 = £ 41A1 = £ 48A0 = £ 60A0 = £ 60

Quantity 10 /

A4 = £ 43A3 = £ 43A2 = £ 120A1 = £ 197A0 = £ 362

Quantity 25 /Quantity 25 /

A4 = £ 48A3 = £ 59A2 = £ 252A1 = £ 452A0 = £ 868

Quantity 50 /

A4 = £ 54A4 = £ 54A3 = £ 76A2 = £ 318A1 = £ 461A0 = £ 873

Quantity 100 /

A4 = £ 76A3 = £ 115A3 = £ 115A2 = £ 323A1 = £ 465A0 = £ 889

Quantity 200 /

A4 = £ 109A3 = £ 147A2 = £ 329A1 = £ 475A0 = £ 943

Quantity 1000 / Quantity 1000 / 

A4 = £ 169A3 = £ 284A2 = £ 356A1 = £ 607A0 = £ 1,245

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Large Format, Inkjet

Quantity 1 / A4 = £ 18A3 = £ 20A2 = £ 23A1 = £ 30

Quantity 2 /Quantity 2 /

A4 = £ 21A3 = £ 25A2 = £ 31A1 = £ 45

Quantity 3 /

A4 = £ 24A3 = £ 30A3 = £ 30A2 = £ 39A1 = £ 60

Quantity 4 /

A4 = £ 27A3 = £ 35A2 = £ 47A1 = £ 75A1 = £ 75

Quantity 5 /

A4 = £ 30A3 = £ 40A2 = £ 55A1 = £ 90

130 GSM, Gloss

Quantity 1 / A4 = £ 16A3 = £ 16A2 = £ 23A1 = £ 30A0 = £ 45A0 = £ 45

Quantity 10 /

A4 = £ 25A3 = £ 25A2 = £ 95A1 = £ 165A0 = £ 315

Quantity 25 /Quantity 25 /

A4 = £ 30A3 = £ 40A2 = £ 215A1 = £ 397A0 = £ 775

Quantity 50 /

A4 = £ 35A4 = £ 35A3 = £ 55A2 = £ 275A1 = £ 401A0 = £ 780

Quantity 100 /

A4 = £ 55A3 = £ 90A3 = £ 90A2 = £ 280A1 = £ 408A0 = £ 795

Quantity 200 /

A4 = £ 85A3 = £ 120A2 = £ 285A2 = £ 285A1 = £ 418

Quantity 1000 / 

A4 = £ 140A3 = £ 245A2 = £ 310A1 = £ 538A0 = £ 1, 117

170 GSM, Gloss170 GSM, Gloss

Quantity 1 / A4 = £ 34A3 = £ 34A2 = £ 41A1 = £ 48A0 = £ 60

Quantity 10 /Quantity 10 /

A4 = £ 43A3 = £ 43A2 = £ 120A1 = £ 197A0 = £ 362

Quantity 25 /

A4 = £A4 = £A3 = £A2 = £A1 = £A0 = £

Quantity 50 /

A4 = £ 54A3 = £ 76A3 = £ 76A2 = £ 318A1 = £ 461A0 = £ 873

Quantity 100 /

A4 = £ 76A3 = £ 115A2 = £ 323A2 = £ 323A1 = £ 465A0 = £ 889

Quantity 200 /

A4 = £ 109A3 = £ 147A2 = £ 329A1 = £ 475A0 = £ 943

Quantity 1000 / Quantity 1000 / 

A4 = £ 169A3 = £ 284A2 = £ 356A1 = £ 607A0 = £ 1,245

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