Paper Basics

After hours of designing in a two-dimensional virtual reality, you eventually have to take your plan to the third dimension of a printed piece. Making that leap requires paper: tactile, touchable, feel-good paper. Specifying the right paper to realize your vision affects the look and feel of the final product just as much as the colors, fonts, images and layouts you select.

Paper Basics, the second piece in the the Ask Mohawk educational series, demystifies paper. It explains the paper making process, paper classifications, sizing and specifying. Large samples demonstrate paper finishes with varying fiber content and weight. A specifications check list aids the novice designer.