Session 9 - Understanding paper

Paper Sizes

A Series

In the print industry, there are a range of paper and card stock sizes that are available. Some you will have already come across such as A4 paper and DL envelopes.

The A series paper sizes are defined in ISO 216 (International Organisation for Standardization www.iso.org ).

A0 is the largest and has an area of one square metre, A1 is half the size of A0, A2 is half the size of A1 and so on.

Paper also comes in the B series and C series, but the A series is the most common in Australia.

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/paper-sizes/

DL

Envelope Sizes

Paper Weight

When we talk about paper weight, we are referring to the thickness of the paper or card. ISO 536 outlines the standards for paper weights.

Paper weights are measured as grams per square metre g/m2 or gsm. Because the A0 size is defined as being 1 square metre, the weight of this defines the other sizes of the same paper type. If the paper is 80gsm, which is the standard weight of photocopy paper, then a sheet of A0 will weigh 80 grams.

Once paper becomes more than 120gsm, then it gets classified as a cardstock!!

More information can be found at http://www.papersizes.org

Paper Types

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/paper-types

Paper Finishes

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/paper-finishes/

Paper Folds

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/paper-folds/

Pantone Colours

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/pms-colour-guide/

http://au.pantone.com/pages/pantone/index.aspx
 

Pantone Vs RGB

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/colours-printing/

Printing Methods

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/printing-methods/

Class Activity 1

Get 3 online quotes for:

• A4 Letterhead 
• A1 Poster
• DL Full Colour Postcard
• Business Cards
• Fridge Calendar (or other print based marketing material)

Include the company name, order process, timing, quantities required.

Preparation for Printing

Images

If you have included images such as photos, make sure that they are of a suitable quality for printing. Most printers will print at 300dpi (dots per inch) and your screen is usually 72dpi.

Different printers and printer drivers such as PDF writers may compress images which may reduce the quality.

Proof

Make sure that you request a proof when you upload your file - a proof is essentially a sample of what your final product will look like when it is printed.

Distribution

Once you have your documents printed, you will need to consider how you will be distributing them. Posters are easy - they are stuck up on walls and noticeboards, but event flyers and postcards may need to be distributed.

Read the following article on distribution ideas.

http://www.marketingcommunicationsblog.com/brochure-distribution-ideas/

Class Activity 2

Think about the print materials required and how they might be distributed in the following scenarios:

1. To try and get some of the resources that are about to be written off back into the library, Chisholm TAFE will be having an amnesty on fines during November.

2. Mysty River Regional Library services will be running special school holiday events

3. The grand opening of the new branch of Mysty River Regional Library services will be on Saturday the 25th October. There will be activities for young children such as a petting farm and the multimedia games section will be open for teenagers with a singstar sing-off.

4. In November, the library will be running some classes on using iPads, Android tablets and e-readers with a focus on senior members (over 60). A government grant has been provided as part of an Accessibility program rather than stocking the limited number of large print books.

Class Activity 3

Find 3 companies that provide letterbox distribution


Discuss your findings and solutions with the class.