Substrate (Paper Stock, Plastics, Foils, Etc.)
- Paper Stock - Materials, Size, Coating, Colors, Opacities, Weights, etc.
- Coated - Clay
- Uncoated -
- Cellulose Fiber
- Acid (Acid Free)
- Whiteness - (measured in CIELAB) bleaching, colors, pigments
- Brightness - (luminance or Y-value) amount of light, special lamp measures reflectivity from surface at 457 nanometers wavelength
- 92
- 96 or 97 - copy paper
- >=103 - resume
- Opacity - measure of light penetration
- Grain Direction
- Dimensional Stability
- Strength
- Age Resistance/Archival Paper - Acid Free (neutral PH)
- Density/Bulk - high bulk" is porous, "low bulk" is more compact/compressed
- Formation -hold paper up to the light, if it looks even (no or low "clouds") means good formation
- Surface Smoothness - low is "rough" and high is "fine"
- Basis/Substance Weight (called grammage outside 0f US)
- weight in pounds per ream (500 sheets) at a pre-set basis size
- pre-set, standardized 'basis size" for a book = 25"x38"
- Example: 60# book paper (a ream at "basis size" would weigh 60 pounds)
- often sloppily use to indicate a paper's thickness (incorrect usage) - Grammage
- 80 gram paper weighs 80 grams per square meter
- Photocopy paper = 80 g/m2
- Cardboard >=170 g/m2
- Board >= 400 g/m2 - Fibers
- Rag or Cotton (if over 25% of the paper is made with cotton)
- Rice
- Chemical Pulp (plastic) - Paper
- Coated (Clay) - light, medium, high, and art paper
- Uncoated - Matte (Copy Paper) -- excellent readability
- Silk - smooth but non-reflective surface
- Glossy (Photos, Magazines) - reflective, low readability (shiny/glare)
- Wood (Cellulose Fiber)
Wood Free (Rice) - Paper
- Cardboard - Recycled
- Other Substrate
- Fibrous paper - ink dries inside, wicking into the paper
- Foil/plastic - prints on the surface
- Oxidation drying - ink dries chemical reaction with oxygen in air