Pulp Fiction

Paper comes in a wide variety of weights, finishes, coatings and textures. Making sure you select the most suitable type of paper and finish for a particular job (including audience, tone, and purpose) is essential – after all, if you tried to use standard photocopier paper for a corporate report or artistic brochure, the printer and design agency will want to beat you to a pulp!

The word ‘finish’ traditionally refers to the treatment of the surface of the paper, and put most simply, means it may have a particularly smooth or rough texture, Some papers absorb colours better than others and are more suitable for a type of printing or specific application than others, all of which mean the type of paper chosen can have a huge impact of how the printed, finished item looks.

Ask your printer or design agency to show you samples of the different paper and finishes, as touching them and seeing them first hand will give you a much better idea of what will work for your job.

Download our guide to paper and print finishes here