Papers And Boards

Question 1

How are Paper and Boards formed?

Answer 1

Papers and boards are formed from wood pulp, which comes from trees. This squishy wood pulp is rolled out into thin sheets in paper mill factories to form the papers and boards that we use.

Question 2

What is the difference between Paper and Board

Answer 2

The difference between a paper and board is based on weight. Their weight is measured in gsm (grams per square meter).

Paper:
Anything less than 200gsm is considered to be a type of paper

Board
Boards (card or cardboard) are always greater than 200gsm.

Question 3

Types of Paper and Boards (+ their uses)

Answer 3

• Layout Paper (Sketch Pads)
• Cartridge Paper (Printing)
• Tracing Paper (Copying Images)
• Bleed Proof Paper (Marker Rendering
• Treated Paper (Photographic Printing)
• Watercolour Paper (Painting)
• Corrugated Card (Packaging)
• Bleached Card (Greeting cards and High Quality Packaging)
• Mount Board (Modelling)
• Duplex Card (Food Packaging)
• Foil Backed and Laminated Card (Drinks Packaging)
• Metal Effect Card (Gift Packaging)
• Moulded Paper Pulp (Eco-friendly Packaging)

Question 4

Performance Characteristics of Papers and Boards

Answer 4

• The ability to be scored
• Cutting
• Folding
• Surface qualities for printing
• Impact resistance
• Recyclability and/or biodegradability

Question 5

Properties of Layout Paper (+ Use)

Answer 5

Use: Sketch Pads

Lightweight, thin white paper and used for initial ideas. Takes colour media well and is low cost

Question 6

Properties of Cartridge Paper (+ Use)

Answer 6

Use: Printing

• Good surface for sketching
• Using coloured pencils, but paper needs to be stretched to prevent ‘cockling’ (water colour papers are available)
• Heavier paper are more versatile, less prone to yellowing with age and likely to be acid-free

Question 7

Properties of Tracing Paper (+ Use)

Answer 7

Use: Copying Images

Translucent paper used in the developmental stages of designing and can be used as an underlay. It is semi-transparent, and is used to copy images.

Question 8

Properties of Bleed Proof Paper (+ Use)

Answer 8

Use: Marker Rendering

Similar to cartridge paper, but a protective layer on the reverse to stop the marker bleeding through to the next sheet.

Used by designers when drawing with felt-tips and marker pens. The ink doesn’t spread out (bleed) - it stays put.

Question 9

Properties of Treated Paper (+ Use)

Answer 9

Use: Photographic Printing

Treated paper for ink-jet printers absorbs the ink and generates crisp colour reproduction.

Question 10

Properties of Watercolour Paper (+ Use)

Answer 10

Use: Painting

Provides a good surface texture that will accept acrylics, gouache, pastels and watercolours.

Question 11

Properties of Corrugated Card (+ Use)

Answer 11

Use: Packaging

Corrugated card is made from ‘Linerboard’ (the flat sheet) and the ‘medium’ (the corrugated sheet in the middle). Cheap and often used for large cartons and boxes, it offers strength without too much weight.

It’s made up of a fluted inner core sandwiched between 2 outer layers (liner).

Question 12

Properties of Bleached Card (+ Use)

Answer 12

Use: Greeting Cards and High Quality Packaging

It is strong, can be easily printed onto, and is often used on book covers too.

Question 13

Properties of Duplex Card (+ Use)

Answer 13

Use: Food Packaging

Duplex board is a cheaper version of white board; it also provides different textures for printing. The bleached liner gives a good surface to print onto, without the high cost of the whole board being bleached.

Duplex card is made from pure wood pulp, with a bleached liner on one side. Typically 250-500gsm, it is mainly used in food packaging.

Question 14

Properties of Moulded Paper Pulp (+ Use)

Answer 14

Use: Eco-friendly Packaging

Moulded paper pulp is made from recycled paper and can be formed into almost any 3-dimensional shape for a variety of different applications.

It’s used for protective packaging or food service trays and beverage carriers. Other typical uses are end caps, trays, plates, bowls, e.c.t.

Question 15

Properties of Foil Backed and Laminated Card (+ Use)

Answer 15

Use: Drinks Packaging

Card, covered with aluminium foil to one side. This helps to make the foil waterproof, and retain the heat of a meal contained inside it. It has a laminated foil surface which helps to make the foil waterproof, and retain the heat of a meal contained inside it. The foil keeps flavours in, and air and moisture out.

Applications: Tetra Paks, drinks cartons, ready meal lids

Question 16

Properties of Mount Board (+ Use)

Answer 16

Use: Modelling

Mount board is good quality, thick card. It has a coloured surface and usually used for final models. It is also used for mounting work, for example images/paintings.

Question 17

Properties of Metal Effect Card (+ Use)

Answer 17

Use: Gift Packaging

Metallic paper and card can be used in a number of applications. These materials can be used

Question 18

What is Lamination and why is it used

Answer 18

Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound insulation, appearance, or other properties. Laminating paper products, such as photographs, can prevent them from becoming creased, faded, water damaged, wrinkled, stained.

Question 19

What is Embossing and Debossing and how is it used

Answer 19

Embossing and debossing are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images and designs in paper and other materials. An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material. Embossing enables you to highlight important elements of your printed products, such as letters (company names) and designs (corporate logos), to make sure they stand out.

Question 20

What is Varnishing and how is it used

Answer 20

The term varnish refers to an overcoating applied to a printed pieces following printing. Designed to seal in and protect the ink on the printed surface. Applying varnish to paper or card produces a smooth and consistent texture. As well as improving the look and feel of a printed piece. Varnishes can be gloss, matt or silk.

Question 21

What is UV Varnishing and Spot Varnishing and how is it used

Answer 21

This method can be very effective when used on book covers, business cards or postcards, by enhancing the printed design. The varnish itself is used to create part of the design by forming the text, pattern or an image which is then printed on to a solid colour background. UV varnish is a special type of varnish that’s finished using an ultraviolet drying machine. It creates a more vivid, more luxurious and more tactile finish when compared to non-UV varnishes.

Question 22

What is Foil Blocking and how is it used

Answer 22

Foil blocking (or hot foil stamping) is the process of applying metallic or pigment foil to paper or card, where a heated die is stamped onto the foil. Metallic foils are often used to highlight a product as premium or category-leading.