North American Paper Dimensions

North American Paper Dimensions

Business Card Size: 3.5 x 2

1/2 Letter: 8. 5 x 5.5

Letter: 8.5 x 11

Legal: 8.5 x 14

Tabloid: 11 x 17

17 x 22

22 x 34

34 x 44

Postcard: 6 x 4.25

These sizes are what both US designers and the average US citizen are used to seeing. It is also what sizes common press sheets come in slightly off sizes from NA Paper Dimensions.

International Paper Sizes

A10: 1 x 1.5

A9: 1.5 x 2

A8: 2 x 2.9

A7: 2.9 x 4.1

A6: 4.1 x 5.8

A5: 5.8 x 8.3

A4: 8.3 x 11.7

A3: 11.7 x 16.5

A2: 16.5 x 23.4

A1: 23.4 x 33.1

A0: 33.1 x 46.8

Inside Margins / Gutters

When creating a booklet with spreads, it’s important to set up your margins with enough room so that you type and image doesn’t get lost in that inside guttter.

We already discussed the inside gutter, we also have gutters between your columns. The general rules about columns are that you be sure to set up columns and gutters that offer enough breathing room for your copy but not too much so that the columns don’t flow from one to the next with a smooth transition. Also, the size of your gutter is also dependent on the size of your body copy. For example, if your copy is smaller, then your gutters can be smaller.

File Types

Files for your printers are generally saved as PDF or as native Adobe files (psd, ai or indd). Make sure to ask your printer what their requirements are.

Here are some other file types for printing that will get you the best results:

For vectors save your files as EPSs, PDFs and AIs.

For your bitmaps or pixel-based files, save them as: TIFFs, PSDs and sometimes higher quality JPEGs.

Bleeds

If any element on your document layout makes contact with the document border you will have to use bleed. The trick is to place the element so that it goes over border where the document will be cropped after printing.

The term bleed is used for all objects overlapping the border off your document. Let's say you're working on a brochure with images against the sides of your pages. You'll supply the printer with a document somewhat larger then the final document will be.

After the brochure is printed it will be cropped to its correct size. The bleed in your document gives the cropping some room for error. The paper itself can expand or contract, the cropping machine could be setup wrong or the person working on the brochure could make a mistake. There are a lot of factors that could go wrong with the cropping, if you weren't using bleed the images wouldn't be neatly aligned with the side of your printed document.

Two kinds of bleed

A bleed can be a full bleed or partial bleed. With a full bleed you have objects running of your document on all sides. With a partial bleed you'll have a couple of elements running off the document.

Crop marks

For every job you send to the printer you need to place cropmarks on your document. Every industry-standard program on the market will do this automatically (although there will be a few exeptions when you'll have to make them by hand). How far the crop marks should be from the document border is something you should discuss with your printer. For most jobs 3 to 6 mm is fine.

In normal usage you won't see the cropmarks untill you open the exported file, pdf for example.

CMYK versus RGB color spectrum

Whereas monitors emit light, inked paper absorbs or reflects specific wavelengths. Cyan, magenta and yellow pigments serve as filters, subtracting varying degrees of red, green and blue from white light to produce a selective gamut of spectral colors. Like monitors, printing inks also produce a color gamut that is only a subset of the visible spectrum, although the range is not the same for both. Consequently, the same art displayed on a computer monitor may not match to that printed in a publication. Also, because printing processes such as offset lithography use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) inks, digital art must be converted to CMYK color for print. Some printers prefer digital art files be supplied in the RGB color space with ICC profiles attached. Images can then be converted to the CMYK color space by the printer using color management methods that honor profiles if present; this helps preserve the best possible detail and vibrancy.

Red, Green, Blue - Additive colors

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow - Subtractive colors

Some printers may prefer your files be delivered in RGB with ICC profiles attached, as this allows the printer to use color management methods when converting to CMYK. Other printers may prefer your files in the CMYK (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black) mode, as this is the mode required for the printing process. If an RGB (Red/Green/Blue) file is submitted, it must be converted to CMYK for print.

It can sometimes be difficult to visualize the reason for color shift in color space conversion. The best way to see the color differences between the CMYK and RGB color spaces is to look at a color gamut comparison chart. The chart to the left plots the visible color spectrum as the large "horse shoe" area, and within this is a plot of the CMYK colors, and the RGB colors. You can see that in some areas the RGB color space is "outside" that of the CMYK space. It is these colors that will be affected by a conversion from RGB to CMYK.

Desktop scanners & color space

Most desktop scanners, digital cameras, and video capture systems save files as RGB and the conversion of RGB files to CMYK can be done in many ways (see how to convert RGB to CMYK). RGB converts to only CMY directly. However, when printing, we must add black ink and in doing so must cut back on some color. The Undercolor Removal (UCR) setup will help control this ratio so that a maximum ink density for the four colors will be 300% when printing on a coated paper stock.

Spot colors

Digital art that is comprised of spot colors (e.g., special colors: any colors that are not CMYK process colors), generally require conversion to the CMYK color space to enable file use. Because color gamut's for spot color libraries, such as those associated with the Pantone Matching System (PMS), usually extend beyond the ranges of the CMYK color gamut, some spot colors may not be represented effectively using CMYK process inks.

Image Halftones

In offset lithography, the density of CMYK inks can not be varied in continuous fashion across an image, so a range is produced by means of halftoning. In halftoning, translucent CMYK ink dots of variable size are printed in overlapping grids. Grids are placed at different angles for each of the ink colors. Smaller halftone dots absorb less light; thus, as a result of an increase in the amount of reflected light, apparent density is decreased and the object appears lighter.

Color Separations

To reproduce color and continuous-tone images, printers usually separate artwork into four plates (called process colors)—one plate for each of the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black portions of the image. You can also include custom inks (called spot colors).

Trapping

This misregistration causes unsightly gaps or white-space on the final printed work. Trapping involves creating overlaps (spreads) or underlaps (chokes) of objects during the print production process to eliminate misregistration on the press.

Color Matching System, or CMS, is a method used to ensure that colors remain as consistent as possible, regardless of the device/medium displaying the color. Keeping color from varying across mediums is very difficult because not only is color subjective to some extent, but also because devices use a wide range of technologies to display color.

There are many different color matching systems availlable today, but by far, the most popular in the printing industry is the Pantone Matching System, or PMS. PMS is a "solid-color" matching system, used primarily for specifying second or third colors in printing, meaning colors in addition to black, (although, obviously, one can certainly print a one-color piece using a PMS color and no black all).

Many printers keep an array of base Pantone inks in their shops, such as Warm Red, Rubine Red, Green, Yellow, Reflex Blue, and Violet. Most PMS colors have a "recipe" that the printer follows to create the desired color. The base colors, along with black and white, are combined in certain proportions within the printer's shop to achieve other PMS colors.

If it is very important to match a certain PMS color in your project, such as when a corporate logo color is used, you may want to suggest to the that printer purchase that particular color pre-mixed from the ink supplier. This will help ensure a close match. Another possible reason to buy pre-mixed PMS colors is if you have a very long print run, since it can be difficult to mix large amounts of ink and keep the color consistent through several batches.

Color Tools

Knowing Color Theory

Monochromatic—One-color, different light and shade values.

Analogous-—all cool or all warm colors

Complementary—Opposing each other on the color wheel.

Triads—Same distance from each other on the wheel in a triangle.

Color Tools

Adobe Program Tools like Color Guides in Illustrator which also use color theory to help you determine a palette.

Some rules are to start with one color and build from there, using color theory ideas. Use a limited palette using colors with the same value and saturation.,

Typically, Text and Cover papers are offered in a wide variety of colors from lights to darks, with numerous textures and a variety of surface finishes. Our papers are made from high-grade bleached wood pulp or cotton fibers. Recycled sheets include high quality post consumer fiber pulp, in addition to the bleached wood pulp or cotton fibers.

The distinction between Text and Cover papers is primarily one of weight. Text papers are typically used for the inside pages of books, brochures, annual reports and direct mail pieces. The weight of Text papers also lends itself to advertising flyers as well as letterhead and communication systems.

Cover papers are heavier than Text sheets and are generally used for the covers of brochures, annual reports and folders where extra bulk and protection are needed. Other Cover uses include calendars, menus, invitations and announcements. Except for their basis weight, Text and Cover papers are manufactured identically. “Double Thick” papers are made from two Cover weight sheets pasted together. “Cover Plus” papers are made from two Text weight sheets pasted together. Both are pasted covers, offered for projects requiring extra bulk or stability.

Paper Finish

Generally paper will come in different finishes. You will find matte, which is a dull/ soft finish, SATIN which is a semi-gloss and GLOSS, which is what you might typically see for slick ads or magazine covers.

Paper Textures

There are many different textures for papers. Linen, for example, is a very popular type, there is also lineal, grooved, felt, cement, etc. This will change per paper company but you should always keep in mind that texture can cause problems type.

The Right Paper for the Right Job

Absorbsion and pilling. There are paper that are used for fine arts prints on certain printers called Giclee, certain papers for digital press versus offset and more impressionable papers used for letterpress.

Paper Mills and Suppliers

Folding

Folding needs to be taken into account if you are creating brochures, newsletters, simple flyers, etc. It is important to keep in mind cost of the paper size when determining panels and folds and also the extra cost of folding and sometimes scoring*. When planning on a fold, it is also important to consider your paper. Some heavier papers can crack when folded. Ask your printer about paper options that are less likely to crack and also whether or not they can score your fold.

Scoring is done with a special tool that creates a clean line at the fold.

Common Fold Styles

Four-Page Simple Fold

Four-Page Short Fold

Six-Page Accordian Fold

Six-Page Barrel or Roll Fold

Eight-Page Gate Fold

Eight-Page French Fold/Sixteen Page Signature

Eight-Page Parallel Fol

Finishing Techniques

Embossing

Scoring

Foil Stamping

Types of Offset Inks

High gloss, metallic, heat set, flourescent, soy-based

Varnishes and Protective Coatings

What is a die cut?

Die cutting is the process of using a die to shear webs of low-strength materials, such as rubber, fiber, foil, cloth, paper, corrugated fiberboard, paperboard, plastics, pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, foam and sheet metal. ... Rotary die cutting is often done inline with printing.

You may use a die cut if you are creating special holes in your package or cover, if you are doing curved edges or other special edges. Die cuts generally add a large cost to a printing job but can create an interesting visual addition to your project.

Binds

Saddle stitch

Loop stitch

Stab stitch

Perfect bound

Singer sewn

Case bound

PUR bound

Screw bound

Comb bound

Spiral bound

Wire bound

Tape bound

Saddle Stitch

In the printing industry, Saddle Stitching refers to a very popular book binding method in which folded sheets are gathered together one inside the other and then stapled through the fold line with wire staples. The staples pass through the folded crease from the outside and are clinched between the centermost pages. Two staples are commonly used but larger books may require more staples along the spine.

Perfect Bound

Perfect binding, also known as adhesive binding, applies an adhesive to the spine of gathered pages which, when dry, keeps them securely bound. Commonly, a soft paper or paperboard cover (or paperback) is attached over the binding adhesive.

Spiral Bound

Holes are punched or drilled into the pages. Wire is then shaped and threaded into the holes. Each end of the wire is then crimped to prevent the wire slipping off.

Comb Bound

Rectangular holes are rst punched into the pages. The rings of the plastic comb are then threaded through the punched holes and wrapped around onto themselves to hold the pages in place.

Tape Bound

An adhesive tape is wrapped around the spine of several pages to hold them in place. It often incorporates stab stitching as well to give added strength.

Case Bound

The standard binding for a hardback book. There are many di erent types of case binding but typically the inner pages are sewn together in sections and then these are glued to end papers which are glued to the cover.

Sewn Bound

Similar to saddle stitching at just a few pages, but thread is used instead of wire and the thread is stitched along the whole spine. As more pages are included it becomes more similar to case binding but without the cover.

Loop Stitch

Similar to saddle stitching. The di erence being that a loop is created with the wire on the spine so that the document can be inserted into a ring binder.