Paper surfaces

Papers, Continued Paper size Paper is manufactured in industry standard sizes. Countries that use the metric system of measurement have different standards than the United States. If you buy paper outside the government supply system in a foreign country, make sure you understand its unit of measure before you order. Paper surfaces Paper surfaces range from slick to rough. Some papers have a right and wrong side or two different surface textures. An excellent paper surface contributes to the professional appearance of an end product. Paper receives a surface as it passes through manufacturer’s surfacing rollers when the paper is either cold or hot. Hence, the terms cold-pressed (CP) and hot-pressed (HP). HOT-PRESSED PAPER: Hot-pressed paper has a smooth surface. Also called plate-finish or high-surfaced, this is the family of paper you should select to do tight renderings in pen and ink, most calligraphy, and art intended for reproduction. Hot-pressed paper is not a good choice for pencil, pastels, or any media that requires roughness to deposit pigment. Hot- pressed paper is less absorbent and more dense than CP paper. COLD-PRESSED PAPER: Cold-pressed paper has a medium to rough surface. The roughness of the surface is called tooth. Papers with tooth will break up most strokes. The rougher surfaced papers such as coquille board break strokes up enough to have the resulting art photographed as line drawings. Papers with rough surfaces do not reproduce halftones well. Cold-pressed paper can present lighting problems when you use them for art intended for photographic reproduction. Most general drawing and practice pads and newsprint are made from cold-pressed paper. CP paper is more absorbent, therefore, more affected by humidity than HP paper. Humidity Paper is affected by humidity and dryness. Paper surfaces absorb moisture from the air making the surface soft and easily scarred. The paper will be limp and tend to wrinkle and curl. Heavy-handed pressure on paper during a humid day scores or gouges the paper surface. Dry air dries paper out. It becomes brittle and creases easily. Continued on next page l-5