Archives for Paper and Ink
Varnished Printing Effects
category: Learn Color, Paper and Ink
How Paper Thickness was Measured in The 80s & 90s
How I Scaled The Printing Industry 
Having been in the print and litho business for 29 years I have had the joy of witnessing the revolution of digital evolution.
I have climbed the ropes in this industry
In 1978 I started as a clean-up man which involved sweeping floors, tables, toilets, sinks, you name it I kept it clean. At the same time I found myself obsessed with the entire printing process. I loved to interact with graphic designers, pre-press experts and pressmen. My interest was quickly noticed by management and I was offer a job as a guillotine cutter in the finishing department. This is a process where I would prepare paper, pre-press by back trimming stock if required or cut finished press sheets after they were printed. This was a great opportunity for me and I gladly accepted. I won’t bore you with all the details but over the next decade here are the positions that I became accomplished in:
category: Paper and Ink
How Paper Is Made
The Paper Paper Making Process
The paper making process starts with logs that are debarked. Once they have had the tree bark thoroughly removed they are turned into wood chips and then placed in digesters. The best way to 
describe a digester is like a huge pressure cooker. This cooking process separates cellulose fiber (number 1 paper-making ingredient) from the gums, resins and other impure materials that bind them together. These impurities are then disposed of, the cellulose is filtered out, and chemical wood pulp is created to be used for paper-making.
Many stages of bleaching are next, which is done to create whiter the pulp. Typically ultra-bright white papers are sold at premium prices. This is why paper mills strive for whiteness through bleaching. Constant quality checks are mandatory along the way to insure maximum brightness without damage to fiber strength. Over-bleaching can weaken paper in much the same way that it can ruin clothing.
category: Paper and Ink
tags: Paper and Ink, paper made
What Influences The Way Color Appears?
What Makes Us See Colors Differently
What Influences the Appearance of Color?
Environmental changes in which color is seen influences perception of color.
To be more specific the following conditions influence our perception of color:
- The color quality of light under which colors are observed.
- The proximity of other colors to the color or colors we are observing. Or changes in the value (lightness/ darkness) of the background against which colors are observed.
- The surface texture underlying the color we are observing.
Let’s look at each of these three conditions in order:
THE INFLUENCE OF THE COLOR QUALITY OF LIGHT UNDER WHICH OTHER OBJECTS ARE OBSERVED.
We see colors under varying light conditions. The color “makeup” of daylight differs, for example, from the color quality of an incandescent light bulb. This simply means that though both are seemingly white, there are certain wave lengths in each source that are stronger than others. North light at noon, for example, is energy rich in the blue end of the spectrum, while incandescent lighting is characteristically rich in the yellow-red end of the spectrum. Fluorescent lights may simulate most any energy distribution. Candlelight is distinctly yellow.
category: Paper and Ink
How Humans Perceive Colors?
An Explanation of Color
Color is light. Light is a form of energy and, according to theory, travels in waves. Light waves emanate from a source such as the sun, a light bulb, a white candle, etc. In any of these sources of light, there are many different wavelengths. Wavelength is measured from crest to crest in nanometers (billionths of a meter) or in mill microns (millionths of a millimeter). The visible spectrum range is usually considered to be between 380 mill microns and 770 mill microns and is part of the much larger electromagnetic spectrum.
In the seventeenth century, Sir Isaac Newton established that a beam of “colorless” light passing through a prism is refracted or bent into separate bands of colors. (Figure 1)
These are called the colors of the visible spectrum. Each color has its own wavelength. When all the wavelengths are combined in suitable proportions, they produce “white” light. All individual and combinations of colors are inherent in white light. We occasionally see this spectrum in nature in the form of a rainbow.
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category: Paper and Ink
How We See Color
Light Transmission and Reflection
What is Color and How it is Seen?
Light waves reach our eyes in a number of ways: directly (when we stare into the sun or a light bulb), or indirectly (when light waves pass through a transparent object held between the source of light and our eyes (called transmission) or when light bounces from an object to our eyes (called reflection).
The red of an apple is an illustration of color perceived by light reflection. Why do we see it as red? The apple absorbs all wavelengths but red, which is reflected from the surface of the apple to the eye. The receptor susceptible to stimulation by this particular wavelength sends a signal to the brain. The brain upon receiving the signal says- “red”. (Figure 3)
In other words, an opaque substance like an apple appears to be a particular color because it reflects the wavelengths corresponding to that color and absorbs those that don’t. If it reflected all wavelengths without any one wavelength dominating the other, the substance would be perceived as white.
The principle remains the same for a transparent substance, such as colored glass or film. The transparent substance absorbs some wavelengths and transmits others. The transparent object such as the green bottle is seen as green by the same principle that the apple is seen as red. All wave lengths but green are absorbed. The green wavelength is transmitted rather than reflected to the eye. See Figure 4. And that is how we see color.
category: Paper and Ink
Make Ordinary Extraordinary with AQ and FM Line Screen
Aqueous Coatings and FM Line Screen
It used to be next to impossible for people to be able to get a decent color printing order produced. These days the world is your oyster. As a consumer of fine design and commercial printing you can really supercharge your finished product at little to no extra cost. In your homes and businesses you can leverage this knowledge in many ways. What I am going to share with you is a secret I stumbled across a few years ago. It is a sweet combination of two printing techniques that go together like peanut butter and chocolate. One technique occurs at the beginning of the printing process while the other happens at the end. The two processes are known as Aqueous Coating and Frequency Modulated (FM) Line screen. Below I will explain each one and why they work so well together.
FM Line Screen
It's all in the frequency modulated dot structure.
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category: Paper and Ink
Paper Surfaces Absorb Ink- Some More-Some Less
The Paper Surface
The Characteristics And Absorptivity Of The Paper Surface
Besides whiteness and brightness, the degree of smoothness of the printing surface influences the appearance of ink placed on it. A rough fibrous paper surface is composed of a multitude of non-uniform reflecting surfaces. When light strikes them, they scatter it randomly and, thus, adulterate the print with white light. A black solid or halftone for example, is grayed because of this addition of uncontrolled and unwanted white light. A colored solid or halftone is not only grayed but also tends to change its hue.
category: Paper and Ink
Ink and Paper- A Pressman’s Perspective
Back in the day (1978) I can recall working the night shift to the sound of clunk, clunk, clunk of my printing press. 
I would arrive at 5:00 PM and work 12 hours in harmony with my printing press. As I became more confident in my skills I would often run 2 presses at the same time. Operating multiple presses simultaneously requires a keen set of ears.
If you have done a good thorough set up then all you really need do is listen. There is a certain musical rhythm that printing presses play. All I would really have to do was make pulls (Check a press sheet) every 15-20 minutes. It was the pressman’s responsibility to ensure the quality of every printing order which was controlled by the human eye.
category: Paper and Ink
The Delicacy of Color Printing Inks on Paper Surfaces
The Influence of Paper on Color Printing
How Paper Influences Color Printing
Besides whiteness and brightness, the degree of smoothness of the printing surface influences the appearance of ink placed on it. A rough fibrous paper surface is composed of a multitude of non-uniform reflecting surfaces. When light strikes them, they scatter it randomly and, thus, adulterate the print with white light. A black solid or halftone for example, is grayed because of this addition of uncontrolled and unwanted white light. A colored solid or halftone is not only grayed but also tends to change its hue.
Besides whiteness and brightness, the degree of smoothness of the printing surface influences the appearance of ink placed on it. A rough fibrous paper surface is composed of a multitude of non-uniform reflecting surfaces.
Only enough vehicle penetrates the surface to provide good bond of ink to paper. Ink gloss contributes to purity of printed ink color.Paper smoothness contributes to ink gloss. (Figure 21) Accurate glossy color results may be obtained on some dull coated and embossed coated papers.
category: Paper and Ink
Guided Template Design
It’s easy to create a nice looking business card and say “hey this looks great, what’s involved to get a complete stationery set?” The answer may surprise you! Because our graphics are prepared in a vector based format they can be easily replicated in other formats. Presentations, flyers, stationery, signage and many other formats are just a few ideas for converting our business card designs. Get more bang for your buck!
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Business Card Themes
- Client Testimonials
- For Pet Store and Animal Training Businesses
- Business Card Card Designs for Bird Care Providers
- Make Outlook Picture Images For Your Signature
- New Business Card Designs That Inspire
- Business Styles for Justice and Law
- Web Based Business Card Design
- Business Card Design for Videography and Movie Making
- Telecommunication Design Templates
- High-Tech Business Card Template Designs
Color can Heal The Sick
Dating back as far as Atlantis times, color has been seen as a natural healing agent for humans. It can set the tone in any setting. Whether you are experiencing a natural setting or a freshly painted room color influences the way you feel.
Commercial Printing & Litho is Alive
Despite the rumors you hear the world of offset printing is alive. It's not like it used to be though. In fact, those that are still paying with chemicals, plates and negatives are probably on their last legs, if not already extinct. Printers have always been regarded as a reputable sector to work with. A printing company with the right leaders at the helm can really diversify today.
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Lithography Facts
- Raised Printing – Poorman’s Embossing
- List of Offset Printing and Bindery Terms
- How to Set Your Files up for Printer’s Bleed
- Protected: Business Card Design System Upgrade
- Paper and Ink used in Harmony
- How to Include a Photo on Your Business Cards
- How Business Cards are Made
- Business Card Online Design Tutorial
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