The particularity of the papermaking process makes art paper have many special features in paper structure and performance, which leads to many special features in the printing process.
1. Ink absorption
All kinds of art paper have a great absorption span of ink. For example, coaster paper is very easy to absorb ink, and Lenny paper is easy to absorb ink, while transparent paper is difficult to absorb ink. The ink absorption of art paper is directly related to printing. Quality and delivery time required. For paper with poor ink absorption, it is possible to add a drier in the ink or use ultraviolet light to prevent the back from being dirty due to the slow drying of the ink, and the phenomenon of imprinting powder. Of course, the structure of the paper absorbs ink. Sex has a great influence. Some papers are looser in texture, inks can easily penetrate and dry, while others are very tight in texture. The ink floats on the surface of the paper, so that it is not easy to penetrate into the paper, and it is not easy to dry. Art papers with different ink absorbing properties can usually be controlled by adjusting the printing pressure and processing the ink, and if necessary, a certain amount of trial printing can be performed first (the number is determined as needed).
2. Smoothness
Due to different papermaking processes, some printing papers in Shanghai have a looser texture and lower smoothness. Some papers are more compact and have a higher degree of smoothness. There is also a relief effect in art paper (such as embossed paper). Paper with a stripe effect (such as bamboo paper). When encountering such papers, it is generally recommended to print less or even not, and use the natural floating pattern of the paper to perform some simple partial processing, such as embossing, UV glazing, hot stamping, etc., thereby basically retaining the characteristics of the base paper. And make full use of these qualities to achieve the desired decorative effect. Of course, if printing is needed, it is very necessary to regulate the printing pressure to make specific analysis of specific problems. For example, when printing looser art paper, the printing pressure should not be too large, otherwise it will destroy the obvious characteristics of the art paper shading and deform the paper. On the other hand, if it is an art paper with a relatively tight print quality, the printing pressure should be appropriately increased.
Printing and decorating effect of special paper
With the improvement of people's living standards, the variety of papers has become more and more, special papers have emerged, and are widely used in various graphic designs, especially high-end albums, book cover design, popular with the masses of special paper. It has the characteristics of compressibility, foldability, ease of processing, and easy molding, which is not achieved by other packaging materials, and is also a major advantage of it as a paper printing material.
Paper texture
There are many types of specialty papers, and the performance of print design is also very different. Designers must understand and master the characteristics and performance of different specialty papers in order to make better use of their advantages and design a variety of different styles of simple and elegant, luxurious and festive, modern and simple.
Special paper has a certain strength, light weight, surface irregularities, texture, smoothness, gloss and other different types, its color is diverse, and its appearance is beautiful. In particular, paper materials made from plant fibers are environmentally friendly and recyclable, making them the material of choice for green packaging.
Texture
The texture is the skin of the object and the styling factor associated with any object. The rough or smooth surface of the object is a texture, it must be perceived by sight and touch. Texture does not refer to form or color, it is a modeling factor that requires special feeling.
Texture can be divided into two categories: one is the tactile texture that can be touched by the hand, and the other is the visual texture that can be perceived through the visual.
(1) Tactile texture
The tactile texture is extremely direct. As long as you touch it, the blind can feel it, but after being photographed, it loses the directness of the touch and perception.
In recent years, in order to make people feel the tactile fun of their surfaces, paper and other packaging materials often use a variety of special paper materials with different textures, such as embossed paper, dip net paper, etc., which are dizzying. Offset paper, coated paper and specialty paper have obvious differences in touch texture, so their artistic expression is also different.
(2) visual texture
We watch TV every day. The TV tube is made of glass and is smooth. But the texture that people feel on the TV screen is the visual quality that is awakened by the sense of touch, rather than the true sense of texture.
Paper is a flat material that can be visually perceived by the graphics, such as stripes, shades, etc., which are designed to take advantage of people's visual texture.
2. Application of texture in print design
In recent paintings, the texture is getting more and more attention in the design of the print, and the production of the texture and the texture itself become the works. The effect of printing on a rough textured paper can further enhance the texture, and even a small pattern printed on Mammes Phillips paper having a fine uneven effect has a good visual texture effect. In print design, the use of rough and textured paper is a very important texture design.
Paper texture
1. texture - the texture of the surface of the object
Any object has a different surface, and different materials have different texture textures. This texture is called texture.
The texture of the surface of the object is naturally formed, and some are obtained through manufacturing. Various materials used in printing, such as metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, paper, specialty paper, etc., belong to the latter. The texture is different, the texture is different, there are hard and soft, concave and convex, thick and thin, sparse and dense, deep and shallow difference. The staggered arrangement of the plant fibers of the paper, the dense shinyness of the metal material, and the stretchable and wrinkle-free of the plastic surface all constitute different texture effects.
2. Visual texture and tactile texture
The texture is divided into visual texture and tactile texture. Visual texture is a texture that is felt with the eyes, such as stripes on the screen, unevenness of the pattern, etc., but all are two-dimensional plane texture. Tactile texture is generally obtained by means of pressing, die cutting, engraving, etc. It is a three-dimensional texture that can be felt by hand. More and more designers in graphic design use the texture and texture of special paper to design many outstanding works.
Specialty papers have better texture and texture than plain paper, providing inexhaustible materials for both design and macroscopic.
Application of special paper in printing design
There are many kinds of special papers, and the design effects are not the same. This article only introduces the application of several common special papers.
1. Plant parchment paper (sulfuric acid paper)
Plant parchment is a kind of denatured processed paper which is treated with sulfuric acid by treating thick paper made from plant fibers and changing its original properties. It is translucent, the paper has few pores, the paper is tough and compact, and it can be waxed, coated, embossed or wrinkled. Its appearance is easily confused with tracing paper.
Because it is translucent paper, sulfuric acid paper is often used as a ring or backing paper for books in modern design, which can better highlight and highlight the theme, and conform to the modern trend. Sometimes used as a title page for books or albums.
2. Synthetic paper (polymer paper and plastic paper)
Synthetic paper is made of synthetic resin (such as PP, PE, PS, etc.) as the main raw material. After a certain process, the resin is melted, extruded, stretched into a film, and then subjected to paper treatment to impart whiteness to the natural plant fiber. Materials obtained by opacity and printability Generally, synthetic papers are divided into two categories: one is fiber synthetic paper, and the other is film-based synthetic paper.
Synthetic paper is no different in appearance from general natural plant fiber paper. Film-based synthetic paper has entered the market of high-grade printing paper and can adapt to a variety of printing machines. Synthetic paper currently used on the market refers only to film-based synthetic paper. If the books, advertisements, manuals, etc. printed on synthetic paper are not indicated, the average consumer does not see any difference between it and plain paper.
Synthetic paper has excellent printing performance, and does not cause "breaking" phenomenon during printing; the surface of synthetic paper exhibits extremely small unevenness, which is very helpful for improving opacity and printability; synthetic paper image reproduction is good, The dots are clear, the color tone is soft, the size is stable, and it is not easy to age. The printing effect of synthetic paper is shown in Figure 3. It is worth noting that when using offset printing, professional synthetic paper offset inks should be used.
3. Embossed paper
(1) Characteristics of embossed paper
A concave-convex pattern is formed on the surface of the paper or cardboard by mechanical embossing or wrinkling. The embossed paper is embossed to enhance its decorative effect and make the paper more textured. In recent years, embossing on the surface of printing paper has become more and more common. Color-dyed paper such as offset paper, coated paper, white paper, and white cardboard has been embossed (printed) before printing, and can be greatly used as "embossed printing paper". Increasing the grade of paper also brings higher added value to the sale of paper. Many papers used for flexible packaging often use embossing before or after printing to improve the visual effect of packaging and decoration and increase the value of the product. Therefore, embossing has become an important method of paper processing.
(2) Processing method of embossed paper
There are two kinds of processing methods for embossed paper: after the paper is produced, the pattern is mechanically added to become embossed paper; secondly, the flat sheet of raw paper is dried, and then placed in an embossing machine for further processing, and then passes through two rollers. The pressing force, one of the rollers is engraved with an embossed pattern, and the paper is embossed as a pattern after passing. Since the texture of the embossed paper is deep, it is usually only one side of the paper.
(3) Embossed type
Embossing can be divided into two types: plate embossing and non-plate embossing. The so-called plate embossing is to press the printed flower shape into a concave-convex shape to make the pattern bulge, which can play the role of beautiful decoration.
Without the embossing of the plate, the pressed pattern is not directly related to the pattern of the print. There are many types of embossed patterns. Such as cloth, diagonal cloth, straight stripes, yalian net, orange skin, straight mesh, needle net, egg skin, sack pattern, plaid, leather, scalp, linen, gear stripes and so on. This overprint embossing is widely used in embossed printing paper, coated book paper, patent leather, plastic synthetic paper, plant parchment and other decorative materials.
Most of the domestic embossed paper is pressed from offset paper and whiteboard paper. The surface is rough, textured, expressive and varied. Many art designers prefer to use this type of paper, and use it to make a cover or a cover page of a book or album to express different personalities.
4. Pattern paper
Designers and printers are constantly looking for ingenious design styles to make their work stand out. Many times, the pattern paper can make them icing on the cake. These high-quality paper products are soft to the touch, and have a beautiful appearance. The finished product is more noble and pleasing, and is pleasing to the eye. There are many kinds of papers, each with its own characteristics. Compared with ordinary paper grades, high pattern paper can be divided into the following types:
(1) Dip net paper
Dip netting is the most traditional and commonly used method of making paper texture. This process is generally inserted into the papermaking process. The wet paper is placed between two absorbent soft flannel sheets, and the line texture of the flannel is printed on the paper. This process is divided into single or double-sided prints. The line pattern of dip net paper such as Gangu stripe paper is looming and the texture is soft. Some imported dip net papers contain cotton, so the texture is softer and more natural and tough, suitable for packaging and printing.
(2) Antique effect paper
Many customers and graphic designers have a special liking for high-quality, plain non-coated paper, and they love the warm and rich feeling of this type of paper. In addition, book publishers also require more durable paper, and hope that the paper is crisp and firm, ensuring consistent and consistent printing. The products designed with antique effect paper are simple, beautiful and elegant. As shown in Figure 7.
(3) Doping and special effect paper
The trend of environmental protection is very popular, and spotted paper comes into being. In order to achieve the effect of natural regeneration, pulp is added with various kinds of debris. The amount, size, etc. of the doped substance should be properly controlled. If the number of paper spots is too large, the effect of the graphic will be destroyed, and too little will give the person a sticky feeling. Nowadays, there are a variety of doped papers available for users to choose from. Some environmentally-friendly recycled papers contain ore, snow, petals and other impurities. The papermaking technique involves adding dye to the sizing process to form spots or create a parchment effect. This kind of paper is very popular among consumers, and it is also the first choice for various certificates, book covers and restaurant recipes and wine list. Due to the special effect of the paper appearance, designers often use simple papers and preferred papers for boring and odorless document printing, such as the various financial statements of the listed company's annual report, which can make the layout active and attract attention.
(4) Non-coated pattern paper
Both printers and designers have consistently promoted non-coated papers that are aesthetically pleasing and feel good. In order to achieve a beautiful visual effect, the prints have a high-end and gorgeous feel. The natural texture of the non-coated copying paper and the printability of the coated paper are both eclectic. The two sides of the paper are specially treated to reduce the water absorption of the paper, so that the ink remains on the surface of the paper, so that the texture of the ink is better. The metal pearl finish series paper can be changed according to the viewing angle of the human eye, and the effect after printing is better.
(5) Gangu paper
The Gangou brand of specialty paper, created in 1888, originally used the CONQUEROR London Castle watermark, and was not changed to the Cavaliers plus English watermark until the early 1990s. This distinctive watermark is world-famous and has become the symbol and code of high-quality commercial, writing and printing paper. It has been sold to more than 80 countries and regions around the world and is popular among hotels, banks, enterprises and even government agencies. The ancient paper is divided into aristocratic, slippery, grain, concept, digital and other major categories.
(6) "Condensed" pearlescent pattern paper
The hue of the paper can produce different color sensations depending on the viewing angle. Its luster is formed by the diffusing of light to the surface of the paper, with a "flashing silver" effect, so printing a pattern with metallic qualities will be excellent. It is suitable for making all kinds of high-end exquisite and modern fashion prints. The cover of a high-end book or the bookcase of a hardcover book.
The paper surface is smooth and smooth, suitable for all kinds of printing processes and processing methods, such as four-color offset printing, rolling and hot stamping.
It is recommended to use an oxidized conjunctiva drying ink. The gloss of the ink may not be as good as the gloss of the paper itself.
(7) "Star mining" metal pattern paper
Metal “Star” pattern paper is a kind of art paper that breaks through the tradition and a new concept. It not only maintains the classic and aesthetics inherent in high-grade paper, but also has the creative metallic color of the front and back, which is luxurious and not tacky. Steady and not unassuming, it shows a strong temperament that is different from ordinary art paper.
Due to the new technology, the metal “Xingcai” has its metal characteristics never fall off, and the paper surface is smooth and smooth, which adds infinite force to the printing effect. It is suitable for all kinds of printing technology and special technology, especially the hot stamping process. which performed. It is recommended to print the cable at 130~150 lines/inch when printing. The ink should be thickened when printing on dark metal pattern paper.
Metal "Star" can produce a variety of high-end prints, such as paper used for product samples, cover of annual reports and books, and for various boxes.
(8) Gold paper
Gold paper has a qualitative difference from traditional gold foil. Traditional gold foil can only be printed by means of transparent material, and can not be directly colored. Use 24K gold as material and use nano