GF Smith Visit

To help with our module 4005 and 4006. GF Smith came over to talk about all the different paper types and styles in their catalogue and how important the stock is in changing the tone of a design.

Types of stock:

Munken

Comes in four colour of white and two different finishes. It is also used for packaging and is an affordable piece of paper. One of the main things about this type is that it folds well so there is no crack of the paper along the fold. It is compatible for both ink jet and laser meaning print doesn't have to be too expensive either.

Mohawk Superfine

Is one of the most popular types of paper due to it having a better formation therefore when being printed on there is a better ink lift so the image is seen as clearer and sharper. It also has a very crisp fold however due to the good formation it is expensive and is used for more high end branding.

Gmund Bauhaus Dessau

In celebration of it being 100 years since the bauhaus movement started the paper makers at Gmund created a new type of paper. It is ultimately cheaper than other papers in the range coming in two colours ; Wiess 1 a crisp ice white which is ultimately a blue and Wiess 2 which is a much warmer white. Weiss 1 would be used for pieces of print with less text due to it being blue toned, it is harder to read just as the blue light that is omitted from our phones and tablets.

Colorplan

One of the most well known paper ranges that GF Smith created almost 50 years ago. There are 55 different colours in the range and each being able to be a different weight/embossing pattern. This paper has a soft surface so it is good for blind embossing as it does not crack along the surface. We were given a small book to show the different varieties of paper in the range and one of the paper was called 'Marrs Green The World's Favourite Colour' which statistically is. GF Smith did a survey a few years ago to help find the worlds favourite colour.

Gmund Action Range

Another paper range by Gmund this range is ultra luxury and unique. The paper in the range ranges from pearlescent white to neon pink. It is used by luxury brands such as Dior to create packaging and invites. Due it being so unique it is thoroughly expensive.

Extract

Is new to GF Smith's range, it is recycled high quality paper. A paper mill in the Lake District invented how to properly use all the paper in paper coffee cups and create a high quality piece. It is partly recycled because they tried to use all the materials in paper coffee cups but the paper just fell apart.

Blocker

This is an interesting type of because it is created so even at a light weight (100 GSM-) there is now show through it is completely opaque which is unusual for such a light weight. It is very useful for having images or text on one side and it not disrupting the next page.

This talk was very useful to see the different paper types and how I could use them in my own designs. I think I will definitely use this paper in my Dissenting voices Project.