Spicing up your invitations, greeting cards and scrapbooks have now become extremely easy with specialty papers that are available in office supply depots. Unlike regular, boring bond paper, specialty papers come in a variety of colors, thickness and texture. Using the right kind of specialty paper can make all the difference in how the finished paper projects you have created would look like.

With so many different specialty papers to choose from, selecting which one would work well for your projects can be quite a challenge. Here is a list of the most common specialty papers available and suggestions on where these would work best.

Metallic Paper

Metallic paper comes in the form of boards and paper. The reason why these are called metallic paper is because of the layer of mica coating that is placed on the paper. This coating gives the paper the shine and luster similar to that seen on metals. Because of the mica coating, metallic paper would work best on laser printers as the ink used in inkjet printers may easily get smeared or smudged. Metallic paper is great to use for creating business documents such as annual reports, brochure covers and business cards. It would also work best for creating wedding invitations and posters for formal gatherings.

Translucent Paper

Translucent paper and boards have the same thickness as those of ordinary boards and bond paper. The difference is that these are not as opaque, hence the name. It is in between a clear film and a regular bond paper. You can easily check a paper if it is translucent by putting your hand at the back of the paper or board. It should be clear enough to allow you to see your hand through it but opaque enough that it comes out as a well-defined shadow. Translucent papers come in a wide variety of colors and thickness. It is a popular choice for business owners for their business cards since it provides a more contemporary look and feel to the overall design. These are also popular to use for annual reports, press release kits and invitations. Because it does not have a coating like metallic paper, it could be used for both inkjet and laser printers.

Glossy Paper

Glossy paper is commonly seen on magazines you see on the newspaper stand. Just like metallic paper, glossy paper has a special coating to allow it to reflect light from an angle. This coating protects the paper from damage from water and constant flipping through. Glossy paper is a wonderful paper to use for brochures, fliers and catalogues. Because it does not absorb water, it is best to use laser printers for glossy photo paper since most ink used in inkjet papers are water-based.

Matte Paper

Matte paper is also a coated kind of paper. The difference is that compared to glossy paper, the coating is not as thick. As such, it provides just a slight touch of luster to make give text and images a softening effect. This is why matte paper is great to use for printing out digital photos to include in your invitations or scrapbook. Because of the presence of a coating, it is highly advisable to use laser printers for this although there are some matte papers and boards that can be used on inkjet printers as well.

Tags: bond paper, business cards, finished paper, greeting cards, inkjet, inkjet printer, inkjet printers, laser printer, laser printers, metallic paper, specialty paper, specialty papers, translucent paper, translucent papers, wedding invitations | Category: Papers, Labels & Photo Printing | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL