OUGD405 - Leaflet Stock

Due to the concertina format the Pedestrian crossing Leaflet takes, stock choice is of vital importance. Too heavy a stock and the leaflet will not sit flat; The structure of the fold will make it want to lift. Too light a stock and the leaflet will appear poor quality, be prone to damage and also show through the high contrast designs featured on each side.

Points of consideration here include colour, gsm (weight of paper) and finish (matte, satin, glossy etc.).

Colour

The colour I will be printing the leaflet on, naturally, is white. As there is plenty of white ground and type featured on the resolution, this is the only available option when printing digitally - as digital printers only print CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and key/black).

Identifying Stock gsm

Initial exploration began in the G. F. Smith stock collection. This provides numerous types and weights of paper, showcasing the entirety of their collection(s). From this I wanted to identify the most suitable weight of paper considering the concertina format of the leaflet.

I looked at a range of weights from potential paper types, the first being from the G. F Smith Colourplan collection, contemplating the feel of the paper. Initially, I explored a range of weights, including 120, 135, 175 and 220 gsm. The most suitable from this range felt like the 135gsm weight of paper. It felt strong, yet light enough to fold and stay in the desired flat-format (until expanded/opened).

G. F. Smith / Colour Plan / 120, 135, 175 and 220 gsm 

I also looked at the Heaven 42 Soft Matt collection. This had a softer, smoother quality - although oddly felt as though a heavier gsm would be more suitable, around 170gsm

G. F. Smith / Heaven 42 / 200 and 170 gsm

Finish

Although the papers I identified in the G. F Smith collection had a quality feel, the finishes lacked what I desired. I instead found a satin/gloss finish paper at around 135gsm in weight in the digital print room. This weight felt most suitable for the concertina format of the leaflet, as it had enough weight to be regarded as a higher quality than standard 'printer paper,' yet was light enough to not distress when folded and allow the leaflet to lay flat. The satin finish ultimately makes for a more durable leaflet less prone to scuffs and tears due to its smoother finish. This will also enhance the leaflet's sense of quality, and therefore make the target more conscious of keeping it and protecting it from damage.