Desktop printing has come a long way in the last few years. A PC or Mac with an inexpensive ink jet or laser printer can produce remarkable results. Just the other day I bought an ink jet printer for $79.95 that prints so well on heavy card stock with a glossy finish that it looks like professional printing. I have spent the last thirty-five years around the paper, design, and printing business and I cannot tell the difference between most ink jets, lasers, and professional printing. Of course my friends in the printing business can see the difference but the rest of us can’t. The Paper Depot design staff will gladly help with your computer and printer invitation questions when you stop in the store. The following suggestions should help you to choose papers that work with your printer.
Paper Size: Most printers easily handle 8 ½ x 11 and 8 ½ x 14 and many sizes in between. Cut a piece in the size you want to print, say 7 x 10, and try it in your printer. Some printers will accept smaller or larger pieces; check your owner’s manual or try a sample.
Paper Weight: Most printers accept weights as light as 20# photocopy paper up to 65# card stock. Some printers will accept heavier weights; check your owner’s manual or try a sample. A good rule of thumb is that if your printer feeds in the front and the printed piece comes back out the front it will not print on heavy weight card stock. If it feeds in the top or side and the printed piece comes out a side other than the one into which it was fed it will probably print on heavier card stocks.
Paper Finish: Most printers will work with most paper finishes except for very soft, fuzzy surfaces, which tend to absorb too much ink like a blotter, and very hard, smooth, non-absorbent finishes on which the ink won’t dry. You always have to test. Here’s a trick that sometime works on hard smooth finishes. Print one sheet and set it aside to dry. If it dries you will be able to print the sheets one at a time by removing each sheet from the printer as soon as it comes out and setting it aside to dry. If it doesn’t dry in a few hours it is not compatible with your printer.
Paper Size: Most printers easily handle 8 ½ x 11 and 8 ½ x 14. Some can print sizes in between. Cut a piece in the size you want to print, say 7 x 10, and try it in your printer. Some printers will accept smaller or larger pieces; check your owner’s manual or try a sample.
Paper Weight: Most printers accept weights as light as 20# photocopy paper up to 65# card stock. Some printers will accept heavier weights; check your owner’s manual or try a sample. A good rule of thumb is that if your printer feeds in the front and the printed piece comes out the front it will probably not print on heavy weight card stock. If it feeds in the top or side and the printed piece comes out a side other than the one into which it was fed it will probably print on heavier card stocks. A good test is to print one sheet of paper. Rub your finger across the printed surface. If the printing smears, the paper is too heavy for your printer.
Paper Finish: laser printers are designed to print a high quality image on a smooth piece of paper. The more texture the paper has the lower the quality of the printed image. Test your paper in the printer. If it doesn’t jam or smear and you are happy with the quality of the printed image it will work. If it jams, smears when you rub your finger on the printed surface, or the image does not look good it is not compatible with your printer.
The word vellum comes from the ancient French word velin. Velin was an animal skin that had been scraped, stretched, wet, and dried to prepare a surface upon which one could write before there was paper. The word has come down through the centuries and today is commonly used to describe a piece of paper made from wood pulp with a translucent or see through quality. It is sometimes called tracing paper. Vellum papers come in many colors and often have inclusions such as fibers, designs, and printed images. They are often used as overlays in invitations and add a touch of elegance to a finished piece. The word vellum is used this way in the art world and most retail settings.
The printing industry and many designers use the word vellum quite differently. There it is used to describe a piece of paper that has a soft, absorbent finish that allows ink to soak in and dry very quickly. It is not see through. When asking for vellum, you may have to define what you mean.
Because vellum, the see through type, usually has a very hard, smooth surface, it can be more difficult to print. These are our recommendations.
For ink jet printing: Test print one piece. It usually works just fine. If the print smears when you touch it you will have to let it set until it is dry. If it dries you can print each piece, one at a time, removing each piece from the printer as soon as it comes out. Set each piece aside to dry. If your test piece does not dry after several hours it never will. Do not print anymore; it is not compatible with your machine.
A TIP: When printing on vellums that have a pattern, the finished printing may look different on the pattern than on the plain vellum. Try printing on the back of the sheet. That will often give better results.
For laser printing: Test print one piece. If the printing smears when you touch it, it will not work. The paper is not compatible with your printer. If the toner does not smear continue to print but do not leave your laser unattended when printing vellum. Lasers use heat to fuse the printing to the paper. Vellum papers are susceptible to curling when exposed to heat. The longer a laser runs the hotter it gets. If your vellum starts to curl, stop printing and take the paper out of the printer until the printer cools. When the laser is cool you can resume printing.
A TIP: When printing on vellums that have a pattern, the finshed printing may look different on the pattern than on the plain vellum. Try printing on the back of the sheet. That will often give better results.
