Understanding the different types of paper materials used in posters is important for anyone wishing to design a poster as well as for those who wish to purchase the posters. Designers need to know the different types of papers used as poster material in order to be able to determine which type would be most suitable for their designs. On the other hand, those purchasing the posters need to know these different types of papers in order to determine which paper materials matches their preferences and tastes.
If you are looking to Buy poster prints online, or are looking to design some posters, the following are some of the paper materials that you need to be aware of.
- Matte
The Matte type of paper comes with very little sheen. As a result, posters printed on this type of paper should be placed in sections where there is adequate levels of light, and never in dark areas of the room. Adequate levels of light would be able to bounce off the paper creating visual interest in the eyes of the observer. Art posters printed on this type of paper should ideally be placed in brightly coloured sections of an art gallery, or in brightly coloured rooms in one’s house such as the living room.
Owing to its limited sheen, poster images printed on this type of paper are usually quite striking and vibrant.
It also offers an exquisite finishing so that the poster print comes out looking professionally done and aesthetically appealing. This type of paper is also highly resistant to smudges, hence, you can be assured of minimal visible fingerprint smudges. This means that if you place a poster printed on this type of paper in areas where it will be touched a lot, you will never have to worry about fingerprints showing or having to wipe these off constantly.
- Semi-gloss
This is the most popular type of paper used in poster printing. It has a moderate amount of sheen compared to the other paper types. The sheen levels are not too much or too little, and this means that you have a bit more flexibility as to where you can place posters printed on semi-gloss paper.
Fingerprint smudges are rarely visible on a poster printed on semi-gloss paper, which minimizes the number of times as well as the effort of having to wipe smudges on the posters.
- High Gloss
The high gloss type of paper is usually preferred when one is seeking a wide colour ranged paper to print on. This type is available in a wide variety of vibrant colours suitable for posters that want to use colour to attract and retain the attention of observers.
Usually, higher levels of UV coating are applied in order to create high gloss paper. This application does offer more gloss, but, it makes the paper so hard that it might just crack when folded. Hence, high gloss paper is not suitable for posters that would be folded at one point or another.
Such papers have a lot of sheen, significantly more than the semi-gloss and the matte types of papers. Owing to this characteristic, it is not advisable to place posters printed on this type of paper in spots where there is bright light as the glare created will be a distraction to the observers. They are going to have a hard time reading or admiring the poster with a large glare to contend with. The glare will also diminish the aesthetic appeal of the poster, and cause visual confusion in the space where the poster has been hanged.
This type of paper does show fingerprints and fingerprint smudges, but these can easily be wiped off.
