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Optical paper qualities that influence image quality
The performance of toner and ink are affected by the following paper characteristics:
shade, opacity, brightness, and reflectivity.
Shade
Paper shades may change the appearance of colour images because toner and ink are
applied in dot patterns (or screens) which allow a certain amount of the paper colour to
show through. Paper shade can also vary significantly among brands.
For example, while some white papers may be a true white, others may be more blue- or
yellow-white in appearance. Switching from a true white to a blue- or yellow-white
affects the colours and overall hues in the finished piece.
Select a true white paper for truer colours and more natural looking skin tones.
Opacity
Two-sided (or duplex) printing requires paper that is more opaque so that show-through
of images and text from one side of the sheet to the other isn’t a problem. A paper with
low opacity allows show through of images and text from one side of the sheet to the
other (eg newsprint). Opacity affects legibility, attractiveness, and quality.
For better results on documents with large amounts of toner or ink coverage, use papers
with higher opacity.
Brightness
When toner or ink is applied to brighter papers, images have higher contrast which
improves printability and quality.
Use brighter papers for best results with documents that contain complex graphics or
photos.
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DocuColor 2000 series design guide