If you work with drawing or sketching in some way — whether you’re an architect, engineer, graphic artist, part of an ad agency, or photography shop — you know that the materials you use matter. From the right plotter to plotter paper rolls and the right vinyl paper rolls, you want to choose the best paper for your printer for maximum quality and efficiency. Given that around 3,500 square feet of printing output are used by today’s architectural and engineering offices every month, it’s safe to say that paper is a big expense, and you want to make sure you’re purchasing the right kind. Knowing which to use can save you money and produce better results in the long run. So let’s discuss the main types of paper for these industries, which one you should consider using, and the benefits to each.
What Types of Paper Are Available For Use?
Though employees of these industries may use copy paper (the standard 8.5 x 11 paper) for administrative work, this is not the type of paper they’re using to create drafts, outlines, or final graphics. Three main types of paper that are used are vinyl paper rolls, bond paper, and plotter paper.
Vinyl Paper Rolls
Vinyl paper is often used as a transfer paper — the medium used to transfer a graphic from one surface to another. It’s a versatile type of paper that can be used for indoor and outdoor applications and can be either hand cut or plotter cut, depending on the type of vinyl. It also comes in a variety of colors, making it a versatile choice.
Bond Paper
Bond paper is a step up from printer paper — it’s more durable and heavier, bearing the most similarity to bank paper. It’s well liked in the graphic industry, because it can be used with pencils, pens, and felt-tip markers, without bleeding through or ripping, and is still compatible with electronic printers.
Plotter Paper
Unsurprisingly, plotter paper is used with a plotter machine. It’s a type of bond paper and is commonly used to create original prints or reproductions on inkjet printers that produce wide format work or engineering copiers. Plotter paper rolls are measured by their width in inches, with common widths being 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36, and 42 inches.
What Kind of Paper Do I Need to Be Using?
The kind of paper you need to use can be determined by the work you’re doing. Bond paper might be a first step drafting type of paper and you may not need to use vinyl paper until a later step in the process. Plotter paper might be used to produce a more polished draft of your work and then again to create the final product.
Exploring the capabilities of each type of paper is definitely worth your while though, as you may find out that it can do far more than you initially expected.
What are the Benefits to Using Vinyl Paper Rolls, Bond Paper, or Plotter Paper?
Using the right type of paper for the work you’re doing means that your work will look more polished and professional. In some cases, it may be the only type of paper that works with the printer or other equipment you’re using.
It also can be more efficient — for example, using a plotter and plotter paper eliminates the need to copy templates or reproductions by hand. Plotters can save designs and create the same thing over and over without mistakes. And a plotter can create a design on a variety of surfaces — not just paper, which gives you greater versatility.
Using the right equipment and paper can save you money, thanks to its efficiency, and time — which some may argue is just as valuable as money.
Understanding the benefits of different types of paper can yield excellent results and make your artistic process much smoother. Start exploring today!
