Matte, velvet, silk, dull and gloss. These are five papers that fall into the category of “coated paper” and give you a broad range of choice. That range extends from the subjective aesthetics – look and feel – to the physical attributes that affect the performance on press and the final printed project.
Matte papers provide a softer look and feel and a sense of greater bulk as well as a more open surface, which diffuses reflected light. The result is that images printed on matte paper appear softer. This may be the perfect paper for certain subjects and illustrations but for subjects that require a crisp, hard image you’ll need to specify a paper with a gloss finish and tighter surface. A gloss surface will yield uniform light reflection and maximum ink hold-out, the sum of which is intense color and crisp details.
Velvet, silk and dull are subtle steps between matte and gloss. They have different degrees of random coating particles that diffuse reflected light and soften images and give slightly less detail. Many dull sheets also have a micro-emboss to further diffuse reflected light. Any of these papers can be a great choice for certain illustrations or natural images.
So – how do we choose? Let the subject matter of the illustrations and images dictate the paper choice. Also, perceived value is something to consider. Do you want a brand or subject to be perceived as “high gloss with shine” or more muted, earthy and inexpensive?
Lastly, remember expectations.  Industry standards is that printer’s proofs are generally shown on gloss materials, so what you see on a glossy proof is not what you’ll see off press, if you’ve chosen a less than gloss paper.
