The choices that we have for paper product finishes have been steadily increasing in the past few years. Our abilities as printers in NH have let us become more than printers. We are also artists during an age where many believe the paper is a dying form of media. There are many reasons why paper products are still around today despite all of our technological advances. One of these main reasons is that what you can do with paper can be artistic, gorgeous, and more quickly spread than Internet methods. When using paper, it is usually broken down into the simple argument between matte and glossy finishes – a competitive notion that may be hard on printers.

The choice between matte or glossy finishes has long been the deciding factor for any invitation or business card design. For many, the choice between these two is as simple as, “what do I want my company to portray in this piece of marketing?” or as complicated as finding the ideal look. At the end of the day, it is the most standard for designs to have matte or glossy finishes.

 

 

Matte

A matte finish has a finishing step during its creation that leaves the paper smooth, resulting in a color that is duller than its counterpart. This finish is particularly useful, according to Vistaprint, when you are looking for contrast in colors and text. The great ting about a matte finish is that it tends to work well with white business cards and letterheads. While it is useful for many reasons, it is particularly good at enhancing simpler designs that may be distracting in a glossy finish.

 

Glossy

Glossy finishes are usually applied to a single side of a business card or a document and is particularly useful to enhance color and make it pop with its shiny finish. The glossy finish is optimal when you want a solid card that has more production value than that of a matte finish. With bright colors and vivid designs, a design that does not focus on text is ideal for glossy finishes.

 

 

The differences between these two finishes ultimately come down to your choice of style. Considering what works well with different contrasting images and text can help you decipher how you want your design to go. For instance, if you know for sure that you want a glossy business card, you are going to want a layout that does not rely on text. However, if you are looking strictly for a business card that is equal parts text and image, you may want to consider a solution that can mix both worlds into something unique.

Consider all of your printing needs, then consider what can happen with the work you have accomplished. Talk with us here at the Print Factory, and you will quickly understand what your design can achieve. Call us today to speak with expert printers in NH!