Matte vs glossy book cover

Nov 04, 2014 in my opinion, glossy covers do curl a bit more, although the paper quality and the way theyre put together probably play a role in the degree of curling, which means its not just texture alone. At the end of the day, when it comes to contemplating the pros and cons of matte vs. The regular matte cover is wider and shows only a very small amount of the first page or none at all. Glossy photos do just what their name implies they gloss over the photograph, giving it a nice shine. Do you prefer a matte or glossy finish for your book. The matte soft cover finish is less reflective than gloss, giving a more natural look to cover art. Conversely, if i had chosen a glossy cover i would likely have chosen white pages to go with it. All my previous covers have been printed with a glossy finish and. In this video we explore the differences between the two. The bookstore owner discovered that buyers were judging books as either mainstream or vanity based on whether they had a matte or glossy cover. The paper and the coating behind that glossy photograph is actually made up of the same stuff as a matte image, except that more of the final coating is used.

Colors appear more intense and saturated, while blacks appear deeper. Choosing a cover this time around i will share the very last thing you choose when readying your book for print. Nothing changed but the materiel of the actual cover. If youre not sure, we recommend ordering a sample pack so you can see your options.

Offset has a much larger parent size sheet than cover stock, so 500 sheets of offset 25 by 38 inches weighs more than 500 sheets of cover stock 20 x 26 although cover stock is much thicker. Matte finish seems to make lighter textures pop more and have more contrast. I m looking for a black matte paper to remount the pictures on. Even some packing materials, such as styrofoam, are abrasive enough to damage the cover as the book is jostled cross country in the back of a semi. They look like an art and exquisite in every finish print. My glossy covers seem to have issues with peeling of the clear, thin laminate. Okay, so that title is a little wordy, but, with respect to the author, both titles are fairly prominent on the cover and spine, unlike the town which has a tiny little blurb about being previously published as prince of theives. This is the typically the top selling and most widely available formula, and that means its just about everywhere.

The contrast is sharp, the resolution is high, the paper is very durable and the final picture gives the impression of being a high quality piece. Feb 20, 2019 this is a 331 page 106k word book, and i felt it was helpful to compare the matte and glossy cover images before publishing. They are both photo book giants based in the us but they deliver worldwide, and mixbook has printing stations now around the world for faster delivery. The glossies were deemed as vanity and put back on the. Its interesting that book buyers are that entrenched in the industry to even suspect a vanity book.

Matte papers are supposed to be completely shine free and smooth, although this is debatable. I personally prefer matte finishes to glossy, but as a downside, matte paper can mute colors somewhat. Soft touch matte our soft touch matte photo books are great additions to photo books that deserve an upgrade. Now that ive had time to give the books a road test of sorts, i thought id share the pros and cons of each cover type with you. Glossy displays have more vivid color and contrast. Matt damon gracing my cover of imperial life in emerald city, or in hollywood parlance the green zone. Also, both are available in several finishes, including gloss, matte or uncoated. Diggypod also provides matte lamination for your book covers. This is very nice for colorful, vibrant artwork on book covers. Createspace paperbacks matte vs glossy meekas mind. Matte vs glossy covers for createspacekdp print youtube. Looking at 2 copies, the glossy and the matte ones, of my book fictional worlds, a number of people and myself concluded that.

Matte cards which finish is better for your prints. The most matte paper ive seen is blurbs pro line uncoated paper. Gloss left appears smoother and shinier than matte right. While many love the soft feel of matte lamination, the texture can be unusual and unexpected for some. Both types provide a strong, clear covering that makes the text and graphics completely visible to the reader.

Glossy, matte, lustre all about paper types for your. Soft touch matte photo book covers mixbook inspiration. For example, lets say that the short run brochures offer. What is the difference between matte and glossy paper. With less of that final shiny layer, matte prints offer a similar lifespan, but without that glossy sheen. The difference between a glossy photo and a matte photo is fairly simple. Matte and gloss paper are coated sheets that appear smooth. Glossy photos show off the colors in your work, making them seem more vibrant, deep and rich than when you print your photo on matte paper. Matt finish and glossy finish are the finish prints that you see in your photos. Printninja offers various types and styles of paper finish.

The comment that glossy versions are shorter on the front cover right edge shows some of the first page is true, but its not clear if there are nonglossy covers with a short right edge as well. Shutterfly which photo book cover do you like more. Matte lamination costs a little bit more because the material is quite expensive, but if you want your cover to have that flat look, then matte lamination is for you. Once i chose my cover texture, then the choice of page color was easy. What is the difference between cover stock and text stock. Additionally, it has a more impressive look than a matte photo. I have seen books before with matte paper that looked exactly like lustre. Formatting your novel best book size, font size, glossy. The scuffing of matte laminated covers is an ongoing issue. Bookwright from blurb, i made 5 identical books, differing only in their paper type, and of course their cover title to differentiate them easily. In fact, im reading a book with a glossy cover right now, and that cover lays down flat as a pancake. I believe the matte costs more over the glossy which my publisher generally chooses. Our dullmatte cover is a thick 9pt cover stock with a smooth, nonshiny coating. The difference in appearance between a glossy finish and a matte also known as dull or flat finish is due to how they reflect light rays.

My book cover is matte, and its gorgeous, very velvety. During the uv coating process your book cover will be flooded with uv fluid and then passed under an ultraviolet lamp to harden the fluid. Soft photo cover with a thick cardstock cover, your photos are showcased on the front and back in an easytoflip softcover book. Blurb test book paper comparison film photography blog. Cover stocks and text stocks come in a wide range of colors. Oct, 2012 matt damon gracing my cover of imperial life in emerald city, or in hollywood parlance the green zone. Laminated book cover options in matte or gloss diggypod. But i was pleasantly surprised by how subtle was the glossy one, even adding a 3d effect. The glossy cover shows enough of the first internal page to easily distinguish the areas that are magenta, blue, purple, green, etc.

However, the cover curl is already worse with the matte book, which is a concern because its 2 months newer than the book on the right. It is also is sold in many variations of coated or uncoated, and as the name implies is most often used as the cover for a book or booklet. We most often use it at our shop in weights of 60, 80, and 100 pounds. Lamination choice communicates something to the potential reader about the book.

These two are commonly used when people want nice finishes on these pictures. Matte paper also has a coating applied during manufacturing. Paper finishes are applied after printing, and are usually only applied to a projects cover. Jun 21, 2019 matte and gloss paper are coated sheets that appear smooth.

For nonfiction or more subtle literary fiction, or for simple book covers without a bunch going on, i think matte seems more professional. In essence, lamination makes the product ready to be put into the hands of consumers. This is a great option when you want your book to have a more muted look. Difference between matte finish and glossy finish compare. Matte and glossy covers posted on april 21, 2010 by janicu there seems to be a debate on what looks classier a book cover with a matte finish, or a cover with a glossy one.

Matte vs glossy createspace covers how to make, market and. If you like colors that pop, then matte may not be the way to go. But a glossy finish what createspace books have always been bring out deeper colors and inks, so they may be better for detailed artwork or covers with a lot of photographic elements on them. Though there are options for whats called matte uv, most uv coatings are glossy and will give a very shiny appearance to your books cover. With most matte films, a fingernail or other hard object brushed across the cover can produce a visible scuff. Matte finish is a photo finish that is not shiny and glary. However, light shining on the display can cause extremely noticeable reflections. Feature your photos in a glossy laminate on the front and back cover of this durable hardcover book option. Amazon, home depot, dollar tree, walmart, target, michaels, joann, hobby lobby, ac moore, and on and on. Our dull matte cover is a thick 9pt cover stock with a smooth, nonshiny coating. As these books are just proof copies, and im going to change the cover slightly anyway, im not terribly fussed. One of the most common dilemmas our customers face when printing everything from business cards to wedding photos to art prints is understanding the difference between glossy vs. How to choose the best paper for your photo book part 2 of 2.

Jan 12, 2010 the bookstore owner discovered that buyers were judging books as either mainstream or vanity based on whether they had a matte or glossy cover. However, keep in mind that matte absorbs light while gloss reflects it. A glossy photo has a shiny quality that allows the existing colors on it to come alive, making the different details appear well defined. A less shiny cover absorbs more small scratches and scuffs without looking beat up. I guess some companies will usually give you two options, a glossy and a matte, and since the lustre is less shiny too, they might sell it under the same blanket category. Many paper mills manufacture both types in matching colors. Bates jun 4, 2003 thanks several million bill the matte paper driver defaulted to 360 dpi so no wonder i got a fairly poor print. Since blurb just launched their new lay flat books, i thought i would compare it to its biggest competitor, mixbook. It is well suited for detailed, crisp printing without sacrificing the ability to easily write on it. S, i see a combination of both on the shelves, but i. If you rely on color to sell your cover on the shelf, stick to glossy.

I happened to read an interesting blog post from a bookstore owner who talked about the quality of book covers. Unlike gloss coating, matte coating gives a diffused sheen, which boosts the contrast of photos and offers a smoother presentation than uncoated. Createspace gives you two optionswhite or yellowand i quickly realized that the more traditional yellow would go well with the traditional matte cover. Matte photographs dont quite have the same color boost as glossy though if you shoot and process the photo right, you can still get a good deal of color from a matte print. Unlike gloss coating, matte coating gives a diffused sheen, which boosts the contrast of photos and. The simple contrast of a matte cover among many glossy covers may draw its own attention on the bookstore shelf. Uses because of their thickness and rigidity, cover stocks are used for. Jul 26, 2012 matte versus glossy paper is definitely a personal preference. The extra shine works well on print files with heavy color coverage, especially photographs and big graphics.

Ive always liked matte on books, however, and would certainly love to have my debut novel with a classy, muted cover, and thanks to your wonderful poll takers, a much better choice. Walgreens photo explains the benefits and drawbacks of each finish effect. Gloss cover vs matte white paper vs creme hardcover vs. Yes, indeed, the covers were shiny and very pretty and the format was much more. Sunlight is the worst case scenario either direct sunlight outside or even just sunlight coming in through a. Jul 26, 2015 the comment that glossy versions are shorter on the front cover right edge shows some of the first page is true, but its not clear if there are non glossy covers with a short right edge as well.

Cgc has only recently within the past few weeks begun specifying glossy vs. Ive only ever ordered the glossy hard cover and the cloth hard cover. Hope this is useful info for others looking to publish through amazon. Glossy, matte, lustre all about paper types for your photo. It is also a great paper type for things like menus, posters, or flyers. Glossy paper is shinierthis makes the color in your images pop on the sheet.

Sep 26, 2016 in essence, lamination makes the product ready to be put into the hands of consumers. May 09, 2017 amazons createspace provides two cover finish options for selfpublished books. There seems to be a debate on what looks classier a book cover with a matte finish, or a cover with a glossy one. Does the printing platform matter ingram spark vs createspace vs kdp print. They also offer a softcover matte book which ive also ordered in the past. They are very similar books in the same price and quality range.