Design Atlas
한국어
✎ Graphic, brand & print

Paper grain

종이 질감

The same ink looks different depending on whether the paper is coated — coated stock is smooth and reflective, uncoated stock shows its fibre grain and soaks up more ink.

Also known as: 지질Paper textureUncoated vs coated
···
html
<svg style="position:absolute;width:0;height:0">
  <filter id="grain">
    <feTurbulence type="fractalNoise" baseFrequency="0.85" numOctaves="2" seed="7" result="n">
      <animate attributeName="baseFrequency" values="0.85;0.92;0.85" dur="6s" repeatCount="indefinite"/>
    </feTurbulence>
    <feColorMatrix in="n" type="matrix" values="0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0.5 0"/>
  </filter>
</svg>
<div class="row">
  <div class="chip coated"><span class="sheen"></span><span class="cap">coated</span></div>
  <div class="chip uncoated"><span class="cap">uncoated</span></div>
</div>
css
.row{display:flex;gap:8%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;width:100%;height:100%}
.chip{position:relative;width:min(110px,32vw);aspect-ratio:1;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;box-shadow:0 0 0 1px var(--line);background:#e7e3d8}
.coated .sheen{position:absolute;inset:0;background:linear-gradient(115deg,transparent 35%,rgba(255,255,255,.6) 48%,transparent 62%);transform:translateX(-130%);animation:sweep 3.4s ease-in-out infinite}
@keyframes sweep{0%,20%{transform:translateX(-130%)}55%,100%{transform:translateX(130%)}}
.uncoated::after{content:'';position:absolute;inset:0;filter:url(#grain);opacity:.7;mix-blend-mode:multiply}
.cap{position:absolute;bottom:8px;left:0;right:0;text-align:center;font:700 10px/1 ui-monospace,monospace;color:rgba(0,0,0,.55);text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.06em}

Coated stock (like art paper or matte-coated) has a mineral coating baked onto the surface to smooth it out. Ink sits right on top, so colours print sharp and reflective — great for photos and saturated colour.

Uncoated stock has no coating, so the pulp fibres are exposed and you can feel — and see — a fine grain. Ink soaks slightly into the fibres, which mutes the colour compared to coated stock, but that same texture is exactly what reads as tactile and premium.

The same design can print with visibly different colour depending on the stock, so for anything that matters it's worth getting an actual proof on the real paper before committing.

When to use

Lean coated for photo-heavy catalogues and lookbooks; lean uncoated for business cards or invitations where touch and brand feel matter. Embossing and foil (→ emboss-deboss, foil-stamping) both read more dramatically on uncoated stock.