How To Read A Swatchbook

If you are a newbie to swatchbooks, start by picking one up and flipping through it. Most design agencies or in-house creative teams will have swatchbooks on hand. Once you get your hands on one, right away, you’ll appreciate the design that goes into most of these swatchbooks. Paper manufacturers put great effort into the design and print quality of these useful tools. Paper is their product, so it needs to look top-notch with rich color, even solids, sharp detail, and lifelike skin tones.

As you flip through the pages you’ll notice a few things about these booklets. They all contain printed and unprinted samples, tabs that separate the paper grades offered and the specifications and stocking information of each product. Each component of a swatchbook is a valuable resource that when used can help in choosing the right paper to make your creative work stand out.