Shade levels - and what it actually means

Quick facts

TRUE WHITE

CREAM WHITE

BLUE WHITE

Ideal for long documents where you want to ensure the readers comfort as it minimises eyestrain
Ideal where images are a broad selection of colours so that it reflects all colours evenly. A true white will also help the coloured graphics and photographs 'pop' off the page, and won't interfere with or add more colour to the images

Ideal if you have images that are mainly reddish or yellowish tones (such as sunsets, beach & desert scenes) then the cream paper will enhance the images without significantly affecting the text quality.
Ideal for long documents where you want to ensure the readers comfort as it minimises eyestrain

Ideal if you have images that are blue-toned (such as sea or sky scenes) because it will enhance the images while leaving the text crisp and clear

General Overview:

Shade is a measurement of the colour of the paper, commonly measured by the system known as CIE LAB (LAB formulas are often used in paint mixing). Shade is defined using a universally accepted colour measurement model and represents the subtle differences in colour within the visible spectrum. Technically, shade is an important characteristic when defining a papers whiteness as it can directly impact the look and feel of printed images. There are traditionally three main groups of white shades - true white, cream white and blue white.

Most papers are manufactured to a Blue White shade as this appears brighter and whiter to the human eye. It absorbs warmer colours and reflects more blues or cooler colours - and they are often referred to as 'bright white' papers.

The True White is a balanced white shade of paper which reflects the total colour spectrum equally. A Cream White absorbs the blues and cooler colours and will usually have a yellowish tint.

Test Methods include:

A spectrophotometer or a spectrodensitometer can be used to measure shade.

Paper and Media