Tobias Reed
Tobias Reed Production Knowledge Lead at 4OVER4.COM
Question

Can you write on paper that has aqueous coating?

Answer

Not easily. Aqueous coating seals the surface of the paper, and ballpoint and gel pen inks tend to bead up or smear instead of soaking in. If any part of your piece needs to be written on, plan for that before you print rather than after.

  • Leave fill-in areas uncoated - response cards, order forms, and signature lines should sit in an uncoated zone.
  • Coat selectively - many jobs can carry a coating on the graphic areas while leaving writable sections bare.
  • Test your pen - if writing on coated stock is unavoidable, a permanent or paint marker adheres better than a ballpoint.

Deciding where people will write during design is the cleanest way to avoid a coating that rejects ink.

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