Fast Facts on Paper, Printing, and Ink

Paper

Paper was first used in 105 AD during the Han Dynasty in China and spread slowly to other countries over the years. Centuries later, we still use paper for practically everything—toilet paper, newspaper, receipts, magazines, packaging, and the list goes on. Just image the amount of paper we have used since it was first invented until today and we can probably fill thousands of rooms with them. Here are some facts about paper that you probably don’t know yet:

·         An average American uses 7 trees in a year for paper and other products made from trees.

·         1 ton of paper makes 400 reams, which equals to about 200,000 sheets.

·         Benjamin Franklin is the first American paper merchant.

·         Paper was so scarce during the American Revolution that soldiers had to rip pages from books to use as filling for their riffles. 

·         Based on a Xerox study, U.S. corporations spend $120 billion each year on paper forms.

Printing

Printing remains one of the most effective ways to share and exchange information these days. According to a survey conducted by Doremus and the Financial Times, 60% of senior executives said that they turn to print when they want in-depth analysis. Correspondingly, the 3^rd annual Signs of the Times national survey conducted by FedEx revealed that 61% small business owners consider traditional marketing methods as more effective than web-based marketing methods at bringing in customers. These reveal that print remains effective even if we are highly technical and digital these days. Here are some fast facts about printing:

• Average American office workers print 10, 000 pages per year.
• Printing is considered one of the greatest inventions of China.
• 90% of companies don’t keep track of their printing cost.
• Using Century Gothic instead of Arial font will let you use 30% less toner.  

Ink

Printing companies and individual printers have wide choices of ink these days. Companies like HP, Epson, and Canon each have their own specialized inks designed for their own printers. And despite predictions that the printing industry is waning, home printers have made the ink industry secure for at least the next few years. Here are some fast facts about ink as stated in an article from the San Francisco Chronicle:

·         A typical printer cartridge is more expensive than a Dom Perignon champagne or a Chanel No. 5.

·         In 2003, the ink and toner industry was a $32.5 billion industry.

·         HP spends about $1 billion per year on research and development for imaging and printing.

Infographic: Color Psychology in Purchasing Decisions

Have you ever wondered why McDonalds uses the colors red and yellow on their logo or why Pepsi uses red and blue? These colors were actually chosen after a meticulous research process and were not simply picked because the owners liked them. Both companies looked into the meaning of colors and how they influence purchasing decisions before they were able to decide which color best fit their company. 

If you are going to produce print materials or to design your website, you’d likely be wondering what colors you should use in order to easily influence your prospects to buy. To help you, here’s an infographic from KISSMetrics that explains how colors affect consumer purchases.  

Find the College Humor Poster You Need at The Bazaar

Laughter can be contagious in a grand scale. It’s a feel-good injection that will put a person’s mind and spirit in good shape. No wonder a lot of jokes are sent and exchanged everyday either through text, tweet, or personal message. This is the reason why CollegeHumor, an online entertainment company, put up an online comedy website designed to create original comedic contents. 

Recently, CollegeHumor has made its prints available online through DesignTAXI's marketplace The Bazaar.  Posters available on the store features original satirical comics created by the CollegeHumor staff. These are available for order and can be shipped to over 266 countries. If you want to make a friend laugh, this is the perfect place to look for hilarious posters.  

Here are examples of the posters available at The Bazaar:

"Your Bed" Travel Poster

"Cell Phone"

What YouText vs. What I See

Color throughout History

For more than 2000 years, people have been exploring the rich history of color and how it affects our lives. Until now, we are still discovering new and exciting facts about color that greatly affects how we live our day to day activities.

Ancient times

In the past, ancient Egyptians used color to cure ailments. They perceived color as an integral part of their everyday life adding meaning to everything they created. For instance, green was often associated with growth and fertility while blue was believed to be a divine color and was often used at sacred places. The Chinese were believed to have used color for healing as well. Like the Egyptians, they associated colors with ailments. 

Color studies

Aristotle was believed to be the first to develop the color theory. He claimed that color was sent by God as celestial rays and classified four colors based on the four elements: earth, fire, wind, and water. Later on, Leonardo da Vinci suggested an alternative hierarchy of color which consisted of white, yellow, green, blue, red, and black. 

It was only in 1666 when the first detailed understanding of color was arrived at by Isaac Newton. Newton used two prisms and let white light passed through them. He observed that when white light passed through the prism it produced seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. He called the spreading of color into rays as dispersion and the different colored rays as spectrum.   

Color in the modern age

Colors are used in more positive ways these days: entrepreneurs now understand the role of color in the performance of their employees; hospitals are aware of the effect color has on their patients; cosmetic companies have introduced a wide range of colors in their products, etc. Indeed, color has played an important role not just in treating ailments but also in the way of life. If we can better expand our understanding of color, we can truly benefit from nature’s gift of color.       

Colors for the Ancient Egyptians

We know Egyptians for their pharaohs, mummies, and pyramids. Unknown to many people, however, colors also played an integral role in the development of the Egyptian civilization.

Color history can actually be traced back to Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians considered color as an essential part of their life. Their paintings, architecture, books, and jewelry were all inspired by colorful symbolisms. The ancient Egyptian palette is composed of six colors:

Green is a positive and powerful color to Egyptians. It represents growth, and life. The Egyptian God Osiris is often depicted with green skin as reference to his power on vegetation. The Eye of Horus amulet is also often made of green stone.

Red is a very powerful color that symbolizes life and victory as well as anger and fire. It’s the color of Seth, the god that personalizes evil and the power of darkness. Egyptians created the red by using naturally oxidized iron and red ocher.

Yellow is used to signify the qualities of sun and gold. It’s an eternal and indestructible color. Egyptians  believed that the skin and bone of the gods are made from gold. They created yellow by using natural ochres or oxides.  

Blue is considered as the divine color. It symbolizes the sky and water. It takes the meaning of both life and re-birth. The god Amen/Amon, who played a part in the creation of the world according to Egyptians, sometimes has a blue face.        

White suggests purity. It is the color of simple and sacred things, and this is why white sandals were often worn at holy ceremonies. Egyptians created white from chalk and gypsum.

Black is the symbol of night and death. Anubis, the god of embalming is portrayed as a black jackal or dog. Egyptians created black from carbon compounds such as burnt animal bones and soot.