The New GF Smith Paper Selector

This has been exploding on Twitter recently (amongst designers anyway), so I'm a little late, but my copy, well White Light Media's copy, only arrived a few days ago. So what better time to talk about it. The old GF Smith paper selector was presented in a rather large and complex folder of various fold outs an swatches. I sometimes used to sit there for hours just trying to get my head around the different stock they offered, so obviously something comprehensive was needed for designers and printers. From the creative minds of SEA Design, and over a year in the process comes the new Paper Selector.

The one piece clamshell box is lined on Colourplan Pale Grey (a personal favourite), and the inners in the new Factory Yellow. This matched to process yellow, mark my words its going to be huge this year. The full contents are broken down quite simply into three sections, and some subsequent sub sections.

Select Colour, Select Black + White, and four further books; 1 Colourplan, 2 Smooths, 3 Textures, 4 Specials.





One thing that really stands out in this design is the use of only PMS877 (silver) printed throughout. Not even a black. I'm sure collaborations with designs, photographers and artists will follow, but this body of work shoudl really remain timeless on whats already a cluttered shelf of paper samples. This is about as minimal as it gets, you've got to love swiss inspired design.





Papers now laid out by colour rather than range, with corresponding number system to take you to one of the four swatch books. For instance looking for a reflex blue? Navigate to the top left hand corner to see a short selection of colour on different boards, then a corresponding number sends you to one of the chip books for further analysis.







Subtle use of reportage from the main warehouse in Hull break up detailed technical specification. The only use of process colour in the pack.







New substrates make an appearance in the books too. Twist is what I can only describe as a very fibrous paper, frayed edged and heavily scored. You know when you have a well used chopping board… thats what this is like.



Gmund Bier, made from waste products in the beer manufacturing process.