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Design & Technology

Materials and components

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Materials used in graphics include paper, board, and plastics. Smart and modern materials are also being developed. Many different materials can be used for model-making.

Adhesives and fastenings are used to attach materials together. They can be permanent or temporary.

Paper

coloured paper and card, coated paper, different weights, handmade paper

Paper thickness is measured in grams per square metre (gsm). This is the weight of one square metre of the paper.

Most paper is manufactured from recycledrecycled: Used materials that have been reprocessed to make new materials. boards and paper. Virgin paper is made from 100% wood pulp and contains no recycled material.

Different types of paper and board have different uses, as shown in the table below:

Types of paper and their uses

TypeDescription and uses
Layout paper
  • - lightweight, thin white paper
  • - used for initial ideas
  • - takes colour media well
  • - low cost
Tracing paper
  • - thin, translucenttranslucent: Allows light to pass through but is not completely clear. paper
  • - making copies of drawings
  • - high cost
Cartridge paper
  • - good quality white paper
  • - available in different weights
  • - general purpose work
  • - can be used to make simple models
  • - medium cost
Bleedproof paper
  • - smooth, hard paper
  • - used with water-based and spirit-based felt-tip pens
  • - medium cost
Coloured paper
  • - many different types
  • - available in different thicknesses
  • - used for mounting finished work
  • - used to apply coloured surfaces to models
  • - low to medium cost
Grid paper
  • - printed square and isometric gridsisometric grid: Used to draw objects in isometric projection, which uses uses vertical lines and lines drawn at 30 degrees to horizontal. in different sizes
  • - a guide for quick sketches and model-making
  • - low cost

Paper sizes

Paper is available in sizes from A0 (biggest) to A6 (smallest). The most common size is A4. Each size is half the one before, eg A4 is half the size of A3.

Each paper size is half of the one before.

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