Paper size
There are different formats of papers in the world, based on traditions of use, times, geographical areas.
French formats are standardized by the AFNOR (French standardization association). The names used are derived from the filagrams (or watermarks) they carried when they were handcrafted.
To simplify exchanges, a format of international standards has been defined. This format is based on the homothetic, that is to say that its proportions must be preserved when one folds a sheet in its longest side. This feature allows you to reproduce each format keeping all the proportions of what is on the page (allowing, for example, cutting without loss, the making of books by folding).
This paper standard includes the “A, B and C” formats followed by a number. The number indicates the number of times that the basic format has been divided into two: a division into halves of an A0 sheet gives two A1 sheets , the division of which by two gives two A2 sheets .
So, an A0 sheet gives four A2 sheets , eight A3 sheets , 16 A4 sheets, 32 A5 sheets, etc.
The A0 format, which measures 1m ² (rounds to the millimeter).
The B part of the B0 format, which is 1 meter wide.
The C takes the geometric mean of the two previous ones and is in fact very used for the envelopes.
The use of these formats is very widespread around the world, with the exception of the US Letter size 8 ½ inch (21.6 x 27.9 cm) paper format used in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In painting and graphic arts, we often refer to traditional formats, as well as to the A format.
Below are tables presenting these formats.
FRENCH FORMATS EUROPEAN FORMATS
Série A En millimètres Univers 1000 x 1300 A0 841 x 1189
Grand Monde 900 x 1260 / 800 x 1200 A1 594 x 841 Quadruple carré 900 x 1120 A2 420 x 594 Double jésus 760 x 1120 A3 297 x 420 Grand aigle 750 x 1120 A4 210 x 297 Aigle 700 x 940 A5 148 x 210 Atlas 650 x 940 A6 105 x 148 Journal 650 x 940 A7 74 x 105 Petit aigle 600 x 940 A8 52 x 74 Grand colombier 630 x 900 A9 37 x 52 Grand soleil 600 x 800 A10 26 x 37 Double carré 590 x 900 Série B
En millimètres Grand jésus 560 x 760 B0 1000 x1414 Jésus ordinaire 550 x 720 B1 707 x 1000 Petit jésus 520 x 680 B2 500 x 707 Raisin 500 x 650 B3 353 x 500 Petit raisin 490 x 640 B4 250 x 353 Cavalier 460 x 620 B5 176 x 250 Carré 450 x 560 B6 125 x 176 Coquille 440 x 560 B7 88 x 125 Ecu 400 x 520 B8 62 x 88 Double cloche 390 x 580 B9 44 x 62 Couronne édition 370 x 470 B10 31 x 44 Série C En millimètres C0 917x x1297 C1 648 x 917 C2 458 x 648 C3 324 x 458 C4 229 x324 C5 262 x 229 C6 114 x 162 C7 81 x 114 C8 57 x 81 C9 40 x 57 C10 28 x 40
AMERICAN FORMATS JAPANESE FORMATS
En millimètres En millimètres Letter 216 x 279 JB0 1030 x 1456 Legal 216 x 356 JB1 728 x 1030 Ledger 432 x 279 JB2 515 x 728 Tabloid 279 x 432 JB3 364 x 515 ANSI A (letter) 216 x 279 JB4 257 x 364 ANSI B (Ledger) 432 x 279 JB5 182 x 257 ANSI B (Tabloid) 279 x 432 JB6 128 x 182 ANSI C 432 x 559 JB7 91 x 128 ANSI D 559 x 864 JB8 64 x 91 ANSI E 864 x 1118 JB9 45 x 64 ANSI F 771,2 x 1016 JB10 32 x 45 Statement Half Letter 140 x 216 JB11 22 x 32 Quarto 203 x 254 JB12 16 x 22 Foolscap (folio) 210 x 330 Shiroku ban 4 264 x 379 Super-B 330 x 483 Shiroku ban 5 189 x 262 Post 394 x 489 Shiroku ban 7 127 x 188 Crown 381 x 508 Kiku 4 227 x 306 Demy 445 x 572 Kiku 5 151 x 227 Medium 457 x 584 Broadsheet 457 x 610 Royal 508 x 635 Elephant 584 x 711 Double Demy 572 x 889 Quad Demy 889 x 1143
JAPANESE PRINTS FORMATS
Aiban 340 x 220 Chûban 260 x 190 Hashira-e 730 x 120 Hosoban 330 x 145 Nagaban 515 x 230 Ôban 380 x 255 Ô-Ôban ou Grand ôban 580 x 320 Ôtanzaku 370 x 170 Shikishiban 230 x 230 Tate-e estampe verticale Yoko-e estampe horizontale
The Artist’s Studio Unit – The Taboret
