Definition:
When ink-coated paper fibers pull out of the paper surface during printing it is called picking. When these fibers adhere to the rollers during the printing process later pages can end up with hickies or flaws on them from those stray fibers that prevent ink from being applied evenly.
It can be difficult to completely eliminate picking and other similar flaws but lower quality paper is more susceptible to picking than better paper grades. When choosing a lower grade, talk to your printer to get their opinion on how well that paper tends to hold up. A good printer will keep an eye out for large flaws and stop a run if large spots of missing ink are obvious.
Examples:
What kind of paper would Peter Piper pick? I prefer picking papers not prone to picking to prevent printing press problems.
