pri- ntpri- ntfinishes

This section helps the designer understand the various finishes available and how they can transform the overall look of the finished printed product. It looks at the use of die cutting, embossing, debossing, foil blocking and varnishing.

die cuttingThis is a process that uses steel to cut away a specified section of a design. It is mainly used for decoration purposes and to enhance the visual quality of the finished printed product. It can be used to accurately alter the shape of the printed substrate and serve a functional purpose within the design which allows the user to interact with the product more.

foil blockingThis is a process which foil is pressed onto a substrate with the use of a heated die which causes the foil to separate from its backing. The foil can come in a variety of colours as is made of a thin polyester film containing a dry pigment. When talking to the printers a number of terms could be used to describe the process including foil stamp, heat stamp, hot stamp, block print and foil emboss. This is a good finish to use when trying to achieve a higher quality visual to the publication design.

varnishingThis is a colourless coating that is often applied to a printed product to protect the substrate from scuffing, wear or smudging. But varnish can also be used for visual purposes to enhance the design further such as giving elements a gloss or UV coated finish, purely decorative and adds no protection to the publication in this way. Applying a varnish increases colour absorption and speeds up the drying process as well as locking the ink in after a varnish has been applied over the top. This process can be applied in line to the print process and is created as an additional colour. Varnishes work better when applied to a coated substrate because less is absorbed by the stock and the varnish appears to lie on top.

UV varnish is a clear liquid which is applied like an ink and dries instantly with ultraviolet light, achieving either a gloss or matt finish. It provides more shine than regular varnishes so is becoming more increasingly used and used to highlight a particular part of the design for more visual appeal, creates a higher quality finished product.

embossing and debossingEmbossing creates a raised impression in the paper stock and generally a thicker stock will hold an emboss much better than one which is thinner. This can be stamped into the substrate with ink or foil on it to create a 3Dimensional design. This process is similar for deboss but is a recessed impression instead.