Finishing Techniques

I am a firm believer that the finish of a piece of design - in any format or sector - is one of the most crucial considerations to be had when producing work. The finish can dramatically change the perception experienced by viewers; It is primarily this that controls how products are interpreted,
as to whether they are a budget product or high end product for example. Ensuring appropriate, considered finishes are supplied to pieces, in my opinion, is a necessity in the design process.

Below I will explore a select range of finishes that I aspire to use in my practice in the future:

Foiling

Foil stamping is a typically a commercial printing process whereby metallic or pigmented foil is applied on to a solid surface by application of a heated die onto foil, fixing it permanently to the surface below leaving the design of the die.The foil stamp is a permanent process.

There are two primary types of foil stamping machines. The first type is manual and the second is air powered, which is most commonly used in a commercial print shops. Manual foil stampers are ideal for low jobs and the air powered is ideal for medium to high-volume jobs.

Foils come in a wide range of colors and finishes, from the most commonly used metallic gold and silver to foils with pearlescent and holographic effects.

Spot UV Varnishing/Glossing

Ultra-violet cured coatings are applied over ink printed on paper and dried by exposure to UV radiation. UV coatings can be formulated up to 100% solids so that they have no volatile component that contributes to pollution. This high solids level also allows for the coating to be applied in very

thin films.The coating can be applied via most conventional industrial coating applications 

as well as by silkscreen.

Due to the normally high solids content of UV coating/varnish the surface of the cured film can be extremely reflective and glossy. This has the affect of highlighting and drawing attention to that part of the design, but it also provides the additional visual stimulus of having varied textures on a single printed surface.

UV can be applied on spot locations of the paper or by flooding the page. This coating application can deepen the color of the printed area. Drying is virtually instantaneous when exposed to the correct level of UV light.

Embossing / Debasing

Embossing and debossing are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images and designs in paper, most typically - though other materials are eligible for this process such as wood and leather. An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material.

Often used in combination with foil stamping, embossing alters the surface of paper stock or other substrates by providing a three-dimensional or raised effect on selected areas. The procedure requires the use of two dies: one that is raised and one that is recessed. The dies fit into each other so that when the paper is pressed between them, the raised die forces the stock into the recessed die and creates the embossed impression. A specific level of pressure is applied to the dies in order to squeeze the fibers of the paper, which results in a permanently raised area in the paper.When the dies are produced, a die maker engraves the desired image into several metal plates, which are the embossing dies for use on an embossing press. A thorough understanding the process will enable a more successful result. Generally, embossing is the process most often employed to attract attention or convey a high quality textural contrast in relation to the surrounding area of the paper stock.

"Debossing" is similar to embossing, but recesses the design rather than raising it. Rather than the paper being raised in specific areas, it is indented. The process involves applying pressure to the front side of a substrate and forcing the material down from the surface. Although it is not as common as embossing, it is occasionally used to provide a different effect or appearance that fits a particular theme. Embossing and debossing on digitally printed applications is an off-line process, which may add a significant cost to the job.

In order to achieve the best possible effect, it is important to understand the embossing process and the types of dies that are used for embossing.The three factors that need to be controlled during the embossing process are:

• Pressure: the intensity of the impact on the weight of the stock being embossed.

• Heat: the ability to maintain a consistent heat level for the best impression.

• Die Depth: the client's artwork or the engraver's efforts will initially determine the die depth, however, if by looking at the artwork it appears that an adjustment of the die depth may be necessary, the die may need to be retooled to achieve a greater depth. Most types of paper can be embossed, and size is not normally a consideration. Embossing without ink, so that the image is raised but not colored, is called "blind embossing." Embossing used in conjunction with ink, so that the raised area is colored, is called "color register embossing." Embossing used in conjunction with foil stamping is called "combination stamping" or "combo stamping."