1. PRINTING EFFECTS Lesson Objective:
Understand the various printing effects within Industry
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2. PRINTING EFFECTS
When manufacturing a poster, leaflet or packaging the quality of finish applied
to the card is very important. A piece of printed card may look plain but if special
printing effects are added the overall quality of the package / poster can be
improved dramatically.
When designing a package or poster / leaflet etc.... The designer most keep the
following points in mind:
1 - Using special printing effects will add cost to the finished poster or package
2 -Is the product being advertised by the poster or placed inside the package - a ‘quality product’
or a simple item? A quality product may need quality printing effects to give the right impression
to the potential customer. Nails or screws do not need a box or package that has been
embossed, laminated or UV varnished, a plain package is all that is needed. On the other
hand, a box of chocolates specially produced for Mothers Day needs a quality finish to
impress the recipient.
3 - Adding printing effects will increase the time it takes to manufacture the poster / package.
4 - If printing effects are to be used - which ones are most suitable for the product?

3. VARNISHING Fine varnish can be sprayed on to the surface of card
VARNISHING Fine varnish can be sprayed on to the surface of card. When dry this gives a gloss finish
and helps protect the printing underneath. The printing and colour work must be completed
before this process takes place. Also, folding a package takes place after the varnish has
been applied. Different types of varnish are available. The most popular are oil and water
based varnishes. In either case, the varnish takes at least two hours to dry. This may be a
disadvantage especially if the card is being used for a package - as it means it can not be
folded straight away.

4. ULTRA VIOLET VARNISHES Special varnishes dry almost straight away if they are exposed to ultra violet light.
(UV light). The varnish is sprayed on to the paper / card in the same way as other
varnishes. However, after spraying the card passes underneath UV lights which
dries the varnish almost instantaneously. One disadvantage is that this type of
machinery is expensive to purchase. However, it produces an excellent gloss finish
to the card / paper.
Varnish is applied to card packaging
in order to give it a gloss finish. It offers
little protecting to the package and
usually applied to give a ‘shine’ to the
card. Varnish is also applied to pages
of magazines so that they also have a
gloss finish and gives the paper a
quality feel.

5. PRINTING EFFECTS - LAMINATING
This also produces a high gloss finish on card and provides good protection
against damage as it is normally water proof. The printed card is placed inside
a plastic film/sleeve. It is then placed in the ‘in tray’ of a laminating machine
which pulls the card and film through its heater and rollers. The heater warms
up the film almost to melting point and the rollers press the film sleeve until it
is sealed. When the card reappears in the ‘out tray’, the finished item looks
glossy and professional. However, laminating is much more expensive than
varnishing but gives more protection to the card.
Laminated card is used for items such as menus in a restaurant.
A menu will be constantly handled by customers and staff and it is
important that it is protected.

6.                                      
                                     
                                     
EMBOSSING
Embossing involves raising areas of a card surface above the level of the rest. The diagram below shows a coat of arms that has been embossed on green card. The images stands out from the card as it has been produced by a stamp which presses the card to the correct shape. This process adds cost to the printing process but gives the card a 3D effect.
Alongside the embossed version is the same coat
of arms printed in colour, on paper - note the difference.
Embossing usually doubles the cost of normal printing
as it takes place after processes such as colour, printing
and varnishing have been completed. Normally a small
area of a package may be embossed, so that it stands out.
Manufacturers use embossing to make their product look
more luxurious and expensive.

7. Foil Fusing
Foil stamping machines, also known as hot foil stamp, use heat to transfer metallic
foil to a solid surface. Examples of items that are foil stamped include pencils, napkins,
matchbooks, photographs and books. The foil stamp is a permanent process.
These machines are popular with wedding businesses, photography studios and other
businesses that need to brand or mark products. A similar machine, called a foil fuser,
creates a similar look in a process called foil fusing in which foil is fused to printer toner
by means of heat
Hot foil printing:
Foil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is the application of pigment or
metallic foil, often gold or silver , but can also be various patterns or what is known as
pastel foil which is a flat opaque color or white special film-backed material, to paper
where a heated die is stamped onto the foil, making it adhere to the surface leaving
the design of the die on the paper. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to
create a more striking 3D image.

8. Flexography is a high speed, high volume printing process
Flexography is a high speed, high volume printing process. Uses flexible
printing plates made of rubber or plastic. The image sticks out a bit, unlike
off set lithography where the image is Flat. This makes it a really good
process for printing onto flat or slightly uneven surfaces such as card,
plastic and some metals. The inked plates with a slightly raised image are
rotated on a cylinder which transfers the image to the substrate.
Flexography uses fast-drying inks, is a high-speed print process, can
print on many types of absorbent and non-absorbent materials, and can
print continuous patterns (such as for gift wrap and wallpaper).
Some typical materials for flexography printing are:
paper and plastic bags, milk cartons, disposable cups, and candy bar
wrappers. Flexography printing may also be used for envelopes,
labels, and newspapers.
The difference between Flexography and Lythography is the printing plates.

9. What Printing Method Should I Use?

10. VARNISHING

11. ULTRA VIOLET VARNISHES Special varnishes dry almost straight away if they are exposed to ultra violet light.
(UV light). The varnish is sprayed on to the paper / card in the same way as other
varnishes. However, after spraying the card passes underneath UV lights which
dries the varnish almost instantaneously. One disadvantage is that this type of
machinery is expensive to purchase. However, it produces an excellent gloss finish
to the card / paper.

12.                                      
                                     
                                     
EMBOSSING
Embossing involves raising areas of a card surface above the level of the rest. The diagram below shows a coat of arms that has been embossed on green card. The images stands out from the card as it has been produced by a stamp which presses the card to the correct shape. This process adds cost to the printing process but gives the card a 3D effect.

13. Making cards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyPej_mcVUg
Hot foil printing:
Hot foil printing: