Have you ever gotten a wedding invitation in the mail and been amazed at the beauty of gold lettering on a deep blue background? Or have you ever looked at a leather-bound book and admired the silvery letters on its front? If so, you’ve discovered the design miracle that is foil stamping.
People have been foil stamping various things for thousands of years. With advances in technology, the process has become easier, and now we can foil stamp almost any printed item. Read on to learn more about foil stamping and how it can raise your designs to the next level.
What Is Foil Stamping?
Foil stamping is a printing process that imprints a shiny foil over the top of a specific area in a design. If you’ve ever seen a wedding shower announcement or a book that had shiny metallic text, you’ve seen foil stamping.
Foil stamping dates back thousands of years, when the work was all done by hand. It was costly and time-consuming, so it was only used for the most important books.
These days, foil stamping is done by a machine. Although most foil stamping is metallic these days, there are also options for various colored foil stamps, as well as matte and glossy finishes.
How It Works
Modern foil stamping is a quick and entirely automated process done by Kluge foil stamping machines. Once a design is finalized, the printer makes a stamp that is raised in the area that will be foil stamped. A roll of extremely thin foil is loaded into a machine, and the process begins.
The stamp is heated up, and as each piece to be foil stamped comes through the line, a layer of the foil is laid over it. The stamp is pressed into the foil so that it seals to the paper in the desired pattern. This leaves a sort of reverse image in the used foil sheet, which rolls to a clean area, and the process begins again.
How to Use It
Foil stamping can be a beautiful touch on book covers, invitations, announcements, and more. If you’re planning to use dark paper, foil stamping can be a good way to avoid any problems with ink changing color on the dark background. It can also be a great way to add a touch of luxe to whatever it is you’re printing.
While you can use foil stamping on white paper, it works best on darker colors where there’s more contrast. It has a big visual impact, so be sure you don’t go overboard with it. And because foil stamping is a more intensive process, be prepared to pay a little extra to get it done.
Get More Design Ideas
Foil stamping can be a beautiful way to make your book or invitation stand out from the crowd. If you need to add some glitz to a wedding announcement or celebrate the arrival of a new baby in perfect style, some foil can be the perfect touch.
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