When it comes to print there are many things to consider such as choosing the right paper, the perfect design and selecting a special finish which you can apply on top of your print media. Obviously you can stick to just CMYK and be just as creative with these four inks, however, if you want your printed work to stand out from the crowd and ensure people will remember your business, then you should take a look into the range of specialist print finishes you can apply.
For those of you who are familiar with print then you will be aware of such techniques as UV spot varnishes, die-cutting and embossing, but there are many other options available and the printing industry is constantly innovating to develop more.
Things to bear in mind
Find a printer
One of the most important parts of the printing process is to create a good working relationship with a printer or specialist finisher. You'll need to know what's possible and the which is the best way to prepare your artwork for output. At Colour Print we always say it pays to speak to us from the outset, so we can talk through your options, offering you the best solution for your project.
Fancy finishes
There are many finishes you could choose from but if you wanted, you could coat your printed media with a varnish in either matt, satin or gloss. However, if you want something a little more impressive you could apply the varnish in certain areas to highlight a masthead or a product, for example. This varnish is generally dried or 'cured' with ultraviolet light, which is why you'll often hear it referred to as 'UV'.
Printing trends
Laser and die-cutting are very popular and currently a 'trendy' type of finish. If you decide to use this finish you should creatively about how to use this effect, for example, die-cutting a design into a cover and setting a plain coloured piece of paper behind it.
Alyson Hurst, a paper consultant at GF Smith, said:
"There's a vogue for kraft paper on natural shades highlighted with strong accents," and combining this with die-cutting can be very effective. Foil blocking is another current trend, especially when combined with embossing and debossing as well as duplexing and triplexing – layering up two or three different papers.
Printing opaque white
Printing opaque white was only once achievable with labour-intensive screen-printing, but now it is possible through the use of digital presses, offering exciting options to your print. Paul Hewitt at Generation Press said,
"One of our favourite print processes is the use of digital white on coloured or black stocks to create novel effects at exceptional quality."
Tactile finishes
You don't have to opt for a crisp, polished effect, you can always look at Risograph printing which gives a very 'made at home' feel to your design. Steve Middleton, sales director at Celloglas said:
"Velvet varnish combined with gloss UV is very on-trend at the moment."
Letterpress printing, one of the oldest forms of printing, is also an on-trend choice and gives a stunning, tactile result, especially in soft cotton papers. Athena Cauley-Yu from Meticulous Ink said:
"Letterpress has had a steady increase in popularity in the UK in the last five or six years, and is hugely fashionable in the USA."
If you would like help with bringing a project to life, contact us and we will be able to help you with your idea. Call us on 01603 488001 or email us on websales@col-print.co.uk.
