a guide to popular printing techniques

8/12/2019 A Guide to Popular Printing Techniques

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Jul 27 2010 54 Comments

A Guide to Popular Printing Techniques

By Ciara Panacchia

In college in Waterford, Ireland, one of our class projects was called Techniques. The brief

was to become familiar with every printing technique we could and show them through

physical pieces. It was a fun project. However, when you leave school, you dont always get

the chance to work with these really amazing printing techniques or even figure them into

your budget, but what I will talk about in this guide are popular and affordable. Consider them

in your next print project!

Note:I will be using a few print design terminologies here, and if youre unfamiliar with someof these terms, you can get up to speed by reading my guide on preparing your work for

print.

Embossing/Debossing

Embossing and dembossing are similar processes that create a different result. Both

processes involve making a metal plate and a counter. The plate is mounted on a press and

the paper is stamped between the plate and counter. This force of pressure pushes the stock

into the plate, creating the impression.

Embossingproduces a raised impression on your paper stock, while debossingcreates a

depressed impression.

Things to remember when designing for a piece that includes embossing/debossing:

Be aware that embossing is a mechanical process that manipulates the paper stock,

so by default, it will also manipulate your design.

Set your type with more space between letters than usual.If you put them too close to

one another, they can merge and become one element once the embossing has been

done. Embossing makes design elements look smaller and reduces the sharpness of

smaller items.
http://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-preparing-files-for-print/http://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-popular-printing-techniques/#commentshttp://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-preparing-files-for-print/http://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-popular-printing-techniques/#comments


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There are two ways you can emboss your work at home: dry embossingandheat

embossing.

Dry embossing, also called relief embossing, is done by tracing a stencil with some paper

over it with a special tool called a stylus to get the raised effect on it.

Heat embossing, also referred to as stamp and heat embossing, is done by stamping an

image on a piece of paper, sprinkling powder over the stamped image, and then applying

heat.

From Amanda Woodward found on Flickr.
http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/cotton-card-lux-business-card-design/http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandawoodward/2989765848/http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandawoodward/2989765848/


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From tasteofinkstudios.com
http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/taste-of-ink-emboss-business-card-design/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/cotton-card-lux-business-card-design/


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Silk Lamination/Lamination

Silk lamination provides a soft, silk-like finish, is water-resistant and tear-resistant, and

complements vibrant colors. Pieces are traditionally printed in full-color, like any regular

business card, however one additional step is taken to get their unique texture the

cardstock is coated with a durable, weather-resistant, silk laminate

finish.

Lamination can be a liquid that dries to a tough gloss or dull surface, or it can be a film. Both

adhere to the surface to protect it and give it a sheen or a muted effect. The effect could be

glossy, dull, or even satin (a look thats in between glossy and dull).
http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/taste-of-ink-emboss-business-card-design/


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Varnish

A varnish is a liquid coating applied to a printed surface to add a clear glossy, matte, satin,

or neutral finish. Here are the types of varnishes:

Varnish

Type

Description

Gloss

Varnishing

A gloss varnish gives the printed surface a glossy, sheen look.

MatteVarnishing

A matte varnish gives the printed surface a non-glossy, smooth look.

Silk or

Satin

Varnishing

A satin varnish gives the printed surface a neither a high gloss or matte,

but the middle ground.

UV

Varnishing

Ultraviolet (UV) varnishing is a process for achieving an even more

striking type of coating on your printed material.


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All-over

UV

varnish

Simply put, this is a UV seal applied all over the printed surface.

Spot UV

Varnish

A spot varnish is applied to chosen spots (areas) of a printed piece. This

has the affect of highlighting and drawing attention to that part of the

design.

http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/brazil-business-card-design/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/floral-business-card-design/


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Foil

To get the gold /silver stamp, a foil layer is affixed to a certain material by a heating process.

It isnt too complicated of a process and getting the files ready are quite similar to uv-spot

printing. See my guide on preparing files for printas a reference and talk with your printer

about how to supply the files. Foil printing normally requires vector images and/or outlined

fonts of what you want to have stamped.
http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/eve/http://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-preparing-files-for-print/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/brazil-business-card-design/


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http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/ahmetze/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/eve/


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http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/xryvzn/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/ahmetze/


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Thermography

Thermography produces raised printing similar in appearance to engraving, but using a

different process for attaining the effect.

In thermography, a special powder is added to the ink that is to be printed on the paper. The

printed piece is heated, causing the powder and ink mixture to dry, which in turn results in a

raised effect on the paper.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/demetriomancini/4131018566/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/http://tasteofinkstudios.com/portfolio/business-card-design/xryvzn/


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From Demetrio Mancini

Die Cut

Die cut involves cutting irregular shapes in paper or paperboard using a die. A die can be

used in printing for cutting, scoring, stamping, embossing and debossing. Dies are normally

custom pieces, but your printer will usually have some standard dies (such as for rounded

corners) available if you dont need a custom template; check with your printer to see what

they have it may help reduce the cost of printing a special piece.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/demetriomancini/4131018566/http://www.flickr.com/photos/demetriomancini/4131018566/


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http://tasteofinkstudios.com/


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Letterpress

Letterpress is the oldest printing process. In this method, a surface with raised letters is inked

and pressed to the surface of the printing substrate to reproduce an image in reverse.

Typically, metal type has been used, but other possibilities include carved wood or stone

blocks. Most popularly used on wedding invitations, this process can also be used to create

unique business cards as well as other custom printed products.
http://tasteofinkstudios.com/


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From iglooletterpress.com
http://iglooletterpress.com/


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Silk Screening

Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink-blocking

stencil. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh that allows ink to transfer onto the

material. A roller or squeegeeis moved across the screen stencil, forcing or pumping ink

past the threads of the woven mesh in the open areas.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeegeehttp://tasteofinkstudios.com/


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From PataPri
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/


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From PataPri
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/


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From PataPri

Printing Technique Summary Table

Here are the 8 printing techniques mentioned in this guide.

Printing Technique Description

Embossing/Debossing Embossing creates a raised impression on stock,

debossing creates a depressed impression on stock.

SilkLamination/Lamination Silk lamination provides a soft, silk-like finish, is water-resistant, is tear-resistant, and complements vibrant colors.

The effect could be glossy, dull, or satin.

Varnish A varnish is a liquid coating applied to a printed surface to

add a clear glossy, matte, satin, or neutral finish.

Foil A foil layer is affixed to a certain material by a heating

process.

Thermography Thermography produces raised printing similar in
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/http://www.flickr.com/photos/patapri/4320308187/in/set-72157623375940330/


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Author: Ciara Panacchia

Ciara Panacchia is a graphic artist transplanted from Carlow, Ireland to

Illinois to work for the B2B agency MarketSense. Inspired by her

daughter and her heritage, she began illustrating a series of bilingual

books to help teach her daughter the Irish language. She recently

started the site eliesbooks.comin the hopes of someday self-publishing

the series. Follow Ciara on Twitter @ciarasworldand see her work

on Flickror her website.

appearance to engraving.

Die Cut Die cut involves cutting irregular shapes in paper or

paperboard using a die.

Letterpress A surface with raised letters is inked and pressed to the

surface of the printing substrate to reproduce an image in

reverse.

Silk Screening A printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an

ink-blocking stencil. The attached stencil forms open areas

of mesh that allows ink to transfer onto the material.
http://www.ciaracreative.com/http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciarasworld/http://twitter.com/ciarasworldhttp://www.eliesbooks.com/http://www.market-sense.com/http://designinstruct.com/author/ciara-panacchia/

a guide to popular printing techniques

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