One answer is to add an extra dimension to the printed piece with embossing and foil stamping. Both add emphasis and snap. They catch the busy reader’s eye, making him or her stop and look. In addition, embossing adds a third, tactile dimension to the usually two-dimensional printed piece.
Embossing and Debossing
These give printing depth and make images pop, engaging the attention in a fresh way. Embossing creates a raised image, debossing a sunken one.
With either method, the image is created when the paper stock is pressed with a magnesium, copper or brass die. Single-level dies create one raised or depressed area on the page. To create a multi-level image, you need a multi-head die that’s been engraved for a layered effect.
Another option for achieving three-dimensionality is a combined emboss/deboss process that creates an image with raised and depressed areas.
The depth of a die ranges from 0.006″ to 0.025.” Very deep dies (0.020 to 0.025) must have beveled edges so that they don’t cut through the paper. Bevel refers to the way the edge of the die is angled. The wider the angle, the more three-dimensional the resulting image. You can specify a bevel from 30 to 60 degrees and even as high as 80 degrees.
The material a die is crafted from is a function of how it’s used. For jobs that will be reprinted many times, the die should be made from copper or brass, which are very durable. Magnesium (or mag) dies, while inexpensive, tend to smash out and break down fairly quickly. Copper and brass dies should also be used if the design has a lot of detail, or if you’re embossing heavy, textured stock.
Blind embossing refers to impressions that are not made over a previously printed image. Obviously, if you’re embossing over a printed letter or graphic element, registration becomes an issue, since embossing a printed image is like adding another color. Misregistered embossing results in a product that can’t be used.
There are a few guidelines regarding preparation of artwork for the die-maker. In contrast to the increasingly digitized world of lithography, die-makers still work from paper or film.
Tips to Prepare Artwork
- For a single-level die, prepare film or crisp, black-and-white mechanicals. The artwork for a multi-level die should have a tissue overlay for each level.
- In general, designs should be slightly oversized and the lines heavier than if they were going to be printed. Rules should be at least two points wide or the paper may not press into the lines in the die.
- Extra space should be allowed between letters in a word, and tiny or highly intricate designs should be avoided.
- The designer must indicate whether the die should have a rounded or beveled edge (only copper and brass dies can be tooled to have beveled edges). Advise your customers that beveled edges play an optical trick by making images appear smaller.
Choosing Paper for the Best Results
Paper stock is an important consideration. Soft papers are easier to emboss than laid bond and other hard stocks. Coated stock holds detail best, but the coating sometimes cracks if the die is deep. Uncoated sheets, therefore, are best for deep embossing.
Embossing and debossing involve heat and pressure, which smoothes out textured stock. The contrast between the smooth, embossed image and the rest of the page is a striking and often desired effect, but let your customers know in advance that it will happen.
If you’re unsure about choice of stock, take my oft-repeated advice: consult ahead of time with your finishing house. A brief meeting of the customer, designer, printer and finisher saves everybody a lot of time, money and aggravation.
Think of the finisher as an extension of your shop. Teaming up to offer value-added services like embossing and foil stamping enables you to attract new customers and help current ones add another dimension to their printed products.
Marty Anson is president of Bindagraphics, Inc., a full-service post-press house in Baltimore, MD. The company offers a complete range of binding and finishing options for printers of all sizes and capabilities. Marty can be reached by phone at (800 326-0300, by fax at (410) 362-7233, or by mail at 2701 Wilmarco Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223.
This article was last modified on December 13, 2022
This article was first published on September 9, 2005
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