Print marketing is still an extremely powerful marketing tool for businesses; one that can be overlooked in today’s digital world – which makes it even more effective for business owners who use it. Creating materials that your customers and potential customers can actually touch and hold in their hands is very impactful, and investing in a special print finish can help take your printed materials to the next level.
But what print finishing should you choose for your print job? Take a look at our print finishing guide below.
Beginners Guide to Print Finishing
Spot UV
Often seen on business cards, brochures or flyers, spot UV makes a great first impression. With a spot varnish, an additional plate is used to overprint a varnish onto certain areas of your design creating a different finish. This technique will highlight different parts of your design and you can choose between gloss, matte or even glitter varnish to create visual interest and enhance your design.
Embossing/Debossing
If you want to add a tactile dimension to your marketing materials then embossing or debossing is a great finish for you. Embossing creates a raised impression on your paper or cardstock so that your message can literally be felt by your audience, while debossing – also known as letterpress – is the opposite, so it will create an indent in your paper and is great for adding physical depth to your design.
Die-cutting
Die-cutting involves cutting designs out of paper using a die and it’s a fantastic way to create materials that will surprise your customers. Depending on the look you’re going for, you can get a die cutting template made just for you, or if your design is something a little more mainstream – like rounded corners – our printer will have a template already created that you can use.
Varnish
Varnish is not just for wood! A liquid coating is added to your paper products to give a smooth finish without the weight. The paper varnish can be glossy or matte and will not only seal, but also preserve your materials. Varnish is a popular choice for magazines, brochures and any product that will be handled a lot.
Lamination
If you’re looking for something a little hardier than varnish, lamination is a great choice. Lamination puts a layer of protective coating on your materials. It is water and tear-resistant and you can choose a matte or high gloss finish to give a modern look. Lamination will also make photographs look sharper and will boost the look of vibrant print colours.
Foil
Foil is a heat-processed coating that is added to selected parts of your design to give contrast (as opposed to varnish or lamination finishes which are added to the entire design). Foiling will most commonly be in a gold or silver design, but other colours are available if you prefer. Foil is often used in text or on a logo to add a touch of luxury and class to your design.
Need help deciding which print finishing is right for your marketing materials? Give the expert team at Kwik Kopy a call today.
