Ed #6 Embossing / Foil Stamping

Foil stamping is another off-press process that can have a big impact on the finished project. Also known as flat stamping, hot stamping, gold stamping and blocking and leafing, foil stamping uses a die, but does not produce a raised image. Instead, a foil carried by a polyester film is placed between a heated die and the paper. When the die presses against the film, the heat releases the foil coat from the carrier and binds it to the surface of the paper. See chart, “die-a-grams”

The term foil is actually somewhat misleading, because foils are not limited to shiny metallic finishes like gold, bronze, copper or silver. Intensely colored flat pigment foils resemble a thick coating of ink. Gloss pigment foils resemble an enamel paint, giving the surface the depth and sheen of an automotive finish. Pearlescent foils have a soft, translucent pearl-like glow. Clear foils create the look of a deep varnish. A wide variety of textures are available, too, including wood grains, pebble, marble and, should you ever feel the need, snakeskin.

In addition to standard foils there are a variety of holographic foils that create the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface. Holographic patterned foils, available in a number of stock designs or custom printed—with a corporate logo, for example—repeat geometric patterns or other designs to produce an illusion of depth and a shimmering, prismatic effect. Patterned security foils are often used on tickets and the like, because they contain special, anti-counterfeiting features. Occasionally appearing on magazine covers, three-dimensional holograms are created from inanimate objects. As the viewer’s angle of vision changes, the object appears to rotate in space. Multiplane holograms give the illusion of looking into a three-dimensional scene. Relatively rare—and expensive—stereograms capture a sequence of actions performed by live models, creating an illusion of movement as the image is tilted from side to side.

If one foil is good, two foils can be even better. Although they call for the help of an experienced finisher, foil-over-foil processes—applying one foil over another—can create dramatic contrasts of color and texture. Glittering holographic foils can be set against a dark, intense matte surface. Different colored foils can be used to set off different parts of an image, or the company’s name from the title of the publication. Glossy metallic foil rules can be used to frame a foil-highlighted image.