You and I know that one of the easiest ways to transform a good design into a great one is by adding the shimmer and shine of foil, and the finger-pleasing sensuality of embossing. Yet how do you do this on your short print run projects? Simple, say the makers of these beautiful labels: You get digital printing and digital foil technology to play nicely with traditional embossing tools – just like 3 friends enjoying a beer!
Designed by Zweischneider and produced by All4 Labels, these gorgeous pieces – printed on Avery Dennison Fasson Super White Opaque FSC – are an exciting example of what happens when you stop thinking about “traditional” and “digital” techniques as being standalone options, and instead begin to find new ways to make them play together. The results are downright inspiring.
So how did they do this exactly? I’m so glad you asked!
First, the metallic effects were laid down with a Digital Foiling process using Leonhard Kurz’s DM-Jetliner system; this included the limited-edition foil numbering on the side. Next, the colors were added through CMYK digital printing. As you can see, this label is already something special.
But the folks at All4 Labels were only just getting warmed up, because they then enhanced a design that was eye-catching into something absolutely amazing. How? By boosting the look and feel of these pieces with a wide variety of embossing techniques!
Using an in-line process, each label featured 1 of 6 motifs achieved through a combination of MicroEmbossing, NanoEmbossing, Registered Embossing and Blind Embossing.
Using these processes transformed an already attention-grabbing piece into designs that reflect light, play with shadows, and intrigue through grooves and edges that you can feel as well as see. (This project was initiated by our friends at Hinderer + Mühlich, who provided the stamping tools, and Pantec, who provided the stamping module – to demonstrate just how effective the combination of these analog and digital processes can be.)
What’s really impressive is how all these different embossing styles were applied to the colors and foils to produce entirely new looks. Take the leaf seal, whose foil background can look super-smooth on one label but receives a “distressed” look on another simply by applying a MicroEmboss pattern.
As you can see, when you add a tactile experience to design that is already beautiful, what you can achieve is almost limitless.
Now if you’re still wondering what Digital Foil is and what other foiling techniques are available to you, you’re in luck.
I’ve created an easy-to-use Foil Cheat Sheet that includes all your foiling options – as well as the pros and cons of each – all in one place. You can download it right here – for free!
