Creating a printed medium can be a complicated chain of decisions about the type of printer, the printing ink, or the printer paper, but for some products, the journey does not end there. Print finishing is a wonderful way to elevate the visual of your product or add further usability to it. There are numerous ways to enhance a print, such as perforation, lamination, foil stamping, or embossing, which will be explained in this article.
Definition: Print finishing
Print finishing is all about the final touches of a printed product. This can include applying materials to the product, or modifying the product in different ways, e.g., coating for protection, or processes like folding, binding, and embossing.
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Perforating
Perforation is the process of punching holes into a paper, intending to make it easier to tear or bend that way. Examples are round, square, or slot hole perforation, as well as hot perforation and even hole punching itself.
Examples
Perforation is often used for tickets, coupons, or notepads, where paper has to be separated in a smooth manner.
Die cutting
Die cutting allows a machine to cut the same shape several times out of a material, such as paper. Therefore, it uses a shaped blade, which works as a stencil to cut out a figure. The final product can be either the cut-out shape or the product with the hole inside, sometimes even both parts are used.
Examples
Die cutting is a process used in artistic projects as stickers or ornaments that need to be cut out very exact several times.
Edge painting
Edge painting is a process, in which the edges of a stack of paper or material are being colored. This can be done via paint, metallic foil, or varnish to protect and decorate the edges.
Examples
Edge painting is used for books to make the side opposite of the spine more appealing, but it may also be applied for the edge of a canvas or thick cardstock and similar objectives.
Embossing
Embossing describes the action of elevating certain surfaces on a medium, creating a haptic experience for the user, often combined with different textures.
Debossing
Debossing is the opposite of embossing, meaning that the letters or images are lowered, creating small depressions on the surface.
Examples
Embossing as well as Debossing is often used for cards or professionally looking documents such as certificates, as it gives a luxurious finish to the printed item.
Paper coating
Paper coating includes any process that applies something to the printed product, which can be a lamination foil, varnish, or other types of coating. Foil stamping does count as a paper coating as well. However, there are many foils and applications, which will be described in a separate paragraph.
Examples
Paper coating is applied before the printing process, for example on photo paper, in order to create a base for the ink to settle into. Coating finish is applied after printing, creating for instance a water-resistant layer, which finds application in flyers and other printed products that might be exposed to the weather.
Foil stamping
Foil stamping includes, as the name suggests, foil that is applied to a printed medium. This can be done via hot foil stamping or cold foil stamping, as well as with digital or holographic foils. Any kind of foil stamping gives the product a luxurious and impressive finish.
Examples
Foil stamping is another way to give printings such as certificates or letterheads a luxurious finish by highlighting certain details in reflective colors.
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FAQs
Print finishing refers to the process of alternating a product after the printing process. This can refer to practical techniques such as perforation or lamination, as well as aesthetic elevations like foil stamping or varnish.
While embossing elevates the letters or images above the surface of the medium, debossing lowers them below the surface.
Die cutting is the process of punching a shaped figure out of paper or any other type of medium by using a shaped blade. The final product can either be the cut-out figure or the medium with the shaped hole inside. Sometimes, both parts are used in different ways.
