Printing With Foil: Options To Glam Up Your Print Project

Foil printing is very popular and is the way to go if you want to add a touch of glamour to your invitations, note cards, business cards, or other printed materials. 

So what are the options for foil printing? There are some different types of foil printing and colors to choose from. 
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Foil Stamping
Foil stamping is a process that uses a sheet of metallic foil that is applied to the surface of the paper using a hot stamping machine. The design is etched into a metal die which is heated and presses the foil into the surface of the paper, bonding the foil to the paper. 

Foils for the stamping process come in a range of colors with the standards being gold, silver and copper. You can also special order other metals such as rose gold or red. 

Because of the process of the custom made die, stamped foil is a more expensive option than digital foil.

Digital Foil 
Digital foil eliminates the need for creating a metal die, thus reducing the cost of the project. The design is printed digitally using a polymer clear coat and the foil is applied. The result is a shiny look similar to the stamped foil, but with a slightly raised texture and a soft touch coating on the paper. Currently, we only offer gold and silver with digital foil.

Papers
Colored papers can be used with both types of foil application. To achieve a clean and accurate print, we recommend printing on a smooth surface paper as opposed to a textured paper stock for both foil processes.

Wedding invitations by NooneyArt Designs, all illustrations by Wendy Nooney.