One lazy Sunday morning recently, I noticed something odd happening to the cover of the magazine I was reading – as the sunlight hit it, the design was changing!
It turned out the cover was printed with photochromic ink: ink that reacts to light. So text that at first seemed to be printed with a clear spot varnish turned a lovely shade of purple. And since I’m a bit of a geek (yeah ok, a huge geek) this made me grin like a Cheshire cat!
You can get the same sort of reaction from your print work by using different print finishes – imagine how lovely it would be if people said “wow” when you hand them your business card, flyer or brochure. It would create an awesome first impression of your business.
[Tweet “Try different print finishes & get a wow from your business cards or brochures”]
Here are some things you can try to get a wow from your print work:
1. Lamination
Adding a layer of lamination to your project can make the print work more durable, which is great for stopping your business cards from getting grubby and dog-eared.
Gloss lamination will add a shiny layer on top of the artwork, while matt lamination will add a soft, silky layer. Lamination also makes the finished print feel really nice compared to the paper or card alone.
2. Die-cut
A die-cut can be as simple as having rounded corners on your business cards instead of square. Or you could have an unusually shaped business card (I saw one recently shaped like a piggy bank!) You could even try having a shape stamped out of your card for a distinctive and luxurious finish.
3. Spot ink
Standard digital printing mixes together four inks – cyan, magenta, yellow and black – to create a full colour print, rather like your home printer. But you can use spot inks to create different effects.
Used with screen or litho printing, each spot ink is applied to the paper in a separate layer and you can create loads of different effects.
You could create a striking yet cost-effective finish using one or two spot inks on coloured paper. Or how about adding a fluorescent or metallic ink to your project, or even trying photochromic ink for a finish that will really stand out.
4. Spot varnish
Like a spot ink, you can add a spot varnish to parts of your print. This adds a varnished layer over certain areas of the design.
For a brochure that people will love to pick up, try a matt lamination all over the cover and then make your logo stand out with a glossy spot varnish.
5. Embossing & de-bossing
Embossing presses parts of the paper from behind so that raised areas are created on your design. This can also really create an impact when combined with a spot ink or varnish.
De-bossing, as you’d imagine, is the opposite: the paper is pressed from the front to create depressed areas in the design. Both embossing and de-bossing create print work with a lovely tactile quality – people will love the texture it produces.
Get a wow from your print work
Using different print finishes like these can really make your designs stand out. You’ll get print work that you can be proud to hand out and that people will love to receive. So the next time you’re getting some print work to promote your business, why not consider a different finish, and make people say “wow!”
If you’re thinking of trying different print finishes on your next project, why not get in touch for a chat about creating a wow for your business!
[Tweet “Using different print finishes like embossing or varnishing can really make your business stand out.”]
Never miss a post
Sign up for actionable advice and tips on branding your small business plus exclusive tips and offers, just for subscribers.