#foilprintinginvitations

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Here is What You Need to Know About Foil Printing Invitations

Foil printing on garments, invitations etc is popular in Australia. Different designs, shapes, lithographic letters etc can be printed on paper, cloth etc. Such printing on invitations makes the invitation letters attractive. People prefer to use foil printing invitations in Australia. The process is also quite simple and does not take much time. However, you need some experience in doing the job. The extent of heat and pressure to be applied on the foil requires some finesses. So if you are searching for designing such invitations you need to contact a printing workshop that has been doing such jobs for some time. The process is also known as foil stamping due to the effect of stamping the foil on the material being printed on.

The Process

In the first stage the letters are printed on the card with an adhesive. This is also known as transfer adhesive. Once this is complete, desired foil is kept on the design or letters and stamped on a stamping machine. The stamping machine sticks the foil on the adhesive with the help of high temperature and pressure. This makes the letters shine owing to the foil coating.

There is another method of preparing foil printing invitations. In this method, first, the design is printed on the foil and then the foil is stamped on the card with a stamping machine. In both cases you need a good transfer adhesive. If low quality transfer adhesive is used, the letters may not appear as distinct as you want them to be.

The Foil

The quality of foil determines the quality of the print. Foils are available in different colors and it depends on the metal. Foils are available for gold, silver, copper and other metals. Holographic metal foils are also avaiable. For invitations you may prefer a glossy finish or a matte finish and both are available in foils. In short, foils are available in various designs, colours and finishes depending on your requirement.

The Design

This is the most intricate part of the job. You have to first put the design on the card with the help of a transfer adhesive. For this you have to use stencils. You can get stencils in various designs as well as stencils for letters. Put the stencil on a card stock and apply ample amount of the adhesive on it thoroughly. Now pick up the stencil and you can see the raised surface of the design. Now put some foil printing ink on the card stock and take an imprint of the design and the letters on the card stock for making the invitation card. Before taking the print, the intended card stock for invitation must be smeared with some transfer adhesive. You can use a press machine to make a good imprint. As you get a fine imprint of the design on the card, it is now ready for the final process – foil stamping. Put the foil on the card and place it inside the stamping machine. The stamping machine exerts pressure on it and works at a high temperature. The high pressure and temperature stamps the foil on the design. Now just pick up the foil, it will come out leaving a glossy, metallic imprint on the card. This makes a foil printing invitation card.

Utility

What makes this great is not only the finish, but also the design. You have the liberty to impart any design on the invitation card. Whether you want beautiful letters or intricate designs, it is possible in foil printing.

Foil Printing On Embossed Design

Foil printing invitations can also be made by stamping metal foil on embossed designs and letters. Such a design helps to create a deep impression on the recipient. To achieve this effect, first you have to get the foil printing done. Once this is done, you need to use two separate dices to impart the embossing effect to the design. One dice should have the design in grooves and the other dice should have the same design in raised contours. Moreover, the dices should seamlessly merge. After the dices are created with the required design, the foil printed invitation is placed between the two and given a hard press. This creates attractive embossed foil printing invitations.

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All You Need to Know about Foil Printing Invitations

If you are someone who believes that an invitation is something that represents and symbolizes just how special an occasion is to you, foil printing invitations could be the best choice for you. Foil printed cards and invitations are in the vogue today and are becoming increasingly popular with people everywhere.

Australia, in particular, has played a key role in popularizing foil printing invitations as the country is home to a number of printing houses that specialize in the art of foil printing, which is also referred to as foil stamping. The phenomenon of foil stamping has a presence in almost all the major cities in the country as more and more people are opting for foil stamped cards over regular ones.

A Peek into the Process of Foil Stamping

The process of foil stamping involves three main components – the metal plate, the foil, and the paper.

Metal Plate – It is commonly referred to as the die. It has a raised surface, which contains the information and the images to be printed, in a reversed position. The plate is usually made of brass or copper.

The Foil – It is the metallic foil which gets fused on to the invitation. It is usually made of gold or copper, though other types of metallic foils have also become popular of late. It contains a heat sensitive adhesive which gets activated whenever it comes into contact with a hot surface.

The Paper – It is the sheet of paper or card which needs to be foil stamped. It is generally thicker than the kind of paper used for regular invitations, as it should be able to withstand the pressure during the printing process.

The metal plate is heated. The foil is placed between the plate and the sheet of paper. The plate presses the foil against the surface of the paper with great pressure. The raised surface of the plate leaves a deep impression on the paper. The heat in the plate activates the adhesive in the foil, which then gets fused onto the impression of the text and images on the paper.

If you notice the way the whole process takes place, you could easily spot the similarities between foil stamping and letterpress printing. The printing techniques are similar in the sense that the application of pressure is involved in both cases. Where they differ is that foil printing involves the application of heat as well as pressure, which is not the case with letterpress.

One of the keys to foil stamping is the application of the right amount of heat. If the heat is too low, the adhesive in the foil might not get activated and as a result the foil might not fuse properly. If it is too high, the foil might bubble and the text and images might appear ragged and blurry at the edges.

Some printing houses in Australia employ an alternative method for foil stamping. Instead of printing and foiling the invitations at the same time, they use a two-step process. First, they emboss the invitations with the text, images, and artwork. Then, they foil the embossed area separately.

Foil Printing Invitations – Worth Every Penny

Foil printed cards and invitations generally cost more than regular ones. Still, many people opt for them because they look spectacularly beautiful and classy. Metallic ink is generally considered the low-cost alternative for foiling, but it does not have the same glossy, shiny look. If you compare invitations printed using metallic ink with foil printed invitations, you could easily see the difference. The latter are just so much more beautiful and have a rich, sophisticated look to them.

The most important thing you need to remember when it comes to foil printing invitations is that it takes time to print them. Just like letterpress printing, foil printing too is a laborious and time consuming process. So, you should place the order for the invitations as early as possible.

The graphic designer at the printing house is the person who prepares the draft for your invitations. So, you should tell him exactly what you are looking for in terms of design and the overall look. Once he prepares the draft, you should take a close look at it, suggest any changes if necessary, and approve it. Once you do, you can have the invitations within a couple of weeks’ time.