Wednesday 5 April 2017

An Introductory Guide to Foil Printing Invitations in Melbourne

Foil printing invitations are the in-thing today. More and more people are opting for foil printed cards for special occasions like weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays, as they believe that these beautifully printed invitations embody the festive spirit of the occasion and make it more special. What makes these cards so special? Let us take a look. 

What Is Foil Printing and How Does It Work?

In order to understand what makes foil printing invitations so special and different from ordinary invitations, you need to know the process behind printing them. 

For foil printing, you need three things – an engraved metal plate which contains the text and images to be printed, a thin strip of foil, and a sheet of paper or card. The strip of foil is threaded into the printing machine. The card is placed underneath the foil. Once everything is in position, the metal plate is heated. The hot metal plate then presses the foil against the card with tremendous pressure. Due to the enormous pressure, the text and images on the plate get indented on the surface of the paper. Due to the heat, the foil gets fused to the surface of the paper and the colour from the foil bleeds on the indented surface. 

Generally, gold and silver foils are used in foil printing as they look a lot shinier and glossier than any other colour. However, copper, rose, and other bright colours are also used extensively these days to give the invitations a vibrant, colourful look. A thick sheet of paper or card is used, as lighter, thinner materials cannot withstand the amount of pressure applied during the printing process. 

Some printers also use a slightly different method of foil printing. In this method, the sheet of paper or card is first embossed with the text and images. The embossed section is then foiled using the same process as above. 

Why Use Foil Printing Invitations?
  • Foil printing does not use ink at all. The foil is directly fused on to the surface of the paper. It is great for printing on dark or coloured paper. With traditional printing, the colored paper could react with the ink and change its colour slightly. As a result, the look and feel of the invitation could be different from what you had initially imaged. With foil, there is no such risk and the colour of the foil can be exactly reproduced on the paper.
  • Foil printed invitations are gorgeous. The foil, which is infused to the surface of the invitation, looks glossy and shiny and makes the invitations look classy and luxurious. The best part is that unlike ink, the shine and gloss of the foil does not fade away quickly. 
  • Foil printing is one of the oldest methods of printing. By opting for foil printed invitations, you are actually playing a small, but important role in the revival of the age-old printing method. It is always a good thing to do. 
Foil Printers in Melbourne

When it comes to foil printing Melbourne offers you a wide range of options. There are a number of printing presses that specialise in foil stamping and printing and can print anything from wedding invitations to business cards, brochures, and stationery items. 

Printers usually have a graphic designer, with whom you can discuss your ideas and tell him exactly what kind of invitation you are looking for. If you already have a clear idea of what you need, you can tell him and ask him to come up with a draft. If not, you can ask him for suggestions, take a look at the catalogue they have, and choose something you like. 

Once the discussion is over, the designer works on your ideas and comes up with a rough draft, which is basically a replica of the invitation that you want printed. You can take a look at it and approve it. If there are any changes to be made, you can notify him of the same. Once you give the final approval, the invitations get printed. 

One thing you need to remember is that foil printing invitations are different from regular, digitally printed invitations in the sense that a huge amount of time and effort goes into them. So, you need to tell the printers exactly what you need – down to the last detail – so that they can get everything right in the first attempt. 

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