What’s possible › Embellishing
Raised varnish · digital foil · textures

Embellishing, without the setup bill.

Foil and raised varnish used to mean dies, blocks, minimums and a conversation about whether it was worth it. Ours are digital. There’s no die to make, so a run of fifty costs what a run of fifty should.

Digital foil · raised
Gold
Short runsAffordable
Setup chargeNone
RegistrationDigital, to the print
Foil colours9
What it actually is

Three finishes. All digital.

01

Raised spot varnish

A clear varnish laid down in layers so it stands up off the sheet. You feel it before you notice it — on a logo, a title, or a texture behind an image.

02

Digital foil

Nine colours — gold, silver, rose gold, copper, holographic gold, holographic silver, red, blue and green — applied over the varnish. It follows a file, not a metal block, so it can change on every copy.

03

Textures

Varnish patterned rather than solid, so a flat stock gets a surface of its own.

When it’s the right call

Anything handed over in person.

  • Business cards, invitations, folders, stickersheets. Embellishment is a touch decision, not a look decision.
  • Small runs that need to feel expensive. Fifty invitations with real foil is now an ordinary job.
  • Presenting a concept. A short run is a real option here. Show the client the actual thing instead of a mockup.
  • Booklet covers. A raised or foiled title gives a booklet the first impression it deserves — perfect for covers.

“It’s being able to create that luxury experience without the price of all the set ups and at lower runs.”

Leon Wilson · Excerpt from an article in Sprinter magazine
Artwork

Setting up the file

One spot colour: Varnish

A spot swatch named Varnish, C0 M0 Y100 K0 — the same setup for foil and raised UV.

Overprint, own layer

Set it to Overprint Fill and move it to its own layer named Varnish.

5mm clearance

Keep it at least 5mm clear of every trim, score and fold.

Tell us the finish

Raised UV or which foil colour — and we suggest laminating first.

Behind it

How we do it

An MGI JETvarnish 3DS with iFoil. We were the first company in Australia to pair one with a B2 inkjet press — which is what lets the varnish register to the print properly rather than approximately.