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08/31/2007

Business Card Design on Natural Light Green and Cameleon Closeup

This business card is a play on one of nature fascinating and mysterious creatures the chameleon lizard. With eye sockets that can that can independently move in hundreds of different directions, they don’t miss a beat. In this presentation you have the control to choose from 6 background transparency colors and 10 logos. It is [...]

08/30/2007

Making Natural SageBrush Parchment Business Cards

This business card design includes using a favorite of mine in the Fine Parchment line. Parchment paper was made many years ago out of animal skins such as sheep and goat. It can be drawn on, painted on or printed on. It can also be imitated with high quality CMYK printing standards. All natural designs [...]

The Effect of Varnish on Your Full color Printing

How we see Varnish

What is usually most noticeable about a varnished piece is the general crispness of its illustrations, typography and the depth and saturation of its colors. Furthermore, certain images tend to stand out, by comparison, while others recede. This latter effect is produced by variable reflectivity, which can be used for separating images, attracting attention, and providing surprising effects in design.

The appearance of smoothness on paper is the result of using GLOSS VARNISH in the area it overprints and is also used to create an enhanced look to printed full color photographs. A very small amount of light diffusion is visible to the human eye, therefore we perceive this image as appearing sharper than the unvarnished areas.

The appearance of slight roughness and semi translucent with a Velvety feeling texture is the result of using DULL VARNISH. Have you ever been reading colorful glossy brochure and at one point of light reflection been unable to see what you were looking at? Dull varnish scatters and diffuses the light reflection therefore eliminating glare. Thus dull-varnished images have a softer look than those either printed on plain paper or overprinted with gloss varnish.

Use different types of varnishes to create a certain uniqueness to each and every printed item you produce. attention getting, calming and diffusing. You can truly achieve new heights in design. Play one off against the other, use different paper surfaces, send it through twice for added effect.

Try using varnish on your next promotional brochure, and gauge the difference with this enhancement!

No varnish

No varnish
This diagram represents the surface of a coated paper over print with a uniform film of ink. Such a paper ink combination produces a surface that is relatively smooth. You will notice only slight variations in the angles at which light reflects back to your eyes. Consequently, there is neither a significant diffusion of light nor a pronounced dulling of the printed image.

Dull varnish

When dull varnish overprints paper and ink, it produces a velvet-like effect. This is because dull varnish contains platelets that rise to the surface as it sets and dries. The final arrangement of these platelets is so irregular that light rays striking them are reflected in many different directions, diffusing the light. The printed surface, therefore, appears dull.

Gloss varnish

Gloss varnish fills in the irregularities of as paper and ink surface and dries to form its own, which is virtually level. Because light rays reflect off this smoother surface at identical angles, there is little if any diffusions and the printed image appears crisp and sharp.