Embossing:
Embossing is a form of creating an impression of text or image into a surface. In regular printing, a plate or surface is pressed into the chosen stock, which leaves the imprint. With embossing, the act of pressing raises the level of the stock’s surface creating a new dimension in the form of a bevelled mark.
So why would you use embossing?
Embossing has become a sign of professionalism, detail, elegance and importance. There is something about the visuals of a mark pressed into a piece of stock that elevates the standard or quality of a product. Embossing in a way pushes the boundaries of a very standard piece of work and turns it into a very high profile piece.
On top of aesthetic purposes, embossing is also used globally as a way of producing braille as a form of literature for the fully or partially blind.
Considerations:
Stock:
Paper texture is one of the most important factors of embossing. The best kind of papers for embossing tends to be heavy weighted long fibred sheets. These tend to be more versatile, bend easily without breaking and withstand higher amounts of pressure and achieve more detail too.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, lighter stocks or coated/varnished papers are the worst to try and emboss because of their brittleness. In an attempt to emboss them, they more often than not crack or tear.
Recycled stock is a form of paper to avoid when embossing. This is due to the high amount of processing it has gone through leads to much shorter fibres, this makes it a weak form of paper and can’t withstand the pressure of embossing.
Pressure:
Pressure is a key element of embossing as it is the primary force to make it happen. Relative to the different paper stocks, each can take a different level of pressure before being ruined. But at the same time, new levels of detail are achieved through the act of applying more pressure.
These two conflicting variables need to be balanced with each kind of stock or the emboss will not finish successfully. The best way to clear the risk of ruining work is to test stocks with pressure first.
Detail:
The most detail is achieved through embossing with a combination of stock type and weight as well as the pressure used to make the impression.
The depth and bevel control how much detail is embossed into a piece of stock and this is very difficult to achieve with the balance of stock type and pressure of emboss. Thicker stocks have a more dramatic embossing effect because the pressure can push further into the paper creating more levels of relief in the emboss.
Process:
To prepare artwork embossing you need to take into consideration some guidelines to prevent problems or disappointments occurring.
First of all, make sure there isn’t too many fine details, there are possibilities of the emboss not showing these with the right stock or pressure so it is better to keep it bold and uncluttered. When using letterforms it is recommended to use sans serif fonts because serifs can be considered tiny details for a lot of fonts, also keep enough spacing between the letters to allow the emboss. Increase the size of the artwork slightly to make up for the added dimension. Try not to emboss too close to the edge of a page as this will increase the risk of wrinkling the stock, which isn’t a nice finish.
Different kinds of dies can be used to emboss images and text, this all depends on the texture, shape of the image and also the length of the print run. The types of metals include:
Magnesium, which is good for quick print runs of large uncomplicated designs. Brass, which is the most popular, are flexible and give the embosser leeway to create fine lines, foil stamping and sculptured images as well as standard embossing. Copper is also a good alternative that falls in between magnesium and brass.
After the dies have been made, there are several processes that can continue the job. The first is when the dies themselves come into contact with dampened stock under a high amount of pressure. Another way of creating this effect is to press the die into the dampened stock and leave it to dry with the die still in contact with the stock this leaves the paper to dry with the mark in place.
A more hand-rendered process of achieving the embossed effect is to run hand made paper
through a press with a prepared embossing plate to indent the stock.
Finishing processes:
Embossing is a lot more versatile than most people would realise, there are a lot of different finishing processes that can be achieved with the method of embossing.
Blind Emboss:
A blind emboss is one which is not stamped over a printed image or with a foil. The color of the embossed image is the same as the color of the surface. You can also call it a self emboss or same color embossing.
Registered Emboss:
This is an embossed image that exactly registers to a printed or foil stamped image. The printed image area is embossed to give is a raised look.
Single-Level Emboss:
In this kind of embossing, the image area is raised to just one flat level.
Multi-Level Emboss:
In this kind of embossing, the image area is raised to multiple levels having different depths. This gives the embossed image texture and added relief and makes it all the more interesting.
Sculptured Emboss:
A sculptured emboss actually refers to a hand tooled process. It is made from a photograph or a drawing with various levels of depth to make the image appear realistic and multi dimensional.
Printed Emboss:
In this kind of embossing, the embossed area registers with printed image. Depending on customer requirements and specifications, the bevel can stay inside the printed image or go outside it.
Tint Emboss:
This is a relatively new creation where pearl or pastel foil is used for embossing. The methodology is the same as other embossing but the technique is very much in demand and vogue currently. Also, for tint embossing it is best to use white stock because pearl and pastel foils are transparent.
Combo Emboss:
This refers to an embossed image that is also foil stamped.
Glazing:
This refers to a polished emboss. Glazing is a popular technique used on dark colored stock. The heat and the pressure when pressing the die are increased substantially. This adds shine to the surface. If a very high temperature is used, light color papers can be scorched to change the paper color. This provides for great contrasting designs if done properly.
Debossing:
The surface is depressed instead of raised as in embossing.
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