If you’re preparing to launch a new product or have simply browsed the shelves of your local stores lately, there’s no doubt that you’ve noticed the use of foil materials to achieve brilliant eye-catching metallic colors on product packaging. From the subtle logo glimmer to edge-to-edge shimmering metallics, foil product labels are attracting customers and generating sales.
Utilizing foil materials to achieve your desired outcome starts with design.
If you haven’t prepared label artwork to be printed on silver foil materials, here are a few things that you should know before getting started:
You can achieve a variety of metallic colors using silver material.
Don’t let the silver coloring of foil materials throw you for a loop. As ink colors are applied on foils, the silver coloring of the material will no longer show and your ink colors will take on the magnificent properties of the metallic material.
Using an experienced designer and the right digital label printer makes all the difference.
Choosing a printer with an experienced in-house prepress department that can help you determine the best ways to print your artwork to achieve vivid and eye-catching metallics is critical.
A printer capable of printing with white solid ink is a must. In this industry, we call this capability “white plating.”
Making sure you work with a digital label printer capable of printing with white ink is key to successful foil metallic labels. Not all printers are the same, and many can’t print with solid white ink. When selecting a printer for your custom foil labels, asking this question upfront will save you time and money.
Finding a printer that offers press proofs can help you see your final labels before full production.
When you’re first starting out using silver foil to achieve metallic labels, seeing is believing. Seeing if your design is all that you envisioned can be achieved by a printer that offers press proofs. If you’re looking for a fast turnaround, same-day press proofs are an option if you’re in a hurry and they will give you peace of mind.
Delta 8 Hemp Extract by Vita Leaf: Unleash the power of silver
foil paper to create dynamic metallics in a variety of colors.
Delta 8 by Vita Leaf represents the visual difference of art elements with and without the use of white ink. In the green portions of this artwork, white ink is applied first, giving the green areas of the label an opaque appearance. This method, often used for smaller text or bar codes, shows colors as non-metallic and ensures legibility.
In contrast, areas in this example label that appear metallic gold, do not have white ink as a backing, thus allowing the nature of the foil material to shine through the gold ink, achieving a shimmering metallic attribute.
white ink layer (right) as an opaque backing to make art elements pop within the same design.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking for additional tips to printing successfully with white ink, here are three steps to using white ink to your advantage:
Determine what parts of your label you want to look metallic.
Although metallics can give your labels an overall attractive and dynamic look, not all label elements read best when metallic. Utilizing your current artwork, consider the parts of your labels, like your barcodes, ingredient lists, or other elements that may display better backed in white. As shown in the Paper Boats label by Four Fires Meadery above, not everything needs to be metallic. Some of the most dramatic labels only use metallics in the most visually appealing areas. Knowing this, Four Fires chose to back most of their elements and the primary black label background with white ink. By doing this, the consumer is drawn in by the movement and energy of shimmering waves in a variety of blue metallic colors.
Ensure your white ink areas are determined by a professional.
If you’re savvy in Illustrator, design away! However, if you haven’t made vector artwork layers recently, trusting in a label printer with artists who are seasoned at making ink layers is a better option. Some label printers will offer this service free of charge, but even if there’s a fee, properly developing white ink layers will pay off in the end.
Request proofs that show white ink as a layer.
If you’re working with an experienced label printer, you should receive proofs with your white ink layers broken out into a similar image as shown above in blue. To properly determine which elements on your label artwork will be metallic and which will be opaque, make sure this is a service they provide. Proofing is your last chance to ensure your labels will turn out how you desire, so review these white layers closely and make sure they represent what you want.
Barrel Rat Whiskey Label by Funky Turtle Brewing Co: Highlight your most important
label elements with bright metallic colors created with silver foil materials and full-color inks.
Whether you’re interested in a bold foil label or a more subtle splash of metallic color as shown above in the Barrel Rat Whiskey label by Funky Turtle Brewing Co., utilizing an experienced in-house label prepress department with the right digital printer by their side will help you achieve vivid and eye-catching foil labels seamlessly. By merging the unique capability of printing with white ink and the dynamic attributes of silver foil materials, the possibilities are endless.
If you’re considering upgrading your custom labels to metallic foil materials, the time is now. According to Owner and Founder of Grace Amazing Labels Robert Petrie, “The popularity of using foil materials is spreading across many industries and markets. Using innovative solutions and many years of experience, we’ve mastered printing dynamic product labels using our high-end Epson printers. Offering creative label solutions, including foil metallics, brings great value to our customers.”
No matter your market, if you’re interested in drawing attention to your products, using silver foil materials can help make your products unforgettable.
