The Beginner's Guide to Hot Foil Stamping (2023)

If you want to add a touch of luxury to your designs, you should know about foiling. This is a process commonly used on premium print media such as invitations, business cards, reports, and letterheadmetallic foilis applied to the surface of the paper using a hand-operated or pneumatic (air-powered) machine. The result? A truly stunning effect that highlights details of the design in a metallic or colored sheen.

In this article you will learn how to set up existing print templates for foiling, but also how to find ready-made onesHot Stamping Foil Print Templateson Envato Elements and GraphicRiver.

Let's take a look at the history of foiling and some contemporary examples to whet your appetite. Go to the end of the article to learn how to set up your digital artwork for hot foil stamping.

We're also looking at some stationery templates from Envato Elements, giving you the option to addhot foil stamping. Pick one or download them all with your unlimited Envato Elements subscription.

How did the foil come about?

Some of the very first manuscripts ever made used real gold leaf to decorate intricate calligraphy. The application of raw gold leaf to paper was related to the gilding craft, in which objects such as bullae (amulets), picture frames, statues and furniture were smeared with gossamer layers of gold.

After printing machines became more and more widespread in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, books became the focus of metallic foiling. The finest and most expensive books were bound in leather cases, often decorated with gold leaf. This process was combined with embossing or beveling, which left a raised or raised impression on the surface of the lid.

Today, the hot foil stamping process does not use real gold leaf (except in exceptional and very expensive circumstances). Metallic foils are now made from aluminum or tin and combined with a layer of paint to achieve the desired effect. This is a very popular development for designers, giving you a wider choice of colors without risking breaking your budget!

Although many printers have a standard range of foil colors that they offer at a lower price, typically including gold, silver and copper, you can also request custom foil colors from an almost endless range of options. Do you want a metallic rainbow effect on your wedding invitations? There's probably a foil color to do just that.

Even though foiling represents an additional hassle over a standard print job, it's still a relatively inexpensive way to achieve an impressive effect that breaks the luxury factor, due to the additional hours and resources devoted to embossing the foil after printing of a product really increased .

You'll find designers using hot foil stamping for everything from packaging to stationery. It's a surefire way to make your design look more expensive and sophisticated without the hefty price tag.

How does foiling work?

Foiling can be done either manually with a manual hot foil stamping machine or pneumatically with a compressed air operated machine. Manual machines are used for low volume jobs (e.g. to foil a limited edition book cover or a small run of invitations) while pneumatic machines are used for higher volume jobs. Small printers may have a manual machine in-store or send your item to a specialist, while larger commercial printers may have a pneumatic machine in-house.

The wrapping process is roughly the same on both machines. The design to be rendered in foil is etched onto a metal stamp. The stamp is heated and the foil is placed between the stamp and the surface of the paper or other material to be embossed. When the stamp is placed on the surface, the foil bonds to the surface and creates the metallic effect.

Commercial foiling machines fall into three main categories:conch shellpushesstraight stamppresses androllpushes. Clamshell presses are suitable for medium runs, and the name comes from the movement of the machine, which closes like a clam, squeezing the ink, foil, and print surface together. Stamp and roll presses in particular are designed for larger item volumes, so they are typically used by commercial printers for things like packaging.

Prices vary depending on the size and material they are made of. The cheapest dies are made fromMagnesium, which is a softer metal and can therefore only be used for a certain number of impressions. From more expensive dies are madecopper, which is pretty tough, isn't itMessing, which is even stronger.

Once your stamp has been produced using acid etching (where your stamp is placed in an acid bath after being exposed to UV light) it can be used for a number of print runs which will vary depending on the material. If you are producing a short run, it is possible that your die can be stored and used later for another run. Your printer can keep these for you, or you can request to take them with you when the run is over.

Foils themselves come in a huge variety of textures and colors, which can be broken down into four categories. Choosing your foil is probably the most exciting part of the foiling process, and if you're willing to pay a little more your options are almost endless.

metallic foilsreplicate the look of precious metals such as gold, silver or copper. These are considered standard by most printers so they will likely carry this limited range in-house. However, you can also request orders for other metallic foils, such as rose gold or metallic colors such as red and blue.

Pigment foilsdo not have a metallic look but are available in a range of matte or gloss colors. These are great for pulling out text or logos in an eye-catching color and texture.

pearl slidesAdd a pearlescent, ethereal sheen to otherwise mostly transparent or translucent colors. Used to add tactile sparkle to a design rather than color, they're a pretty, subtle choice for elegant stationery like invitations and business cards.

Holographic Foilappear to be silver before application, but in fact they reflect a variety of colors back to the viewer, giving the appearance of a hologram or rainbow. These are fun and youthful when used in the right context and are popular for Christmas themed designs too.

When should I foil my designs?

There is probably nothing more satisfying than seeing your digital design come to life when printed and foiled. A simple business card can look instantly stunning with a dash of bronze foil, and a silver sheen has the magical ability to make someone choose one product over another based on packaging design alone.

Almost all print media that are supposed to be something special in one way or another will probably benefit from foiling. Some points to consider adding foiling are:

• invitations– for New Year's parties, Christmas parties, gala events and weddings.
• business stationery- Add a touch of class to your business by adding foil to business cards, letterhead, envelopes and reports.
• promotional material– Adding slides to brochures, booklets and catalogs will instantly make your offer look more sophisticated and enticing.
• Packaging– increase the luxury factor of boxes, labels and stickers. Wine labels with a touch of foil look particularly classy.

Fancy foiling? Impressively! Let's look at how to set up your digital artwork for wrapping.

How to set up your graphic for foil stamping

Preparing your own artwork for foil printing is pretty easy. Different printers have different preferences for how they set up the artwork, but in general most will be happy if the elements to be foiled are placed on a separate layer and set in a solid color.

Here I created a save-the-date cardAdobe InDesign, and I want to bring out all the typographic elements in a copper foil.

The process of setting up the file is roughly the same whether you're working in a publishing program like InDesign or in vector software like Adobe Illustrator. B. workAdobe Illustrator.What is important to note is thatYou should always create your slide design in vector, not raster format.This allows your paint to be produced in high quality. With that in mind, let's see how I set up my card for stamping in InDesign.

Step 1

I created oneUS postcardLayout (7von5 inches) with a distinct dark blue color setbackgroundlayer(Window > Layers).

I then created onenew shiftand named this oneTypography, before using theType tool (T)to create the font design*.

* The fonts used in this design areCharlevoix ProAndeuphoria script.

step 2

Iright clickon theTypographylevel and selectDuplicate the "Typography" layerto make a copy.

double-clickWith the duplicated layer, I can edit the name of the layer. Name your layer something recognizable, e.gHOT FOIL STAMPINGorSPOT FOIL.

step 3

Next we need to vectorize all the elements on the page that will be stamped.

Select all the text elements on your layer and go toType > Create Outlines.

step 4

Go toswatchesTable(Window > Color > Swatches)and create onenew pattern. Name the pattern something instantly recognizable, e.gFOIL SPOT COLOR. Set thoseTypToJoband adjust the levels of bothCyan, MagentaorGelbTo100%. Then clickAdd toAndCompleted.

applySpot-Farbmusterto the elements at your level.

step 5

A final preparation step before exporting is to set the elements on your slide layer to overprint. This will prevent the foil effect from knocking out other articles on the page below.

Go toObject > Output > Attributesand check theimprintBoxes that are not greyed out.

step 6

Now you are readyExportYour design as a print-ready PDF file.

head up toFile > Export, and chooseAdobe PDF (print)of theFormatdrop down menu. Give the file a suitable name and click onSave on computer.

step 7

ImExportSelect the window that opens[PDFX1a 2001]of theAdobe PDF presetmenu at the top of the window.

Then clickmarkings and bleedingin the left menu and check theAll printer characters* AndUse the document's bleed settingsboxing

Then go ahead and clickExportto create your PDF file.

* It may not be necessary to include all press marks in your exported file. Check with your printer before adding this. However, it is very important that you always bleed your exported artwork.

step 8

You can now see how your design will be divided into different printing platesAdobe Acrobat. Inacrobatics, go toView > Tools > Print Production. Then selectoutput previewof theprint productionMenu.

Keep in mind that the more separations or plates you have in your artwork, the more time and resources will go into producing your final printed product, increasing printing costs. You should always check with your printer before preparing your artwork and get a quote in advance.

Awesome stationery templates for foil stamping

If you're looking to increase the appeal of your stationery, now you know that hot foil stamping is the way to go. If you have an Envato Elements subscription, you can findHot stamping with gold foilTemplates that give you the option of hot stamping foil printing. Here are a few:

1.Foil business card(PSD, JPG)

Business cards can be boring. But it's hard not to stand out with this Photoshop template. Just enter your text in the layout and get ready to print. It enables hot stamping foil printing that will add an elegant touch to your final design.

2.Gold Foil Rose Wedding Invitation Template(PSD, PDF)

Make your wedding invitation shine with this hot gold foil print template. It features an elegant border and beautiful roses in opposite corners of the design. Overall, this is an elegant choice if you want to print your invitations with hot stamping foil.

3.Foil Foliage Christmas Party Invitation(PSD, KI)

Kick off the holiday season with this warm holiday party invitation template. It includes files for Photoshop and Illustrator. You also have the option of printing foil on the foliage of this invitation.

4.Minimal black and gold flyer template V6(PSD)

This unique flyer is both minimal and vibrant. It features a stunning pattern that will make any hot gold foil print stand out. It includes two print-ready Photoshop files in A4 size.

5.Wild Tropical Palm Wedding Invitation Template(PSD)

Would you like to make your wedding invitations subtle? This template lets you do that with its toned-down hot stamping foil. But it's not all minimal. It mixes this look with tropical palm fronds, making it perfect for beach weddings.

Conclusion: Have fun foiling!

Applying foil to your print motifs gives them a very special touch. The process adds both visual and tactile appeal - people won't be able to resist touching your prints!

Whether you opt for luxe metals, dreamy pearlescent effects, or lustrous pops of color, foiling is a beautiful finishing touch to any product, and every designer should experience the joyful satisfaction of seeing and touching the results of their foiling.

If you are still not very confident with the setupslide graphicon your own there are manyFoil print templatesavailable on Envato Elements and GraphicRiver that will do the hard work for you. It's then a breeze to export your design and send it to the printer. You will be really impressed with the professional result.

If you enjoyed learning about hot gold foil printing and stamping from this article, you'll love these resources on Envato Tuts+!

• Print design from A to ZGrace Fussell31. March 2015
• How to Create a Copper Foil Text Effect in Adobe PhotoshopRose12 Feb 2021
• How to design a tropical wedding invitation in Adobe InDesignGrace Fussell18. May 2017
• 10 Top Tips for Creating Great Event FlyersGrace Fussell18. Aug 2021
• How to Create a Marble Wedding Invitation in Adobe InDesignGrace Fussell07 Aug 2019
• How to Choose the Best Wedding Fonts for Invitations and MoreGrace Fussell23 Oct 2019
• How to Create a Wedding Invitation Using Cool Post-Print Effects Grace Fussell23. March 2016
• 22 Modern and Unique Wedding InvitationsMelody Nieves02 Mar 2018