Thursday, November 3, 2016

OUGD504 - Design for Print - Foiling

Foiling or foil stamping is the typically commercial printing process by which a metallic finish is applied to a solid surface via the application of a heated dye onto foil making it permanently adhere to the surface below leaving the design of the dye.

The industry standard process features large scale machinery and mechanical functionality to achieve perfectly foiled results. This process requires somewhat extensive manual set-up and can therefore be expensive - especially for a limited print run.

The video below provides insight into the industry standard foiling process (and print process as a whole. The foiling occurs between 2 minutes 42 seconds and 4 minutes 20 seconds of the video.




Without access to such machinery process and the finances to produce the publication using this methodology, alternative applications need to be brought into practice.

Not too dissimilar from the commercial process, foiled printed matter can also be achieved via the reaction between gold foil and laser-printed toner-pigment or printed Texiflock adhesive when introduced to a source of heat - such as a heat press or lamination device.

Foiled matter for the Bond Street Brand Directory publication will be achieved using a Minc Foil Applicator using the laser-printer method. This method allows for professional results to be achieved for less expense and job-scale (limited print run).




Gold foiling immediately supplies a luxury connotation due to the semiotic field surrounding the precious metal. The aesthetic of delicacy, fine decoration and expense created via foiled matter provides a distinctive high-end finish amplifying desirability to the target who aspire to luxury goods ownership. This finish reinforces and visually enhances the publication content/contexts by establishing luxury connotation and mimicking the strategy (metallic signage/brand identity) used by many of the Bond Street stores to ensure visual identities representative of grandeur and the wealthy clientele they serve.

Below is the Bond Street Brand Directory publication's foiled matter - featured on the cover title and perforated store information cards featured at the back of the book.




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