If you know me you know how I feel about Christmas cards. You should send them. Especially if you’re in business. But I have preached enough over the years, many of you have listened and you’ll be happy you did in the new year.

Each year I also like to show off what we can do production wise with our Christmas card. This year we are featuring a bit of Spot UV. We think it has come up pretty nicely!

What is Spot UV anyway?

Spot UV is where a clear gloss coating is applied to particular areas of your print stock. It adds depth and drama by creating a contrast between the matt background and the featured glossy elements which catch the light.

The UV part is a bit of printing jargon, but basically the varnish is hardened using ultraviolet light which gives it the glossy finish you can see on our Christmas card.

Here are some tips for Spot UV on your next print job.

Use Matt Laminate

The contrast is strongest when Spot UV is applied over a matt laminate. This makes the page a bit thicker than usual – perfect for a card, postcard and more commonly business cards.

Print Backgrounds Matter

A darker background also allows the Spot UV to really steal the show. Spot UV will still be effective on lighter backgrounds but the effects will be more subtle.

Getting the Specs right

Ideally you need to leave at least 3mm from the edge of any trim lines or fold area. The laminate is likely to crack over a fold and trim lines need to be avoided for best results.

You will need to prepare your artwork to include an additional PDF set. It is critical that this layer is identical in all respects (size, orientation, crop, position of images and text etc.) to your original CMYK artwork. This will form the overlay, or 5th colour if you like, during the print production process. We can help you with this.

Best Print Results

For the best effects, avoid applying spot UV to thin lines, small text or finely detailed artwork. Use it for maximum effect over a larger scale or bolder areas.

Spot UV is one of the simpler and most effective mediums to make your print materials really shine. It can be easy to add this layer to an existing design or we can work with you to design something from scratch for maximum impact.

Email blair@carissprinting.com.au for a no obligation chat and quote regarding any of our special finishes.