Designing for Digital Print Embellishments: Lessons from the Experts

Digital print embellishments like Spot UV, foil, and varnish can transform ordinary designs into extraordinary pieces by adding depth, texture, and a luxurious feel. However, mastering these techniques requires more than advanced tools—it demands insight, creativity, and practical knowledge. Drawing from a recent meetup featuring experts Matthew Redbear, Sabine Lenz, Kevin Abergel, and Eric Vessels, this article distills their collective wisdom into a clear, actionable guide. Whether you're new to design or a seasoned professional, these lessons will help you elevate your next print project with confidence.

Let’s explore the key takeaways!

Understanding the Client and the Market

Every print shop and client brings a unique perspective to the table, shaped by their preferences and customer expectations. Matthew Redbear highlighted this diversity, noting that it’s especially evident in packaging design, where needs can differ dramatically.

Why It Matters

Effective design goes beyond applying embellishments—it’s about aligning with the client’s vision and market. Are they aiming for bold flair or subtle elegance? Do their customers prioritize touch over visuals? Grasping these nuances guides your choices and strengthens your proposals.

How to Do It

Research Thoroughly: Study the client’s past work, brand identity, and audience. A luxury brand might favor matte foil, while a trendy startup could embrace holographic effects.
Ask the Right Questions: Matthew, working with Elite Print Finishing (known as “Home of the Box Boys”), learned what clicks with their clients by asking about successes and failures. Don’t guess—dig in.
Educate and Inspire: Many clients aren’t aware of digital embellishment possibilities. Matthew sees himself as a boundary-pusher, using samples, mock-ups, or sketches to spark ideas.

For instance, if a client defaults to basic varnish, show how a textured pattern could enhance their packaging affordably. Meet them where they are, then elevate their expectations.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Even top-tier tools can falter without careful execution. Matthew pointed out a frequent misstep: applying varnish to white text. He recalled a real estate cover where varnish on white text and a logo was nearly invisible—subtle, but ineffective.

Why It’s a Problem

Embellishments are an investment. If they don’t stand out—like varnish vanishing on a soft-touch background—they fail to justify the cost and effort. Matthew asked, “Why bother if no one notices?”

How to Avoid It

Ensure Visibility: Test designs on the intended substrate. Varnish may fade on matte finishes but shine on glossy ones. Apply enough thickness for impact without excess.
Leverage Contrast: Instead of varnishing white text directly, outline it or enhance darker nearby elements. Sabine suggested a “subtle Matt” approach, but Matthew warned it can be too faint—aim for noticeable effect.
Guide Clients: Clients may request ineffective options out of inexperience. Matthew reworked a sample to demonstrate better alternatives, impressing his team and redirecting the project.

Picture a brochure with a white title. Skip the faint varnish layer and use glossy Spot UV to trace the edges against a matte background—subtle yet striking.

Mastering Embellishment Techniques

Creating masks for varnish or foil is a critical skill. Matthew relies on Photoshop’s classic filters—photocopy and stamp—to define embellishment areas, favoring control over newer AI tools.

The Process

Here’s his method, step-by-step:

Prepare the Design: Convert it to grayscale in Photoshop. Tweak levels or contrast to emphasize embellishment zones.
Choose a Filter:
- Photocopy: Outlines inner edges, ideal for bold details.
- Stamp: Accentuates outer edges, suited for softer effects.
- Adjust sliders (detail, darkness, smoothness) to refine the mask.
Fine-Tune: For intricate designs, combine masks—like one for shadows, another for highlights—and manually edit out flaws.
Apply It: Save the mask, assign it a spot color in layout software (e.g., InDesign), align it with the design, and print.

Old School Wins

A designer once labeled Matthew’s approach “old school,” touting AI’s speed. He countered that filters offer precision, while AI can waste time with inconsistent results.

Real-World Example

For a jewelry photo, Matthew varnished the beads to enhance their tactile quality. He fine-tuned the filters to perfect the density, creating an effect that wowed when touched. “You feel it and think, how’d they do that?” he noted.

Try this: Use the stamp filter to outline a logo with a varnish mask, then test it on a sample to feel the result.

Leveraging Patterns and Textures

Patterns can elevate embellishments dramatically. Matthew advocates for a “renaissance” of seamless patterns, whether enhancing foil or enriching substrates directly.

Seamless vs. Repeating

Seamless Patterns: Tile perfectly—edges align seamlessly. Scale them freely without visible breaks, like wallpaper.
Repeating Patterns: Repeat visibly, but edges may not match unless designed as seamless.

How to Use Them

Built-In Tools: Machines like the Konica Minolta MGI offer swatch books of patterns, editable for text or backgrounds in minutes.
Custom Creation: Matthew sources patterns from Dreamstime or crafts them in Illustrator. In Photoshop, define a pattern (Edit > Define Pattern) to fill empty spaces.
Application: Add speckled texture to soften shiny foil, or pattern a box’s background with a logo. Adjust spacing easily with MGI’s editor.

Example in Action

For a fish image, Matthew added wavy patterns to suggest motion, making a tiny print feel dynamic. On a Toyota logo, he varnished the emblem and patterned the neutral space—simple yet impactful.

Next time, layer a seamless pattern with varnish in empty space. It’s a quick upgrade clients will notice.

Combining Embellishments for Maximum Impact

Mixing techniques amplifies results. Matthew showcased pairings like foil with varnish or coatings over embellishments for stunning effects.

Techniques to Try

Foil + Varnish: On a jewelry piece, he nestled silver foil within varnish, avoiding overlap. The foil gleamed, the varnish added texture—balanced perfection.
Varnish + Aqueous Coating: Apply shiny varnish, then a matte aqueous overcoat for a silky finish. Textured rollers can add swirls or hexagons.
Layering Effects: Sean Roberts suggested varnish on frosted laminate to restore clarity. Matthew used this on mirror board, dulling shine with toner, then reviving it selectively with varnish.

Why It Works

Layering adds depth effortlessly. “It looks complex, but it’s simple,” Matthew explained, noting clients love the sophistication without added cost.

Try This

For a premium invite, pair gold foil text with varnished edges and a matte aqueous flood-coat. The result is soft, elegant, and luxurious.

Choosing the Right Foil

Foil isn’t just gold or silver—it’s a range of finishes. Matthew finds clients often default to “shiny gold,” overlooking matte, rose, or holographic options that might suit better.

The Challenge

Shiny foils can overwhelm, especially on small text. “It’s hard to read and strains your brain,” he said, citing his photophobia. Matte foils are gentler, but clients associate shine with luxury.

How to Choose

Align with Purpose: Shiny for bold impact, matte for elegance, holographic for modern flair.
Test Legibility: For a Hershey’s Kisses box, Matthew pushed matte gold to clarify “E Pluribus Unum.” Shiny prevailed, but samples shifted opinions.
Simplify Communication: Skip jargon like “reflective.” He uses “harsh” vs. “softer, easier on the eye” to persuade clients.

Pro Tip

Print shiny and matte samples for clients to compare. Hands-on experience changes minds.

Conclusion

Digital embellishments unlock standout print design, but success hinges on strategy. From aligning with clients to crafting masks, layering effects, and selecting foils, these insights from Matthew, Sabine, Kevin, and Eric provide a clear path. Aim for “elegant, elevated, and understated.”

Experiment boldly and push limits. Your next project could leave clients marveling, “How’d they do that?” Explore resources like PaperSpecs or join future meetups to keep growing. The digital print world awaits your next masterpiece.