Foil Stamping
How it looks.
Usually shiny, metalic images and type impressed into the paper. The foils come in a large
variety of colors aside from metalic, and, like silkscreening, can be very opaque.
Quality.
Check printer samples.
Warnings.
Can be as expensive as engraving.
Not for extremely fine lines or very small type.
Not easy to find in all areas.
How it is done.
Heated dies with raised images press a thin plastic film carrying colored pigments against
the paper. the pigments transfer from the film to the paper, heat and pressure assist in the
bonding process.
Desktop: Laser and Photocopy
How it looks.
Sits flat on the paper.
Quality.
You probably own a laser writer or ink jet, so you know the quality you can get.
The quality will vary depending upon the resolution you choose in your software and the
types of paper you choose. Fine Paper Co. specializes in providing hand made, tree free
papers that will print in your own device.
Warnings.
Toner is a powder that is fused to your paper with heat. Some papers will buckle
if the heat is too great. Toner does not stick to all papers. When you test a piece,
see how easily the toner scratches off. Some of our papers must be fed slowly so that
your device does not cause damage either through heat or with the feeder. Some machines
will not take heavy card stock. Commercial photocopy machines are calibrated to only take
thin photocopy paper. You can save a lot of money printing your own invitations desktop with
the gorgeous papers from Invitesite, but you cannot expect to just stack the paper in your
printer and walk away. These papers must be babysat and some even need to be fed
through one at a time.
Desktop: Inkjet
How it looks.
Sits flat on the paper. On soft papers it can appear to be inside the paper, and
indeed it is.
Quality.
You probably know the quality you can get from your machine. Inkjet printers vary greatly
in application and proformance. Some will only print photos, and are not recommended for
nonstandard paper sizes. The quality will vary depending upon the resolution you choose
in your software and the types of paper you choose.
Warnings.
When you run your test pieces, be sure you like the quality. A common mistake people make
is to set the resolution too high. If you are unhappy with the outcome, do not hesitate to
lower your resolution to 360dpi. You'll be surprised, but your type will probably look better.
This device depends on the type of paper, of course. Some of our papers must be fed slowly so
that your device does not cause damage with the feeder. You can save a lot of money printing
your own invitations with the gorgeous papers from Invitesite, but you cannot expect to just
stack the paper in your inkjet tray and walk away. These papers must be babysat and some
even need to be fed one at a time.
How it is done.
Tiny jets spray dyes into the paper.
