Eye Catching

Metallic inks are most successfully applied with gravure or flexo, where there is the possibility of laying down metallic particles, according to Raney. The volume of ink applied in offset is extremely low, leading to limited results compared with hot foil stamping, he says.

Brass is the way to go

Relative to the cylinders used in the hot stamping process, industry experts find that brass is most effective in achieving the most accurate and detailed foiling. According to Stanford, this is because the typical size of the equipment, and the speeds required, make brass the material of choice.