Refining options in print: Special colours and varnishes

From Pantone to UV varnish – everything you need to know
April 6th, 2018, 10:00 am

Special colours & varnishes in the printing industry

There are various ways of making printing products even better and refining them – for example with special colours or printing varnishes! In this article, you will learn more about the importance of HKS and Pantone colour systems for graphic designers and agencies, as well as the various characteristics, properties and applications of print varnishing. At print24, we offer a variety of options for finishing printing products! One of the most popular finishes for Business cards and Flyers is the UV varnish.


1. Special colours for more flexibility and colour brilliance

Depending on the area of application, different colour spaces are used. A colour space comprises a set of colours that can be represented graphically as a two or three-dimensional colour models using different colour systems. With regard to the printing industry, the CMYK colour space with the four basic printing colours cyan, magenta, yellow and black is of particular interest. These four printing inks are also known as process colours in the printing industry.

It is also important to know that computer monitors display colours in the RGB colour spectrum (red, green and blue). Since the colour range of the monitor colours differs from process colours, there may be serious colour differences from the image displayed on the monitor and the printed image on the paper. However, if you need one specific colour or a colour shade that cannot be achieved by mixing the process colours, it is possible to select a 5th colour from different colour fans. In order to achieve the desired colour result in print, the four-colour print is supplemented by a premixed, so-called special colour.

Combination of process colours and special colours

In order to highlight certain print products or to make them stand out from the crowd, certain special colours can be used in addition to the process colours; these are often also called spot colours or full tone colours.

Full tone colours cannot be used in four-colour printing, so they are added to extend the gamut. This requires an additional printer and a separate colour channel must be created for each special colour.

For example, for a Brochure, the company logo could be printed in a spot colour and the rest with normal process colours. Read more about this in the section on the uses of special colours.

Spot colour palettes or colour fans from HKS or Pantone are used to illustrate special colours. We would like to introduce these two colour matching systems to you in more details here.


Pantone fan and HKS fan

Pantone fan and HKS fan

Pantone – the internationally renowned colour system

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) was developed in 1963 by the American company Pantone LLC and is of great importance in the printing industry. In contrast to HKS, Pantone is also widely used internationally and comprises of more than 1,700 special colours.

The Pantone system is based on a selection of only 18 basic colours, which are mixed in different proportions to represent the special colours of this system. The type of paper is also decisive; there are different colour fans for glossy coated uncoated and matte coated paper.

Since the colour impression can vary greatly depending on the surface condition of the paper, in the Pantone system a certain colour is defined not merely by numbers but also by a letter abbreviation for the corresponding paper grade (C = coated, U = uncoated, M = matt). For example, a name for a particular blue might look like this: PANTONE 2171 C.

Possible special colours at print24

For many products, certain special colours from HKS and Pantone are available.
Here is a list:


Overview of the HKS special colours from print24

HKS colours from print24


Overview of the Pantone special colours from print24

Pantone colours from print24

HKS – the union of three paint manufacturers

HKS (Hostmann-Steinberg Druckfarben, Kast + Ehinger Druckfarben und H. Schmincke & Co.) is mainly known and in use in Germany. The colours have been defined by this association since 1968 and currently comprise of a total of 3520 spot colours.

For example, HKS offers colour fans for different paper grades; for the HKS colour fan N there are 88 basic colours on uncoated paper. There is also HKS K for art paper (coated paper), HKS Ek for continuous printing on art paper and HKS Z for newsprint. On the official website of HKS, you can find all kinds of colour fans and other products for designers and creatives.

Other special spot colours

Gold and silver

Spot colours in gold and silver are also very popular for printing products that need to look particularly elegant. These are usually implemented with Pantone printing colours, but are nowadays also available in digital printing as special colours. At print24, we use Pantone 871 for the special colour gold and Pantone 877 for silver.

When used sparingly, high-quality accents can be set with gold and silver colours. For example, with Invitation cards or Folded cards, the golden or silver elements such as lettering or logos become extravagant eye-catchers that are ideal for weddings or other events.


Business cards with gold print

Business cards with gold print


Labels with white print

Labels with white print

White

Furthermore, it is possible to print white as a special colour. This is useful for coloured paper or for transparent Stickers, making them clearly visible on dark surfaces. For example, we offer partial or full-surface white printing for Labels, which makes for brilliant colours or personalised highlights on a transparent PVC film.

In addition, the special colour white can be used as a primer or pre-treatment and thus act as a diffuser, fanning out the light and making the motif appear brighter.

Characteristics of special colours

Special colours differ from the process colours CMYK and we would like to show you some features here. Special colours are:

  • premixed colours
  • always in the exact shade, even on different materials
  • using a normalized colour spectrum, for example HKS or Pantone
  • not only chromatic colours, but also effect colours such as gold or silver

Advantages and disadvantages of special colours

The use of special colours offers advantages and disadvantages that must be weighed up before printing. A comparison of these makes the decision easier and can be different depending on the print product or print run:

Advantages Disadvantages
very wide colour spectrum often only economical in offset printing
ideal for corporate design Mixing ratios difficult with smaller colour quantities
inexpensive for large print quantities paper proof presentation is limited
strong chromatic colours possible
Neon and metallic colours possible

Uses of special colours

Corporate design

Since the result of printing with HKS colours or Pantone colours is always reproduced in the exact colour tone – even on various materials – they are particularly suitable for business equipment or your own corporate design. This not only increases the recognition value, but is also important if, for example, the logo of a company has to be in the exact same colour everywhere and at all times. However, these colours, which are independent from the printing material, are also particularly important for graphic designers and agencies. For example, use a special colour for your Letterheads.

Packaging printing

In this respect, special colours also play a special role in packaging printing. For example, the well-known red of Coca Cola, the purple of Milka or the green of Starbucks – if a company design is already so well-known, customers would notice even a slight colour deviation and in the worst case some can even be considered fake. Since process colours can suffer from production-related colour fluctuations, premixed special colours are indispensable in such cases. print24 also offers packaging products with special colours, including not only Folding boxes and Cardboard envelopes, but also Wine boxes, for example.


Packaging printing with special colours

Textile printing

Special colours are also used in silk-screen printing for textiles, for example for T-shirts, Hoodies or Bags. Neon colours or colours with a metallic effect are particularly suitable to attract attention and stand out from the crowd. The RAL colour spectrum is often used here, for example for military clothing.

Other printing products

There are many other printing products for which special colours are available. These include Self adhesive films for vehicles, Signboards, Stickers and many more! At print24, for example, many products can be ordered in 5 colours, i.e. with CMYK and a special colour, or in 2 colours – black and a special colour – including Top sellers such as Flyers, Postcards and Brochures.

TIPs for the use of special colours

  • Use as little spot colour as possible to avoid high costs
  • Do not rely on monitor colours, but use colour fans
  • Consider whether special colours are recommended or necessary
  • Check print data, mark special colour accordingly
  • If in doubt, request a paper proof or consult a specialist


2. Printing varnish as a special refinement for printing products

As technology advances, the possibilities for print finish change over time. One of the different finishing types in print24 is the UV varnish, which is a special type of printing varnishing. Coatings in printing are used on the one hand to enhance the surface of printed matter visually or haptically and on the other hand to seal the surface by means of an additional coating and to protect the material from wear and tear.

Overview print finishing coatings

Here is a brief look at the basic coating types that can be used in the printing industry as an effect and protective coating.

Oil-based varnish

The oil-based varnish can be processed inline in the normal printing unit due to the lack of pigments and a similarly low ink thickness as the regular printing ink. A comparatively long drying time is necessary for oil-based printing varnishes. Drying takes place by chipping and oxidation. Good gloss and matt effects can be achieved. However, the disadvantage of oil-based varnishes is that they can yellow the printed products later and although they now do not contain mineral oil, they are not suitable for food packaging printing.

Dispersion varnish

Dispersion varnishes are often also referred to as water-based varnishes, as they have a high water content of about 50–60 percent. The water-based coatings are transferred either via a coating unit with a two-roller system and subsequent drying unit or with a chambered doctor blade system. The dispersion coating is used in offset, flexo and gravure printing. The drying process is considerably shorter than with oil-based varnishes. The water base evaporates and leaves a protective layer of about 3 µm. Dispersion coatings are solvent-free, odourless and tasteless and protect the printed image from later yellowing.

UV varnish

In offset, screen and flexo printing, UV varnish is used as a full or partial varnish. UV varnish is based on solid particles, is thick, highly glossy or matt, seals the paper and protects the inks from fading due to sunlight. The highest gloss effect can be achieved in screen printing and the implementation of relief varnish is possible. In this article, we also discuss the properties, characteristics, possible applications and advantages and disadvantages of UV varnishes in more details.

Drip off varnish

In drip-off coating, a glossy dispersion coating is applied over the entire surface of a partially printed oil-based matt coating. Due to its different properties, this beads off the oil-based varnish, creating the contrast effect between matt and glossy surface structures. This combination coating is used as an inline finishing process in the last printing unit and in the additional coating unit of the printing press. The printed sheets often run through an additionally installed drying unit to accelerate the drying process.

Hybrid varnish

Like drip-off varnish, hybrid varnish is a combination of two varnishes. Here, too, a matt oil-based varnish forms the basis. However, a UV varnish is applied as a glossy coating on top to achieve the desired matt-gloss contrast.

Versatile use of printing varnishes

Typical for the use of printing varnishes is the refining of Flyers, packaging or Brochures to enhance their surface optically or haptically. Strong and high-quality image printing papers are often used. A basic distinction is made between matt and gloss varnishes, which can be applied over the entire surface or partially to the material. Depending on the coating, special equipment and technology may be required to seal the surface with an additional coating and protect the material from wear and tear.

Partial UV varnish for Business cards

A typical example for the use of spot varnish on Business cards | Source: GB Design Business Cards

Technology: inline or offline varnishing?

The basic problem with printing is time. Although inks dry quickly, this can take too long depending on humidity and paper, delaying finishing and ultimately the completion of the printed product. If the ink is not yet completely dry, it may settle from one sheet to the other during cutting, grooving and stitching. If a printed matter is coated, this discolouring (“shedding”) can be prevented. This and the fact that modern printing presses often have coating stations integrated inline is the reason why some print shops use the so-called neutral coating. This enables them to shorten their production times. Traditionally, oil-based printing varnish was used for this purpose, but dispersion varnish has now established itself.

  • An additional printing unit is usually required for inline coating. For some printing varnishes, for example, an additional drying device is required, which is installed in the printing press.
  • Another option is to apply the coating in an additional production step with a separate machine. This type of print finish is known as offline finishing.

UV varnish

UV coatings are basically divided into full-surface and partial varnishing. In contrast to other types of varnishing, UV varnishes achieve the highest matt or gloss effects and have a plastic effect, which makes dark colours, in particular, appear much more intense and brighter. UV varnishing is a widely used print finishing process, which owes its name to the special and very fast drying process because after varnishing the UV varnish is dried with UV light. The disintegration of so-called photoinitiators under intensive UV light irradiation triggers a chain reaction in the admixed binder, as a result of which the UV coating hardens in a very short time and permanently bonds to the material.

UV surface varnish and partial UV varnish

UV surface varnish and UV spot varnish

The so-called UV surface varnish is applied to the entire print sheet and thus seals the surface of the material. With UV spot varnish, only selected elements of the print sheet are varnished. Since the coating layer is relatively thick, the UV varnish is raised on the paper, which results in a slightly three-dimensional effect with partial varnishing. The UV spot varnish can thus be used as relief varnish.

Spatial effects with relief varnish

The relief varnish stands three-dimensionally on the paper and is mainly applied by screen printing, which, in combination with the properties of the varnish, achieves layer thicknesses of up to 100 µm. With this layer thickness, the relief varnish is even suitable for braille and is also known as contour varnish or water droplet varnish. It is used to highlight elements such as logos or lettering in three dimensions. What it has in common with embossing is its feel, which adds another visually perceptible dimension to the printed matter. In contrast to embossing, however, the back of the paper sheet is not deformed. Due to the matt or glossy effect, however, the relief varnish looks completely different from the embossing.

Relief varnish as water drop imitation
Relief varnish for the visualisation of water drops

Partial UV varnish as relief varnish with water drop design | Source: HTWK Leipzig

Tip: For the print data, please note that the line thickness should be at least 2 points (0.7 mm) and the font size at least 12 points for partial varnishing.

Application examples of UV varnishing

  • Brochure finishing: protect the cover with UV varnish
  • Particularly popular: refining Business cards, Postcards or Flyers with partial varnishing
  • Discreet logo highlighting: glossy UV spot varnish on a matt, monochrome surface
  • Logo highlighted with relief varnish: both optical and haptic effect
  • Putting printing products in the limelight with structures or patterns with partial UV coating

Business cards with partial UV varnish | © Nathan Mummert


Flyers with UV spot varnish | © dailypoetics

Advantages and disadvantages of UV hardening varnishes


Advantages of UV varnish Limits and disadvantages of UV varnish
suitable for offset, screen & flexo printing Printing machine with special equipment required
→ Lamps, rubber cloths, inking rollers,…
Inline or offline coating possible additional printer for each special colour
fast drying under UV light
→ Further processing can take place shortly afterwards
high energy consumption for UV light drying
for materials with low absorbency,
plastics, metallic surfaces
limited adhesion on very smooth surfaces,
cast coated materials
suitable for heat-sensitive materials highly absorbent materials impair the gloss effect
high layer thickness possible
→ Haptic effects with partial coating
→ Inline up to 8 µm, offline up to 100 µm
Coatings within creasing, groove or
Avoid rebate folds
→ UV coating is very brittle and can burst
moisture-proof Surface not writable
protects colour from fading by sunlight optical brighteners are destroyed
→ yellowing possible
Protection against abrasion and contamination
very high gloss effect
→ especially dark colours have a more intense effect

Gloss effect and other properties of printing varnishes

A glossy UV varnish has a dominant visual effect, while a matt or silk-matt print coating appears somewhat more restrained. However, the overall visual effect is determined by the interaction of paper and coating. A paper with a very matt surface, which is partially refined with a high-gloss print varnish, already provides an excellent contrast to the visual effect. The intensity of the gloss effect of coatings is indicated by means of gloss points or the so-called degree of gloss. In order to prevent relief varnish from being partially absorbed by the paper, a sealing print varnish is printed as a base varnish underneath, on which the relief varnish stands better, raised that is.

UV varnish partial on matt paper

Contrast effect between matt and glossy surfaces with partial varnishing

Special printing varnishes and their fields of application

There are also numerous special coatings with special properties, such as anti-slip coatings to increase the slip resistance of the material. Or a pearlescent gloss can be added to the UV coating to further enhance its gloss effect. These and other eye-catching effects can be used to attract attention, arouse interest, reproduce realistic surface properties and protect a trademark from counterfeiting.

Other special varnishes that have special effects are:

  • Glitter varnish: Gloss or glitter pigments are added to a transparent UV-hardening varnish to create effects such as gold and silver glitter, which are partially printed in photos, for example.
  • Scented varnish: Besides the visual and the haptic aspects of it, the sense of smell is another one that can be induced by varnishes. There are three different types of scented varnishes: permanently fragrant, temporarily fragrant and microencapsulated scented varnishes, which only develop their scent through friction. Fragrance varnish is currently mainly used in the cosmetics industry. However, it can also be used in the food industry, where the scent of packaging can whet the consumer’s appetite for its contents and thus contribute to a purchase decision.
  • Surface varnish

    Surface varnish

    Relief varnish

    Relief varnish

  • Rub varnish: You know them from lots or shopping cards where you have to scratch off codes.
  • Soft-touch varnish: The matt varnish feels velvety, soft or rubbery. The soft-touch varnish is used in offset printing, flexo printing or screen printing on various papers, cardboard, foils and other materials. In the automotive industry, soft-touch paint is also frequently used as a design paint in the interior of vehicles.
  • Thermo varnish

    Thermo varnish

    Braille

    Braille

  • Structure varnish: The structure varnish is a UV varnish which is given a different surface by the addition of different particles, for example, one that is known from hammer-finish varnishes. With these varnishes, it is possible to represent surface structures such as wood, stone or sand both visually and haptically in three dimensions. Textured coatings are applied by screen printing on coated and uncoated papers.
  • Thermo varnish: Thermal lacquer can produce astonishing effects in the supply of heat. Often the own body temperature is already enough to change the colour of thermal lacquers. One of the most common applications of thermal lacquer is that a hidden graphic, logo or lettering only appears when the surface is heated. This effect is suitable for secret messages, forgery-proof printed matter and is also interesting for photo printing, such as Magic photo cups from print24.
Glitter varnish as effect on photos

Glitter varnish | Source: HTWK Leipzig

Structure varnish as effect varnish on photos

Structure varnish | Source: HTWK Leipzig

You want to apply a high-quality printing varnish onto your products? Have a look at our website and order for example Flyers and Business cards with partial UV varnish or Brochures with special colours and Envelopes with UV varnish from print24.


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