Contents
1.1 Embellishments
1.1.1 Foil
1.1.2 Foil & Debossing
1.1.3 Raised Foil
1.1.4 Raised Varnishing
1.1.5 UV Print
1.1.6 Laser Engraving
Print Upgrades For Professional Photographers
The goal of this article is to help professional photographers understand the most popular Zno print upgrades for Zno’s print products. These print upgrades are especially good for upselling Zno’s albums & books.
The most popular print upgrades are:
Embellishments
Embellishments are decorations that are typically added to covers of albums and books. As an example in weddings, names of the bride and groom are often added to the front covers of wedding albums. Embellishments can be applied with a variety of print related technologies such as:
Foil
Foil is a flat printing effect when not accompanied by “embossing” or “debossing”. When Foil is used by itself, it’s sometimes called “Foil Stamping” or “Hot Stamping”. The Foil is a film that is derived from vacuum metalization of aluminum. During the process of making the Foil, colors are added to a lacquer to achieve specific colors. These colors can come in a variety of different finishes such as metallic, matte, gloss, holographic. At Zno, our Foil finishes are limited to metallic or matte.
Foil is ideal for clients who want to add a metallic looking decoration to thin paper print surfaces where Foil & Debossing cannot be done. As an example, Foil can be done on inside pages of albums and books whereas Foil & Debossing cannot. Similarly, only Foil can be done on Cards and Calendars. A limitation of Foil is that there are a limited number of colors compared to another print technology like UV Print.
Foil is available at Zno in the following colors:
Foil is ideal for clients who want to add a metallic looking decoration to thin paper print surfaces where Foil & Debossing cannot be done. As an example, Foil can be done on inside pages of albums and books whereas Foil & Debossing cannot. Similarly, only Foil can be done on Cards and Calendars. A limitation of Foil is that there are a limited number of colors compared to another print technology like UV Print.
Foil is available at Zno in the following colors:
- Gold
- Silver
- Red
Foil is available on the inside pages of the following Zno Albums & Books when Lustre, Matte Velvet, or Pearlescent paper is selected:
Foil is also available on the following Zno products:
Foil & Debossing
Foil & Debossing is a recessed printing effect that combines Foil and a process known as “debossing”. Debossing is a process where a depression is made into something like leather. Foil is then filled into the depression to leave a metallic looking design. This differs from Raised Foil, which creates a raised effect as opposed to a recessed effect.
Foil & Debossing is ideal for clients who want to feel a tactile effect in addition to seeing a metallic decoration. However, Foil & Debossing at Zno is typically limited to covers of Albums & Books or Boxes. As with Foil, there are a limited number of colors for Foil & Debossing compared to UV Print.
There is also an option for debossing without Foil. This is also known as “Clear” or “Blind” debossing. This is typically preferred by clients who want an understated decoration that doesn’t draw too much attention.
Foil & Debossing is available at Zno in the following colors:
Foil & Debossing is ideal for clients who want to feel a tactile effect in addition to seeing a metallic decoration. However, Foil & Debossing at Zno is typically limited to covers of Albums & Books or Boxes. As with Foil, there are a limited number of colors for Foil & Debossing compared to UV Print.
There is also an option for debossing without Foil. This is also known as “Clear” or “Blind” debossing. This is typically preferred by clients who want an understated decoration that doesn’t draw too much attention.
Foil & Debossing is available at Zno in the following colors:
- Matte Gold
- Rose Gold
- Copper
- Silver
- White
- Black
- Clear
Foil & Debossing is available on the following Zno products:
Raised Foil
Raised Foil is a raised printing effect that combines Foil with a raised effect. This is achieved by first creating a transparent layer of varnishing oil. Foil is then added on top of the transparent layer to give a raised metallic design. This differs from Foil & Debossing, which creates a recessed effect.
Raised Foil is ideal for clients who want to feel a tactile effect in addition to seeing a metallic decoration. Raised Foil at Zno is typically limited to covers of Albums & Books. A limitation that is worth noting is that Raised Foil is also limited to leather and leatherette covers whereas Foil & Debossing can be printed on a wider variety of materials such as linen, suede or photo paper. As with Foil, there are also a limited number of colors for Raised Foil compared to UV Print & Raised Varnishing.
Raised Foil is available at Zno in the following colors:
Raised Foil is ideal for clients who want to feel a tactile effect in addition to seeing a metallic decoration. Raised Foil at Zno is typically limited to covers of Albums & Books. A limitation that is worth noting is that Raised Foil is also limited to leather and leatherette covers whereas Foil & Debossing can be printed on a wider variety of materials such as linen, suede or photo paper. As with Foil, there are also a limited number of colors for Raised Foil compared to UV Print & Raised Varnishing.
Raised Foil is available at Zno in the following colors:
- Gold
- Matte Gold
- Silver
- Matte Silver
Raised Foil is available on the following Zno products:
Raised Varnishing
Raised Varnishing is a raised printing effect that comes in two varieties. These are “Raised Varnishing'' and “UV Print & Raised Varnishing”. Both create a raised effect that is similar to the raised effect of Raised Foil.
Raised Varnishing is achieved by creating a transparent layer of varnishing oil. It is semi-transparent and reflects light. Since it is transparent, it will take on the color of the material it’s printed on. UV Print can then be applied on top for additional color. Raised Varnishing by itself is more subtle and therefore ideal for an understated effect. Whereas UV Print & Raised Varnishing is ideal for those seeking a specific color or a contrasting effect.
Unlike Raised Foil, with UV Print & Raised Varnishing you can choose any color you want. Both Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing are limited to leather and select leatherette covers. If you do not want a raised effect, but still want a colored decoration, then you can also get UV Print by itself.
Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing is available on the following Zno products:
Raised Varnishing is achieved by creating a transparent layer of varnishing oil. It is semi-transparent and reflects light. Since it is transparent, it will take on the color of the material it’s printed on. UV Print can then be applied on top for additional color. Raised Varnishing by itself is more subtle and therefore ideal for an understated effect. Whereas UV Print & Raised Varnishing is ideal for those seeking a specific color or a contrasting effect.
Unlike Raised Foil, with UV Print & Raised Varnishing you can choose any color you want. Both Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing are limited to leather and select leatherette covers. If you do not want a raised effect, but still want a colored decoration, then you can also get UV Print by itself.
Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing is available on the following Zno products:
UV Print
UV Print is a flat printing effect that is sometimes referred to as “Spot UV” or more colloquially as “Painted Text”. The process of doing UV Printing involves using ultraviolet light to cure or dry a gloss onto a print product.
UV Print is ideal for clients who want to add a decoration in a specific color or as a contrasting color. While Foil & Debossing is limited to eight foil colors, you can choose from an unlimited number of colors for UV Printing. If you want to have the color availability of UV Printing with a raised effect, then you should instead consider UV Print & Raised Varnishing.
Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing is available on the following Zno products:
UV Print is ideal for clients who want to add a decoration in a specific color or as a contrasting color. While Foil & Debossing is limited to eight foil colors, you can choose from an unlimited number of colors for UV Printing. If you want to have the color availability of UV Printing with a raised effect, then you should instead consider UV Print & Raised Varnishing.
Raised Varnishing and UV Print & Raised Varnishing is available on the following Zno products:
Laser Engraving
Laser Engraving is a recessed printing effect that consists of laser etching a design into a surface. It achieves a similar effect to the Clear option in Foil & Debossing. However a key difference between Clear debossing and Laser Engraving is that the laser is burning a depression into the top surface, so the top layer of the material is removed rather than just pushed down.
Since the laser is burning away the top layer, this means you should be aware of what the under layer of the material is. The under layer of a material could be a different color. In the case of leather, it’s the same color tone all the way through but you’ll see the rough grain. In the case of leatherette, the underlying color is likely to be different.
Since the laser is burning away the top layer, this means you should be aware of what the under layer of the material is. The under layer of a material could be a different color. In the case of leather, it’s the same color tone all the way through but you’ll see the rough grain. In the case of leatherette, the underlying color is likely to be different.
Embellishment Comparison Table
Cover Embellishment Swatch Samples
You can order Cover Embellishments Swatches on our studio samples page. These are great samples for seeing how embellishments apply to a wide range of materials.
Linings
A lining is what you’ll find at the front and back of the inside of an album or book. It’s the area that you see before and after the photo pages. A “Lining” is classically divided into two sides, which are called the “End Paper” and “Fly Sheet”. The End Paper is the side that touches the front or back cover. Whereas the Fly Sheet is the page.
Choosing a special lining can make the viewing experience of opening the book more unique. As an example, you can choose a lining that matches the album’s cover material rather than just using a default color. Or you can add decorations to a flysheet. At Zno, we offer the following lining options:
Cotton Paper
Cotton Paper linings are the standard lining that most labs offer. At Zno, they are the default lining that your album or book comes with when no other option has been chosen. On the Fly Sheet, you can optionally add Foil & Debossing or UV Print.
Cotton Paper is available at Zno in the following colors
Cotton Paper is available at Zno in the following colors
- Black
- White
Cotton Paper linings are available on:
Translucent
The Translucent option consists of using black or white Cotton Paper for the End Paper side and a translucent paper for the Fly Sheet side. On the translucent Fly Sheet you can optionally add Foil & Debossing or UV Print.
Translucent linings are available on:
Translucent linings are available on:
Linen
Linen linings differ from Cotton Paper by being made out of linen. This offers a more luxurious feel than the standard Cotton Paper and also more color options. On the End Paper you can optionally add Foil & Debossing or UV Print.
Linen is available at Zno in the following colors:
Linen is available at Zno in the following colors:
- Black
- Dark Grey
- Dark Brown
- Cream
- Dark Red
Linen linings are available on:
Lining Comparison Table
Edge
The page edges of an album or book are often overlooked. But choosing a distinctive looking edge can significantly differentiate your offering. As an example, you can choose an edge color that matches the cover of your album or book. Or you can opt for personalized text or a pattern design that is very unique. At Zno we offer three main edge options:
Substrate
Your default option for a page edge is using the bare page substrate. This means the edge of the page will be whatever color the core substrate is. At Zno we offer a white or black core. In the case of black cores, it will actually appear as alternating black and white lines rather than pure black. This is due to the photo paper having a white border. If you would prefer a pure black edge then it’s better to choose Gilding or Painting.
Substrate colors are available at Zno in the following colors:
Substrate colors are available at Zno in the following colors:
- White
- Black
Substrate color options are available on:
Gilding
Gilding is a classical upgrade for page edges that’s been around for a long time. This is effectively putting Foil on page edges. The big limitation of Gilding over Painting is that there are a limited number of colors. Gilding is ideal for clients who prefer the traditional look of a metallic edge.
Gilding is available at Zno in the following colors:
Gilding is available at Zno in the following colors:
- Gold
- Silver
- Black
Gilding is available on:
Painting
Painting can be viewed as a more modern alternative to Gilding. Because unlike Gilding, you can choose any edge color you want. Or you can opt for a photo, pattern.
Painting is available on:
Painting is available on:
Edge Comparison Table
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