Email Response

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Pinkney 
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:56:10
To: 
Subject: RE: Hello

HI Anna, answers as requested:

What are the limitations of stock when it comes to foil blocking?
Foiling can be applied to a very wide range of surfaces form paper and board to plastics and fabric. Different stocks give different finishes. The main limitation to what can be foiled is defined by the 'surface tension' of the material. Printing inks must have the correct surface tension to be foiled on to . This is normally a low wax content ink.

What different finishes can foil blocking produce? And are all finishes possible with all available colours?
There are a lot of metalic foils and coloured foils available. The more despoke the foil the less flexible the foil will be.


What can foil blocking be used on other than the obvious of paper and card?

See first answer.

How broad is the colour spectrum for foil blocking?
There are hundreds of different foils available. 

What are the different processes of foil blocking?
Foiling falls into two types hot foil and cold foil. Cold foil is applied on a printing machin and hot foil is applied using a die heat and pressure.

How expensive is the production?
This is very depentant on the image size and overall foil image. The dies can vary from 50.00 to 1000.00 a make ready is in the region of 50.00 - 200.00 and then you have the foiling costs.
 
Is foil blocking worth the expense? Does the finish outweigh the cost?
If done correctly and with thought Foilblocking can be stunning. Where shelf appeal is critical foiling is often used as a way to catch the consumer's attention.

If you need any more information please contact me. I can arrange for you to visit a Leeds based foil blocked if you would like to see a commercial foilblocking and printing operation.
 
Regards, Richard.