High-Impact Graphics
These days, what’s on a package can sometimes be as important as what’s in it.
February 2008 by Jean-Marie Hershey
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In a retail environment, a consumer’s first impression can be decisive. That means a package’s ability to deliver a sensory punch is a must for brand owners. The proliferation of specialized “high-impact” solutions (inks, foils, and other materials such as shrink labels, holographics, and lenticulars) is good news for consumer product companies (CPCs) looking to differentiate their products, as well as for designers working with a variety of applications. From a prepress perspective, the task is to supply end users with high-impact packaging with significant perceived added value that will create dramatic interest for the consumer, while presenting the converter with the fewest headaches.
What is a special effect?
A high-impact special effect can be a function of the inks and substrates used in printing, the equipment used to manufacture a package, as well as the software used to produce and refine a design. Examples include, but are not limited to, metallic inks, lenticular and holographic printing, and hot or cold foiling. Again, from a prepress perspective, the challenge is to provide the best solutions for graphic development, proofing, and final printing forms.
Lenticular printing uses graphics specifically designed for viewing through a “lens sheet” that enables the viewer to see different images, depending on the viewing angle. The image itself is a composite of multiple interlaced viewpoints of the artwork. Lenticular print can appear to show motion and three-dimensional effects because each eye is viewing the lenticular print from its own angle.
HumanEyes Technologies, Ltd. has developed software for creating and producing 2D and 3D lenticular effects. The company’s product lines include PrintPro for printers, Creative3D for designers, Capture3D for photographers, and LensFree technology, said to produce 3D and flip illusions without a lenticular lens on a substrates like Plexiglas, PETG, and glass.
Closely related to lenticular effects are holograms, flat surfaces that appear to contain a 3D image. In the converting realm, holographic films or foils may be laminated to paperboard to give it strength. The film is also cut into shapes desired for the final product and may be printed with messages. Heat- or pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the back of holograms that will be affixed to other objects or used as stickers.
Metallic inks
Traditionally added as decorations more or less after the fact, metallic inks are now an integral part of the printing process, thanks to the introduction of technologies that take the time, labor, uncertainty, and associated expense of working with spot metallics out of the production equation. One example is MetalFX®. This universal process and spot metallic color system, recently acquired by Ciba Specialty Chemicals, reportedly allows millions of metallic colors to be printed by adding only the one base silver ink to the CMYK mix. MetalFX licenses are available to printers and prepress houses around the world.
What is a special effect?
A high-impact special effect can be a function of the inks and substrates used in printing, the equipment used to manufacture a package, as well as the software used to produce and refine a design. Examples include, but are not limited to, metallic inks, lenticular and holographic printing, and hot or cold foiling. Again, from a prepress perspective, the challenge is to provide the best solutions for graphic development, proofing, and final printing forms.
Lenticular printing uses graphics specifically designed for viewing through a “lens sheet” that enables the viewer to see different images, depending on the viewing angle. The image itself is a composite of multiple interlaced viewpoints of the artwork. Lenticular print can appear to show motion and three-dimensional effects because each eye is viewing the lenticular print from its own angle.
HumanEyes Technologies, Ltd. has developed software for creating and producing 2D and 3D lenticular effects. The company’s product lines include PrintPro for printers, Creative3D for designers, Capture3D for photographers, and LensFree technology, said to produce 3D and flip illusions without a lenticular lens on a substrates like Plexiglas, PETG, and glass.
Closely related to lenticular effects are holograms, flat surfaces that appear to contain a 3D image. In the converting realm, holographic films or foils may be laminated to paperboard to give it strength. The film is also cut into shapes desired for the final product and may be printed with messages. Heat- or pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the back of holograms that will be affixed to other objects or used as stickers.
Metallic inks
Traditionally added as decorations more or less after the fact, metallic inks are now an integral part of the printing process, thanks to the introduction of technologies that take the time, labor, uncertainty, and associated expense of working with spot metallics out of the production equation. One example is MetalFX®. This universal process and spot metallic color system, recently acquired by Ciba Specialty Chemicals, reportedly allows millions of metallic colors to be printed by adding only the one base silver ink to the CMYK mix. MetalFX licenses are available to printers and prepress houses around the world.
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