Dual Raised Postcards

Dual Raised Printing is a specialized embellishment technique that features two distinct raised textures, creating a striking visual and tactile contrast. These cards are printed on 16pt paper, laminated with a 1.5mil scuff-resistant, soft-velvet suede finish, and enhanced with either:

• Two different raised foil colors, or
• A combination of raised UV and one raised foil color.

Design Note:
To create a Dual Raised product, you must provide two separate mask files in addition to your artwork—one for each raised embellishment. You can choose between two raised foil colors or one raised foil color combined with raised UV.

When submitting files for print, Dual Raised jobs need a ‘separate’ files also known as the “Mask” file which is in addition to standard CMYK artwork files. The ‘mask’ file reflects the area which will have the special print treatment. This is how you can prepare files for Raised Foil printing:

Step 1: Identify the area(s) you want to apply to the Dual Raised locations of your design. (Sample shown will be processed with Gold and Holographic Raised Foil)

Identify the areas (text/logo) from your artwork / design file. Sample design for your ref.

Step 2: Prepare a separate mask file in Vector Format. Two mask files will need to be created. (Sample shown will be processed with Gold and Holographic Raised Foil)

For each printed side that has raised application, create a separate file with only raised elements. The file will be black and white, where the black represents the areas of raised application.

Note: The elements should be created 100% black and as a vector format.

Step 3: Check alignment and remove CMYK elements.

You should practice and make sure that your artwork, both the standard CMYK and mask file are aligned correctly.

Once you are satisfied with the alignment, you can delete the elements from the standard CMYK file which are available within the mask file. Thus, ensuring that you provide a solid background to the foil printing.

CMYK File sample.

Step 4: Saving the artwork files for submission

Save your artwork files with proper naming conventions, so that it is easy to identify which file is to be used for the printing process. For example, a Dual job with Dual Raised application on front only will have the following names:

1. File-Name-Front-CMYK
2. File-Name-Front-Gold-Mask
3. File-Name-Front-Holographic-Mask
4. File-Name-Back-CMYK

Final Product

You can choose either two foil colors or one foil color with a raised spot UV option. Dual-raised foil jobs require two mask files: a raised-foil mask file and a second mask file for either another raised foil color or raised spot UV, along with the regular print file. The mask file must be a vector file created in a program like Adobe Illustrator.

When setting up the mask file, use solid 100% black (C 0%, M 0%, Y 0%, K 100%) to indicate where you want the foil. Do not use shadows, glows, or grayscale images, as they will not produce the desired effect. Any white areas in the mask file will indicate no foil. Knockouts are not recommended since there may be a shift of up to 1/16” when the foil is applied.

Printing Under the Foil Mask

It is highly recommended to use a solid background behind the foil mask. Artwork or text placed under the foil mask may become visible through the foil, which can affect the final appearance. Knockouts are not advised, as there may be a slight shift in alignment during the application process.

Ensuring the Best Results for Dual-Raised Foil Cards

To achieve the best results, foil coverage should not exceed 30% of the total artwork. Exceeding this limit may result in a wavy or uneven finish. However, up to 50% coverage is acceptable when using patterns, thin strokes, or small shapes. Ideally, the maximum recommended foil coverage for a single area should not exceed 1” x 1”.

Minimum Font Size for Raised Foil Artwork

For the best readability, font sizes should be at least 10pt. If using bold fonts or fonts with thicker strokes, it is recommended to use a minimum font size of 12pt to ensure clarity and sharpness.