3 creative stationery techniques

The power of printed materials is a flourishing trend, especially for business cards, professional brochures and wedding invitations. They come in many forms such as classy and elegant, bold and fun, to everything in between. With the countdown to Christmas, there are many ways you can add a personal touch your stationery.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up 3 creative stationery techniques used to make print designs stand out.

Embossing

There’s something about embossed stationery that gives a look of beauty and luxury. It’s one of the popular styles that stimulates the senses and makes things seem more beautiful than their original designs. You will find embossing on business cards, wedding invitations and a large variety of stationery options.

Embossing is simply raising the surface of your design to create a 3D effect. The process involves placing dies in contact with the stock paper or cardboard under a high amount of pressure. Depending on the effect you want to create, different papers and embossing types can achieve different results.

Add a new dimension to your wedding stationery with the method tint embossing. This new creation is high in demand where pearl or pastel foil is used. Unlike conventional printing that is flat, it can be used in conjunction with multi-level embossing for invitation cards. By raising the different height depths, it can add more character as well as inform guests that it’s going to be an elegant ceremony.

Debossing uses a different process, so rather than raising the text or image, it is indented so that the design is forced down to give it a sunken appearance. You’ll see this a lot on business cards, mugs and leather diaries.

Printing

There are a few different printing methods to learn about before you decide on the design you want. Letterpress was the leading form of printing until the 1960’s, making it the oldest and most versatile technique used. It uses a metal print plate that is inked, then indented onto paper, although it can print images unevenly. Regardless, it is still in demand and mainly by graphic designers to create posters, cards, invitations, and handmade books.

Another method is die stamping which consists of embossing paper with die on another surface. This focuses on the finer details of the image or text to add character to your design.

For an alternative method that’s affordable and presents you with a visual treat is raised printing. This gives a 3D effect and has more of an impact than conventional designs. Not only are they a wonder to touch, you can find an array of printing designs at Downey luxury stationery that are appealing to the eyes.

Engraving

There are three types of methods used for engraving which are diamond-drag (scratching), burnishing and rotary engraving.

The easiest and most common type is diamond-drag which is also known as scratch engraving. This method doesn’t require a motor and uses a cone-shaped diamond tip which is dragged with compression through the metal. Scratch engraving is perfect for most jewellery such as rings, bracelets, and necklaces and allows you to personalise gifts with a sentimental message.

Another method is burnishing engraving. This uses a different tool compared to diamond drag engraving, which doesn’t cut the material but uses a marking technique instead. One of the advantages of burnishing is that it produces wider strokes and can polish materials such as trophy plates and plaques. Burnishing can also be used to engrave on glass.

The last method is rotary engraving which cuts into materials such as plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. As compared to diamond-drag, rotary engraving can result in deep cutting or cut-out letters and shapes. This process is suitable for most commercial and industrial work.

Now that you understand the different ways print designs are created, which one will you use to personalise your Christmas gifts this year?