Effective use of clear varnish overprint to add depth?
May 29, 2006 10:53 AM   Subscribe

In regards to design and press printing. Towards the bottom of this Paper Specs article it touches on an overprint varnishing technique called "dot-on-dot varnishing." Is anyone familiar with this technique and care to elaborate on how it is accomplished and the effect it has on the final piece?

In particular, I have a series of black and white photos that will be printed for a jewel case insert. I would like to add dimension to them by using a clear varnish overprint. This technique seems to be what I am looking for, but I would like to have a better understanding of the effect it will have. Any other tips is appreciated.
posted by monsta coty scott to Media & Arts (3 answers total)
 
Simply put, dot-on-dot varnishing overlays dots of varnish onto the individual dots of ink...no varnish on the paper itself. I've only heard of it being done to sections of an image.
For instance, let's say you have a b/w halftone image. You can do a gloss dot-on-dot varnish on the highlight areas. Visually, this makes the highlights pop more and adds a certain amount of depth.
It's a specialized service and I would certainly want to see actual printed specimens from any printer offering the service before I opted for it.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:03 PM on May 29, 2006


Like Thorzdad said, it's basically a spot varnish taken to the extreme. And it's going to require a excellent plate making and an excellent press and operator. (I guess the rip could gain the screen slightly by bumping the dot-size for the varnish, but it still would be hellish to print.)
posted by nathan_teske at 12:07 PM on May 29, 2006


There's a good chance that a spot varnish will be wasted inside a jewel case. I'd suggest viewing a sample (any decent printer should be able to give you one) in a jewel case to make sure that it's going to have the effect you're looking for.
posted by lekvar at 6:51 PM on May 29, 2006


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