How do they make holographic wrapping paper patterns?

February 12, 2021 2:02 AM

Remember these? https://www.etsy.com/listing/221121308/ laser-dazer-spinning-disk-creates-moving Or foil like this? https://www.dragonfoils.com/ products/holographic-foils.html

I want to know more about the manufacture of the artwork itself. I am not interested in stamping existing light vectors onto surfaces, nor do I want to know how logos are printed over the top.

Very specifically I want to know about how the extremely simple patterns are made such that when you rotate it to a certain degree, it reflects significantly more light. And if you turn it a few more degrees a field or polygonal shape next to it reflects more, and the previous shape, virtually none.

Is the process mechanical? Can it be mechanical? Is it photographic?
Is there a way to just polarize a single area so it reflects one specific angle?

This printer has lots of foil, and I can see areas that have been masked. But I don’t see any light field design. This example is like hundreds of others I waded through in trying to find my answer. I don’t want off the shelf foil stamped into an area, nor do I want areas cleverly colored with an overlay. This is not it.
https://publicide.com/specialty-printing/holographic-foil-stamping/

Here’s another example what I’m not looking for...
https://youtu.be/vAIPiUlAvWs
In the video I thought, “oh, this is close!” Because theoretically I could find paper with a primary vector of reflectance and stamp into small areas. But the resolution and alignment then becomes problematic exponentially due to the number of plates and precision registration.

posted by varion to Technology (1 answer total)

Best answer: You're looking for these magic words: "holographic master origination".
posted by fake at 2:36 AM on February 12, 2021 [9 favorites]