How to Add Foil Stamping in Illustrator

These colorful toys are covered in foils.

Foil stamping accents printed pieces with areas in which a hot metal die presses a thin pigmented layer onto the paper. These foils come in many colors, including metallics, and can add a touch of distinction to designs for brochure covers, certificates, pocket folders and many other projects. Adobe Illustrator makes an ideal application in which to create the artwork that will be used to build a stamping die because its vector output translates well into the die maker's manufacturing process.

Instructions

1. Open the "Window" menu and choose "Swatches" to bring up the Swatches panel if it isn't already visible. Open the fly-out menu at the top right corner of the Swatches panel and choose "New Swatch."

2. Name your new swatch "Foil." Set its color type to "Spot Color" and its color mode to "CMYK." Enter cyan, magenta, yellow and black values to provide an onscreen simulation of your foil.

3. Draw your artwork using Adobe Illustrator's tools. Set any type that forms part of the graphic or logo that you're preparing.

4. Assign the "Foil" color to those elements of your artwork that will be foil stamped. Apply regular spot or process colors to any elements of your artwork that will be printed using traditional inks.

5. Convert your type to outlines before you send your document to your printing company. Open the "Select" menu, navigate to its "Objects" submenu and choose "Type Objects" to select all your text at once. Open the "Type" menu and choose "Create Outlines." This transforms your text into vector objects so you need not send your font files along with your graphic.

6. Save your file in Adobe Illustrator's EPS format. Incorporate this artwork into a page layout file or send it directly to your printing company.

Tips & Warnings

• Small type doesn't reproduce well in foil because its details don't stamp crisply.

• Designs that try to superimpose printed details on top of foil stamping don't output well. If you need to place type on top of a graphic, reverse it out to reveal the paper beneath it.

• Avoid foil stamping on areas that will fold or crease.

• Computer monitors don't do a good job of representing foil colors. Don't assume that your final product will look like your onscreen representation, even if you use a CMYK formula provided by your printing company to approximate the foil's color.

References

• Adobe Systems: Using Adobe Illustrator CS5

Resources

• The Adobe Illustrator CS5 Wow! Book; Sharon Steuer
• Real World Adobe Illustrator CS5; Mordy Golding
• Adobe Illustrator CS5 Bible; Ted Alspach
• Illustrator CS5 for Windows and Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide; Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas
• Adobe Creative Suite 5 Design Premium All-in-One for Dummies; Jennifer Smith et al.