Spot varnishing is a special effect that puts varnish only on specific areas of a printed piece. Use spot varnish to make a photograph pop off the page, highlight drop caps, or to create texture and subtle images on the page. In page layout programs, you specify spot varnish as a new spot color.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Usually just a few minutes to setup a spot varnish spot color
Here's How:
- Create a new spot color.
In your page layout application, create a new spot color, naming it whatever you want such as “Varnish” or “Spot Varnish.” - Make your new spot color any color.
Although the varnish is actually transparent, for display purposes you can make its spot color representation in your digital file just about any color. - Don't duplicate an already-used spot color.
Choose a color not used elsewhere in your publication. You might want to make it a bright, vivid color just so it stands out clearly on screen. - Overprint your spot varnish color.
Set the new color to "overprint" to prevent the spot varnish from knocking out any text or other elements under the varnish. - Place your spot varnish color in the layout. If your software supports layers, put your spot color on a separate layer from the right of your design.
Create frames, boxes, or other page elements and fill with the spot varnish then place them where you want them. If the page element already has color and you want to apply varnish over it, create a duplicate of the element directly on top of the original. Apply the spot varnish color to the duplicate. - Talk to your printer about spot varnish use.
Always make sure your printer knows that you are using a spot varnish in your publication before sending the file. They may have special requirements or suggestions to improve how your project comes out.
Tips:
- Don't use a process color swatch for your spot varnish.
Create a spot color not a process color for your spot varnish. In QuarkXPress be sure the Process Separation box is not checked. In Adobe InDesign, choose “Spot” for Color Type (the default is Process). - Talk to your printer.
Consult your printer for any special requirements or suggestions as to how they would like to receive your digital files that have spot varnish colors specified, as well as recommendations for the type of varnish to use for your publication such as gloss or matte. - Spot varnish doesn't show on proofs.
You may be working “in the dark” when using spot varnish. Since a proof is not going to show you how the finished effect will look, you won't know until it's all finished whether or not you got the effect you wanted. - Adding a spot varnish can increase the cost of a job.
Use of a spot varnish adds an extra separation/plate to the printing process so a publication using 4-color process printing now requires 5 plates and a job with 2 spot colors will need a 3rd plate.
