Articles: finishing

A finish turns the same design into a different object. One business card can feel cold and crisp or warm and soft, and the client senses the difference before reading the company name. The articles under this tag explain how the available finishes differ and when each of them makes sense.

Lamination - three different characters

Lamination is a thin layer applied over the printed sheet. It protects against marks and wear, and along the way it changes how the whole piece looks.

• Gloss film - lifts colours and deepens the dark areas, a good match for photographs.
• Matt film - calms the shine, gives a quiet, elegant look and does not bounce lamplight back.
• Soft Touch - feels like suede, slows the hand down and makes the piece seem more valuable.
• Rounded corners - more than a detail; a corner that does not bend keeps looking fresh for longer.

When the paper is enough on its own

Sometimes nothing needs adding. Paper coloured all the way through keeps its shade at the cut edge, so no white core shows. Metallic, pearl and textured papers live on light - turn the sheet and the image shifts, which looks lovely on invitations and folders but can make small lettering harder to read.

When choosing a finish, think about what happens to the piece after you hand it over. Something carried in a pocket, folded and touched daily follows different rules than a leaflet lying on a counter.