Relief printing with your children: a fun way to be creative

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: March 15, 2023

Relief printing is a printing technique in which the design can be visibly felt. It gives printed matter an extra dimension and a beautiful luxurious look. Printing presses are used to put the design on a plate in a special way, after which the press prints the paper. The result is a visible and tangible effect on the paper. 

In this article I will tell you all about this special printing technique and its applications.

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Relief printing: An extra special finish for your printed matter

Relief printing is a luxurious finish that gives an extra dimension to your printed matter. Applying certain parts of your design extra thick creates a beautiful relief on the front of your card. This can be done, for example, with colored or metallic foil, such as gold, silver or rose gold. Relief printing is also known as letterpress.

How is embossing performed?

Relief printing is done by applying a layer of foil to parts of your design. This can be done on solid surfaces as well as on special accents. The light falls on the front of the card and gives a nice glossy or matte appearance, depending on which foil you choose. The relief can be felt and gives your card an extra luxurious look.

When do you choose embossing?

Embossing is a great way to bring extra attention to certain areas of your design. It is especially suitable for cards that are printed in whole or in part in one colour, for example black or white. Relief printing gives your card an extra special effect and is therefore very suitable for, for example, birth announcements, wedding announcements or business cards.

How do you apply embossing?

Relief printing is applied using a printing press. The design is placed on a plate in a special way, after which the press presses the design into the paper. The relief can be felt and gives your card an extra dimension. It is important to note that embossing can only be applied to certain paper types.

Which colors are possible with embossing?

With embossing, different colors are possible, such as gold, silver, rose gold and other metallic colors. Colored films are also available, such as red, blue and green. It is important to know that the color of the foil may differ from the color on the screen. It is therefore advisable to make a proof before printing a larger print run.

What are the main features of embossing?

Embossing is a printing technique where the design is embossed onto the paper. The result is a visible and tangible effect on the paper. The relief is clearly visible and can also be printed transparent or colored. The effect can be glossy, depending on the thickness of the paper and the stamp used.

Thickness of the paper

For embossing, a sufficiently thick type of paper is required. A minimum of 250 grams of cardboard is required to make the relief clearly visible. With thinner paper, the relief will be less visible.

Embossing and blind embossing

Relief printing is also known as embossing or blind embossing. With embossing, the design is pressed into the paper, while with blind embossing, the design can only be felt on the paper. The embossing can be thin or thick and can be visible on both sides of the paper.

Details and stamps

Relief printing is a printing technique in which details are clearly visible. This requires special stamps that imprint the design into the paper. It is important to take a good look at which stamps are needed for the desired result.

Application and where to use

Relief printing can be applied in different ways and is suitable for different types of printing. It can be used for business cards, invitations, menu cards, books and much more. It is a technique that can be used for both business and personal purposes.

Geological and human influences

Relief printing is inspired by the geological and geographical features of the earth. The relief on the paper can resemble the way geological processes such as endogenous and exogenous causes manifest themselves on the surface of the earth. The relief can also vary due to human influences, such as changes in climate. Studying embossing can help us better understand the way we live and affect our ecosystem.

Making relief prints with your child: ideas and tips

To make embossing you will need a number of materials, including:

• Thicker paper, such as handmade paper
• A die or polymer
• Ink
• Foil in different colors, such as gold, silver, rose gold foil or copper foil
• A embossing machine (the best reviewed here) or a foil stamping device

Relief printing ideas to do with your child

Making relief prints with your child is a fun and creative activity. Here are some ideas to get started together:

• Birth announcements: Make a unique birth announcement with relief printing together with your child. For example, choose a design with sweet elements in rose gold foil or silver foil. Let your child determine the color and design for a personal result.
• Festive announcements: Make beautiful invitations for a party or birthday together with your child. Choose a design with extra shine and luxury, for example by using gold foil or silver foil.
• Thanks to new techniques, embossing has become increasingly affordable. It is therefore also a nice option to make a test print with your child of a design for a Christmas card or invitation for a wedding, for example.
• Modern foil printing: Embossing is not only suitable for traditional designs, but can also be very hip and modern. For example, choose a design with foil in certain places on the printing sheet, along the edges or as an accent on special elements. This gives the design that little bit of extra shine and luxury.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of embossing?

The advantage of embossing is that the result is very chic and luxurious. The downside is that it can sometimes be a bit more expensive than regular ink. It is also important to know that embossing is not always suitable for all designs. In designs with many curves and twists, it can outweigh the cost, as it can be a time-consuming job.

King card is a wonderful and perfect candidate for embossing. They offer both types of printing, so you can always have the same design printed with embossing or with regular ink.

Relief printing: is it difficult for children?

Relief printing is a technique that consists of many exact terms and where the difference between raised and recessed areas must be clear. This can be difficult for children to understand. In addition, making a design for embossing also requires the necessary experience. It is therefore advisable to supervise children when making relief prints.

How can you help children with embossing?

For example, to help children with embossing you can have them search for examples of embossing on the internet or in books. Let them see and feel the differences between raised and sunken parts. You can also make samples with your children by, for example, cutting out letters and pasting them on paper. Let them feel how the letters are raised and what the print looks like when you stamp over it.

What is the difference between embossing and embossing?

With embossing, the print is printed raised, while with blind embossing, the print is printed recessed. With blind embossing, no ink is used, so that the print is only visible and tangible. Relief printing is also known as embossing, letterpress or hot foil.

Conclusion

Relief printing is a wonderful way to bring extra attention to certain parts of the design and a beautiful luxurious finish for printed matter. 

It is an excellent way to make birth announcements, business cards or wedding invitations extra special, for example. 

It is important to know that it is only applied to certain types of paper and that the colors of the foil appear differently on screen. That is why we recommend having a proof made before printing a larger print run. 

But it is a wonderful way to give your design an extra dimension and to make your logo or name stand out even more. Therefore a nice addition to your printed matter.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.