Varnishing Techniques
In printing, the term varnish refers to the technique of using a laquer-like coating to protect all or a portion of a printed piece. Varnish is frequently used to create a special design effect. Varnish protects materials from scuffing, marking, fingerprinting. An unvarnished piece that is not given the proper time to dry is subject to marking during the folding process. Tip: When you're on a tight deadline, make sure you use varnish to protect your printed piece.
Varnish enhances your printed materials. Gloss varnish increases the depth and saturation of the colors. Tinted varnish can be a useful design tool, offering a subtle way to present an image or type when the designer is looking for a shadow or ghost-like background image.
Varnish can also be formulated for special needs. Special non-yellowing varnish is often used to protect posters or printed pieces that will be exposed to light over a long period of time. Varnishes can also be manipulated to be imprintable so that you can overprint information, or can be made to be more scuff resistent.
Tip: Varnish is almost always recommended when using a metallic ink, as metallic inks are slow to dry and mark very easily. Varnish can also be used to help set up projects printed on uncoated papers, as it can speed drying time and prevent marking that can occur during folding operations.
Gloss or Dull?
Varnish is actually a type of ink that comes in both a gloss finish and a dull finish. Varnish runs on the press like ink and has similar drying characteristics. Gloss varnish fills in the irregularities of a paper and ink surface and dries to form its own smooth surface that evenly reflects light and results in a printed image that appears crisper. Dull varnish produces a surface that reflects light in many different directions, resulting in a velvet-like, dull appearance. A double hit of either type of varnish can enhance the desired effect. Combining the two types of varnishes, playing the gloss against the dull, is a commonly used design technique. Varnish can also be tinted and used effectively as a design element. Tip: Plan ahead for varnish! The designer and the printer should make sure that the varnish is compatible with the design, the press, the inks, and the paper.
In-Line or Off-Line?
Varnishes can be run in-line or off-line. In-line refers to the process of running the varnish right over wet ink on the same pass as the job is on press. This is the most cost-effective method for applying varnish, but the trade-off is that the varnish does not have as much impact. Off-line varnishing enables the varnish to sit on top of dry ink, thus the gloss varnish is glossier and the dull varnish is more velvety. Tip: Whitmore offers a special varnish called crystal varnish that can be run in-line in some cases. It offers the higher impact of the off-line process with some of the cost advantages of the in-line process. Ask us about crystal varnish the next time you need to enhance your printed piece with a high gloss spot or flood varnish.
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