Designing for digital printing is fast becoming a critical issue for agencies and freelance graphic designers. The ability of digital processes to support variable data printing means that designers for both commercial printing and packaging must learn how to handle the complex files involved. Add metallic printing to the equation, and many designers become overwhelmed with preparing the necessary white ink masks and the peculiarities of merging databases with otherwise simple print files.
To address these issues and vastly simplify the graphic design work involved, Color-Logic has prepared a detailed tutorial specifically detailing the steps involved, using the Color-Logic software with Adobe InDesign to produce print files guaranteed to clear all the hurdles presented by digital presses.
Designers can use Color-Logic variable data metallic digital printing for multiple purposes
Variable data printing on digital platforms is nothing new, but the company brings an entirely new dimension when digitally printing on metallic substrates with white ink or toners for commercial print applications. Digital printing with white ink or toner on metallic stocks requires designers to make a white ink mask. If any change is made to an element, font, or image, a new white ink mask is required unless the designer is using Color-Logic.
Using Color-Logic at the design stage with the digital output on metallic stock, a design can include variable foil colors and embellishments in fonts, elements, or images. Coupons, magazine covers, wedding invitations, greeting cards, posters, and tags are just a few of the applications appropriate for variable data metallic digital printing.
Adobe InDesign now has variable data support built-in, so by using InDesign with the Color-Logic design suite, any designer can easily add metallic variable data into their clients’ printed marketing pieces by using a licensed and certified printer.
To demonstrate the ease and strength of the Color-Logic/Adobe InDesign combination, the company has released a short video explaining how digital metallic variable data printing can be used to create a striking magazine cover. The video can be seen here. The system is compatible with most major digital cut sheet presses (HP Indigo, Ricoh, Xeikon, and Xerox) with white ink and RIP compatible with Color-Logic.
Discussing the Color-Logic/Adobe InDesign breakthrough, Mark Geeves, the company’s director of Sales and Marketing, said, “Many industry reports attest to the value of variable data printing and metallics as relates to quality and consumer appeal. The 280 Color-Logic metallic colors and unlimited embellishments, together with Adobe Indesign, is a game-changer that drives up response rates for all commercial print applications.”
