Varnishing is a method to coat a printed surface with varnish to obtain matte, satin, neutral, or clear glossy finishing. Varnishing is done only after printing work is completed. It is used in a variety of printing projects, such as greetings cards, visiting cards, packaging products, etc. There are different types of varnishes, but the most popular are oil and water based varnishes.
Among many printing solutions, varnishing is one that has been ruling the printing world for quite some time. There are two basic reasons why it is so much
First: Varnishing protects the surface from scuffing and fingerprinting. This is helpful in the case of products that have to be handled a lot. Also, it enhances the glossy effect on the any given surface.
Second: Varnishing is utilized to visually highlight any specific graphic elements. For instance, it can be used on graphic image having background with dull varnish to create contrast effect and add a sense of depth while enhancing the graphic image.
Varnishing is of many types which are used depending on the requirement of the project:
UV Varnishing: – This varnishing type is for those surfaces which require more striking effects on the printed material.
Spot UV Varnish – In this process varnish is applied to the particular chosen spots (areas) of a printed surface. This highlights and draws viewer’s attention to spot UV varnished design.
All-over UV varnish – The process applies sealing of UV all over the printed surface.
Gloss Varnishing – This is the most common type of varnishing used to give the printed surface glossy and sheen look.Matte Varnishing – It is used to obtain smooth and flawless visual effect by creating a non-glossy finishing on the surface.
Silk or Satin Varnishing – Neither it creates very high gloss, nor matte finish, but somewhere in the middle ground