By Gary Dickson

Throughout recorded history, mankind has always been attracted to the metals: gold, silver, copper and platinum.

The metallic colors signal richness, prestige, wealth and sophistication. Today, the metal colors are everywhere from automobile finishes to fashion fabrics. It is no wonder that these colors and finishes have found their way into both papers and inks. And whenever they are used they signal an important message.

Metallic Papers: For many years, if you wanted to have a substrate that was a metallic color, tyou either could flood-coat a paper with the desired color -- UV inks were best -- or you could use a paper that had been laminated to a carrier sheet or an import that used cast-coated, lacquer-based pigments.

These substrates were not always optimum because many times the sheet was metallic on one side and white on the other; and it was always white on the edge. Additionally, printing on these foil-and color-intense substrates was tricky and sometimes resulted in long drying times.

In the past several years, the new versions of metallic color papers are sheets that are given their metallic look by a mica compound. Mica, a mineral found in rocks, has an iridescent or metallic sheen. Because pigments can be integrated with the mica, the color of the paper can run the full range of the spectrum, not just the traditional colors of metals.

Nearly all the manufacturers of these metallic papers have instructions in their swatchbooks regarding handling, printing -- with particular comments for the various processes -- finishing, such as scoring and die cutting and storing. In general, it can be said that they are beautiful but delicate.

The surface after all has a coating, and if disturbed, the coating becomes marred. So as a result, at the cutter, at the press, even in the press, attention needs to be paid that the paper is treated with care. In addition, because inks are not absorbed by these papers but lie on the surface until dry, it is recommended that fully-oxidizing inks are used.

Metallic Inks: The increasing popularity of metallics has also found its way into ink. At one time it was just a few shades of gold and silver. Now, a complete PMS book is dedicated to the full spectrum of hues with metallic bases.

Lithography: The PMS metallic book provides a full range of metallic colors, both unvarnished and varnished. Unfortunately, unlike the book of regular PMS colors, it only shows coated papers. When metallic inks are used on uncoated papers, the outcome is not as metallic -- less shiny.

When UV inks are used, greater holdout can be expected, since the ink is “dried” while still on the surface, before it has time to be absorbed by the paper. It is always important to carefully read the swatch book to determine any print characteristics of the paper that would require special ink mixes.

Engraving: Inks produced for engraving in the metallic arena fall into two categories. The first being the true metallic of gold and silver and the various nuances of these colors that can be arrived at by mixing them in different proportions.

The first category is considered true metallic because tiny grains of colored metal are actually added to a vehicle to formulate the ink. Most of the time, images engraved with these inks require a second run called “burnishing” that polishes the image to a metallic sheen.

The second category is a formulation of pigments and that old standby, mica, as explained above. These colors can very closely imitate the PMS metallic book. Additionally, they do not always require burnishing, except with larger images.

Foil Stamping: While not truly an ink, it still is one of the most often used printing or finishing processes to obtain a metallic look. Foils in a myriad of colors, finishes, bright and matte are available. Great care must be exercised when foil is used in concert with traditional printing, particularly if there is any overlap. Wax-free inks allow the foil to adhere to the image.

Letterpress: Metallic inks can be formulated for letterpress. And because letterpress generally lays down more ink than lithographic printing, this process has a better than average metallic look. Letterpress is often used with uncoated papers, which have a tendency to absorb the ink and lessen the metallic effect.

Thermography: Resins in both gold and silver are available.

Silk Screen: Inks for silkscreen are available in all the metallic colors. As might be imagined, depending on the substrate, the heavy application of inks delivers a very strong metallic effect.

The attraction for metallics has endured over time and metallic papers and inks have exciting effects on paper and print. Whether in marketing and promotional materials, identity or collateral programs, iridescence and shine add extra pizazz to any project and get it noticed.

Gary Dickson can be contacted at Dickson’s Printing in Atlanta, Georgia at (800) 241-4811. For more information, please visit www.dicksons.com.