Spot UV is a clear varnish that is applied to selected areas of your design and then cured under a UV light to achieve a high gloss finish. The result is a slightly embossed, polished texture which can be used to highlight selected elements of your design, such as a logo or an abstract pattern.
To supply artwork for spot UV printing, you will need to provide two separate files: a standard CMYK artwork file and a file containing only the elements you want to be spot UV. To ensure that the elements align perfectly, we recommend following these steps:
- Create your CMYK artwork as usual and save it as a print-ready PDF.
- Duplicate the CMYK artwork file and delete any elements that you do NOT want to be Spot UV.
- Re-colour all remaining elements as C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100, so they are 100% black.
- Add any additional spot UV elements you want to include, again using 100% black.
- Save the file, adding "Spot UV" to the filename.
- Supply both the CMYK and spot UV artwork files to your printer.
For the best results, avoid applying spot UV to thin lines, small text, or finely detailed artwork. Also, make sure to leave a 3mm margin between the trim edge and any spot UV elements. This will help to avoid any registration issues and ensure that your finished product looks great.