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Embossing

Overview

This is a plan for a two hour session allowing students to produce samples of dry embossing and familiarise themselves with the process. The session is also a good opportunity to demonstrate the use of the spray booth and applying spray glue. Times for some activities will be affected by the number of students participating and there is also the need to have the classroom and materials prepared ahead of the lesson.

Note: If the spray booth is not going to be used the templates will need to be printed onto 300gsm stock.

Materials

  • 250 gsm card: two A4 sheets per student.
  • A4 copier paper: one ream.
  • A4 printed templates.
  • Double-sided tape
  • Spray glue
  • Scrap paper
  • Scoring tools (large paper clips, narrow handled paint brushes, bone folders, styluses)
  • Knives
  • Cutting Mats

Dry Embossing

Intro.

Overview of lesson, display and discuss print finishing examples. The slideshow provides examples to accompany the student notes. It can be useful to have physical examples of some of the processes if they’re available, a useful discussion can also be the method which digital files are set up for many of the print finishing processes.

Explain the commercial embossing process, discuss the use of two dies, one that is raised and one that is recessed.

Illustrating a cross section of the dies on the whiteboard is helpful as is showing actual dies if they’re available. The video of the Heidelberg Platen press can be shown to the class or used as tutor reference (one thing to note about this video is that the process doesn’t use a pre-made recess die).

Materials list.

Bone-folder, stylus etc. Point out that an spent ballpoint pen, paper clip or paint brush handle can be a cheap alternative to stylus or bone folder. It is important to highlight that any process such as this requires some trial and error and that the weight of both the template and stock being embossed may need to be adjusted to achieve a polished end result.

Distribute the printed paper templates and card for the embossing.

Each student will fix the template to the backing card using spray glue. Demonstrate the spray booth how to apply the glue and fix stock avoiding wrinkles or bubbles. Note: If the spray booth is not being used the templates need to be printed on 300 gsm card.

Distribute knives.

Have the students carefully cut out the design following the lines as closely as possible from template 1 with no floating elements. It is important to stress that it will be the outside section of the template that will be used for the embossing. Also have the students retain the off-cut.

While the templates are being prepared distribute a few sheets of standard copier paper to each student.

Point out that for embossing the template needs to be wrong-reading (reversed) and for debossing right reading.

Also mention that when aligning the template with printed elements for either blind or registered embossing a light table will need to be used. An alternative to a light table is to tape the template and paper to a brightly lit window.

Lay a sheet of paper onto the template.

Carefully follow the cut edges of design with a stylus or other scoring tool. Stress that working slowly with a steady motion will produce cleaner lines.

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