What is hot foil stamping?
Hot foil stamping transfers a thin metallic or colored film onto board with heat and pressure. Gold, silver or pigmented film is applied to selected areas and creates a bright, light-catching accent. It is typically used on small areas such as a logo or brand name.
Foil is not ink. A heated metal die presses a thin film layer against the board, and the film bonds to the surface only where the die touches. That is why the shine is much stronger than what metallic ink can give.
A separate die is made for every foil area, which means extra cost and lead time. Very fine lines, tiny text and elements placed very close together can fill in with foil. The printer's minimum line width and spacing spec always outranks design preferences.
Used together with emboss, foil gives a logo that is both shiny and raised. Combined with spot UV or soft touch, it builds a rich texture on the surface. When several finishes are used, registration demands and cost both go up.
Foil suits logos and small accents better than large, dense areas such as photos. How it will look under shelf lighting and what the budget allows decide whether foil is used; there is no guarantee of a “most luxurious finish”.
How you do this in Grapxo
In Grapxo, finish areas such as foil sit on a separate vector layer. Your printer's minimum line width and spacing spec comes first; put die notes in the brief.
To see which finish fits when, read Hot foil, emboss and spot UV.
Start producing in the studio
Write your brief and let Grapxo produce a print-ready vector surface.