Essential File Preparation Tips from Bedwick & Jones Printing

Creating beautiful foil stamped and embossed print materials begins long before your project reaches our press. Proper file setup is crucial for achieving the stunning results you envision. At Bedwick & Jones Printing, we’ve seen how correct file preparation makes the difference between good results and exceptional ones when working with professional specialty printing.

Understanding the Specialty Printing Process

Before diving into technical specifications, it’s helpful to understand how foil stamping and embossing work. Unlike standard digital or offset printing where all elements are printed simultaneously, specialty processes require separate production steps. Foil stamping uses heated metal dies to transfer metallic or pigmented foil onto paper. Embossing uses male and female dies to create raised impressions in the paper surface.

These processes require creating physical dies, metal plates custom manufactured for your specific design. This means the elements you want foil stamped or embossed must be clearly identified and separated from standard printed elements in your files. Proper file setup ensures our die makers can accurately produce the tools needed to execute your vision.

Layer Organization: The Foundation of Specialty Print Files

The single most important aspect of file preparation for specialty printing is layer organization. At Bedwick & Jones Printing, we ask clients to create separate layers in their design files for each distinct printing process.

Your base design file should contain your standard CMYK printing elements on one layer, this includes all regular text, images, and design elements that will be printed with conventional inks. Create an additional layer specifically for foil stamping elements. If your project includes embossing, that requires yet another separate layer. Never combine standard printing elements with specialty elements on the same layer.

Name your layers clearly and descriptively. Use names like “CMYK Print,” “Gold Foil Stamping,” “Silver Foil,” or “Emboss Only” rather than generic “Layer 1” or “Layer 2” designations. This clarity prevents confusion during production and ensures every element receives the correct treatment. When you submit files to Bedwick & Jones Printing, these clearly labeled layers allow our prepress team to quickly understand your design intent and prepare files for production efficiently.

Creating Spot Color Specifications for Specialty Elements

Within your design software, whether Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, specialty printing elements should be designated as spot colors rather than process colors. Create custom spot colors for each foil color or embossing specifications you’re using.

For example, if your design includes gold foil stamping, create a spot color named “Gold Foil” in your color palette. Apply this spot color to all elements that should receive gold foil treatment. If you’re also using embossing without foil (called blind embossing), create another spot color called “Blind Emboss” for those elements. This spot color approach allows our production team to separate specialty elements cleanly for die creation.

Don’t worry about the actual color appearance of spot colors on your screen. A spot color labeled “Gold Foil” might display bright yellow or orange in your design program, but what matters is that all gold foil elements are consistently tagged with the same spot color designation. Bedwick & Jones Printing maintains detailed specifications for how different foil colors will actually appear on various paper stocks, and we can provide sample swatches to help you visualize the final result.

Vector vs. Raster: Why File Format Matters

Foil stamping and embossing require sharp, clean edges for optimal results. This makes vector graphics preferable to raster images whenever possible. Text, logos, borders, and geometric shapes should all be vector elements rather than rasterized images.

If you must include raster elements in foil stamped areas, perhaps a textured pattern or photographic element, ensure the resolution is at least 600 dpi at the final print size. Lower resolution files will produce soft, blurry foil edges that compromise the professional appearance of your finished piece. At Bedwick & Jones Printing, we review all submitted files for resolution issues and will contact you if we identify elements that may not reproduce sharply.

Convert all text to outlines before submitting your files. This prevents font substitution issues and ensures text appears exactly as you designed it. Once text is converted to outlines, it becomes vector shapes that our die makers can work with directly. Remember to keep a copy of your original file with live text in case you need to make edits later.

Size Considerations and Bleed Requirements

Standard printing bleed requirements apply to specialty printing, but with additional considerations. If foil stamped or embossed elements extend to the edge of your finished piece, they need to extend at least 1/8 inch beyond the trim line, just like standard printed elements.

However, be aware that very fine foil stamped or embossed details positioned extremely close to trim edges carry risk. The die cutting process that trims your final piece to size can sometimes affect specialty elements right at the edge. When possible, Bedwick & Jones Printing recommends keeping critical foil or embossed details at least 1/4 inch away from trim edges to ensure clean, consistent results.

For embossing, consider the thickness of your chosen paper stock. Heavier stocks can accept deeper embossing, while thinner stocks may tear or distort with aggressive embossing depths. Our team can advise on appropriate embossing specifications based on your selected paper.

Minimum Size Guidelines for Specialty Elements

Foil stamping and embossing have physical limitations based on the size and intricacy of design elements. At Bedwick & Jones Printing, we generally recommend minimum line weights of 0.5 points for foil stamped or embossed lines. Anything thinner may not transfer or emboss reliably.

For text, we recommend minimum font sizes of 7-8 points for most typefaces when foil stamping. Script fonts and typefaces with very thin strokes may need to be larger, typically 10-12 points minimum. Intricate serif fonts can sometimes be challenging at small sizes, while clean sans-serif typefaces generally foil stamp well even at smaller point sizes.

Embossing has similar constraints. Very fine details or extremely small text may not create sufficient dimension to be visibly embossed. If your design includes small text or intricate details you want specially treated, consult with our team early in the design process. We can review your concepts and recommend improvements that will ensure successful production.

File Format and Submission Requirements

Bedwick & Jones Printing accepts several file formats for specialty printing projects, but some work better than others. Adobe PDF files with layers intact are often ideal, as they preserve your careful layer organization while being universally compatible. When exporting PDFs, ensure you don’t flatten layers, we need those distinct layers to separate specialty elements.

Native Adobe files (Illustrator .ai or InDesign .indd files) also work well, particularly for complex projects. When submitting native files, include all linked images and fonts, or package the entire project using your design software’s packaging function.

Avoid submitting flattened or rasterized files like JPEG or basic PNG formats for projects requiring specialty printing. These formats don’t preserve the layer separation and vector information necessary for creating dies and executing specialty processes accurately.

Communication and Proofing Process

Even perfectly prepared files benefit from clear communication. When submitting your files to Bedwick & Jones Printing, include a brief description of your specialty printing intentions. Specify which elements should be foil stamped and in what colors, which elements should be embossed, and whether embossing should include foil (registered embossing) or be blind embossed.

We provide digital proofs showing how we’ve interpreted your file layers and specialty element separation. Review these proofs carefully to confirm we’ve correctly identified all foil and embossed elements. Digital proofs can’t perfectly simulate the metallic shine of foil or the dimensional quality of embossing, but they confirm placement and coverage areas.

Working with Bedwick & Jones for Specialty Printing Success

At Bedwick & Jones Printing, we understand that not every designer has extensive experience preparing files for specialty printing processes. Our prepress team is here to help. If you’re uncertain about any aspect of file preparation, contact us before finalizing your designs. We’re happy to review work in progress files, answer technical questions, and provide guidance that ensures your project success.

Ready to Start Your Specialty Printing Project?

Proper file setup is the foundation of successful foil stamping and embossing. By organizing layers carefully, using spot colors for specialty elements, maintaining appropriate file formats, and communicating clearly about your intentions, you set your project up for exceptional results.

Contact Bedwick & Jones Printing to discuss your specialty printing needs. Our experienced team will guide you through the file preparation process and ensure your finished pieces exceed expectations.