FINISHES & EFFECTS
Below is a showcase of our range of beautiful finishes and effects. All these silkscreen applied effects can be used on their own or in combination, to add interest and richness to an edition. They can be added to both digital and silkscreen prints.
Due to setup costs, we recommend an order minimum of 10 prints if you add any finishes or effects.
Diamond Dust
First used by Andy Warhol in the 1980s, this industrial crushed glass adds real sparkle to any print. It is also very sharp, so it has to be handled with care; the studio always use gloves, goggles and masks when working with it. It can be applied to small areas of an image or all over as a background.
DIAMOND DUST
First used by Andy Warhol in the 1980s, this industrial crushed glass adds real sparkle to any print. It is also very sharp, so it has to be handled with care; the studio always uses gloves, goggles and masks when working with it. It can be applied to small areas of an image or all over as a background.
METALLIC & GOLD LEAF
This is one of our most popular finishes; we can use real or faux gold leaf and a range of other metal leaf and coloured and variegated leaf.
FLUORESCENT INK
Fluorescent inks are exceptionally bright. They are usually used over the top on giclee prints to bring out colours the Giclee printers can’t achieve. They make the final image pop. They come in pink, red, orange, yellow and green.
VARNISH
Gloss and matt spot varnishes can lift colours and add contrast to a print. They can be applied all over the image or just to particular areas. Mid to dark areas, in particular, will appear much blacker and richer if coated in a gloss varnish. Semi-gloss varnishes can add texture and contrast to an image. If you have large black areas in print, a varnish will also reduce the chance of scuffs caused by handling.
GLITTER GLOSS
Glitter gloss is made by mixing fine iridescent glitter into our high gloss varnish. It can add real sparkle as an all-over effect or be applied to certain print areas. The glitter being in the gloss gives it a smoother finish, compared to surface applied glitter, and it won’t shed.
TEXTURE
This effect uses our new flatbed printer with silkscreen printing to an amazing effect. A textured background is built using a silkscreen and UV ink; then, we can print a full-colour digital image over the top using the flatbed printer. It captures the surface of original painted works and brings it to life in the print, preventing it from feeling flat in comparison.
Please see our Flatbed printer page to find out more.
IRIDESCENT INK
Pearlescent inks have an iridescent shimmer, and similar to an insect's body, they change colour depending on the viewing angle. They come in a range of colours and have a semi-matt finish.
Iridescent inks are more translucent. They add a subtle complementary shade to light backgrounds, and on dark backgrounds, they give a gloss colour. Also available in a range of colours.
Metallic iridescence adds a subtle metallic shimmer and shine to colours within a print. It comes in copper, gold and silver.
SILVER INK
This great UV ink is like liquid silver, and the prints have a mirror silver shine. It works much better on small details than silver leaf and sines like real metal. It can be added to large areas of the print or to pick out small details.
We have spent many years perfecting our methods to combine these silkscreen effects with Giclee prints and achieve a perfect finish. Our team can advise you on the best options and help select the areas for the finishes. If you would like a quote or more information, please contact us.
If you would like to have a sample of all these finishes and effects (except the diamond dust), you can request a sample pack here.