Business Cards Design Series, No. 4: Types of Ink

Business Cards Design Series, No. 4: Types of Ink

Ink can be a solution for your business cards designs. Here are some types of ink that you may consider in printing your ads.

Along with the development in printing methods came numerous possibilities to enhance the look of business cards designs with the aid of a wider range of ink options.

Should you wish to veer away from the conventional black-inked business cards, you may choose from different colors, different effects and even different textures.

Common printing ink

Both traditional offset and modern digital printing methods make use of the four-color process inks known as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) process colors. Although limited to four, it can produce an array of colors when mixed at different intensities.

Special inks

Most of the time, the CMYK process colors are more than enough to produce all the colors needed to print texts and images. But when very specific or unique shades are required, a fifth or even sixth color is needed to achieve the hue accurately, as in the case of some logos. These additions are called spot colors.

Inks for spot colors are also prepared by combining colors at different percentages to get the hue needed. One of the most commonly used inks for spot colors are the Pantone inks. The company that produces these inks annually comes out with swatch books that serve as a guide to the extensive color gamut that can be generated for spot colors.

Aside from typical shades of solid colors, Pantone inks also make ink effects possible. These effects can extend your options for business cards design by allowing you to use inks that can add character to your card.

1. Metallic inks

Metallic inks contain pigments that give it the metallic look when printed. The solid sheen is protected and at times made more lustrous with the presence of a gloss coating.


2. Pearlized inks

With this type of ink, very fine particles that reflect light create a glittery effect, creating a subtle but impressing shimmer.

3. Fluorescent inks

Fluorescent inks display intense sheen that makes the print striking. It works best with less formal business card designs.

Textured prints

There are other ways to further make the appearance of your business cards more appealing. These effects require more than just inks to achieve the look you want.

1. Thermography

This process produces a raised ink effect. To create this, resin powder is put on the surface of the card while the ink is still wet. The powder is then melted by applying heat, and it follows the form of the letters or graphics. Once the temperature drops, the raised prints produce gelatin-like letters with a subtle sheen.

2. Foil stamping

Foil stamping is a process wherein metallic foil is applied with the aid of hot dies that are pressed against the foil and the business card. This leaves a shiny foil layer that has a slippery feel to the fingers.

3. Embossing

Embossing also requires the use of dies. This provides a raised effect on the surface like thermography, but it leaves a depression on the other side.

This may be done after printing to add dimension to the prints, or may even be done without ink to provide an ink less impression on the surface called blind emboss.

Clearly, there are several ways to enhance your business cards designs plus many more combinations you can use to make them unique and effective.

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