This project asked to create a piece utilising FoilCo as the provider, Baddeley Brothers for the printing service and GF Smith for the paper. There was a need to consider cost and the printing process to ensure that the outcome is rather successful.

After going through all of my research, I decided to test the physicality and limitations of the paper. I wanted to create the affect of ‘under and over’ through the use of debasing and embossing. I decided to go through the use of lines intersecting each other and replicating the pattern over and over. I utilised the laser cutter to ensure that I would be able to not only create the outline of the design but also to create a deboss effect. I then utilised a debossing pen to further push the boundaries of the ‘under’. As we had to complete the project within the university, we could only utilise what the university supplied, which was rather sufficient to work with.

To create the ‘over’ part of the design, I initially utilised a heat press to pass the foils provided to go onto the design however the problem was that it wouldn’t print neatly to the design and therefore didn’t look as professional as it could be. I then had to go further back through my research and work a way in which I could get a foil effect to go on my final piece. I ended up utilising a heat gun as well as embossing powder so that I would be able to manually control where the powder goes and therefore make the finishing as perfect as I can. The powder when heated turns to a shiny material however it does tend to expand and lose the straightness of the line. 

The final design was done on Turquoise paper from GF Smith, as a postcard size of which designers would be able to have a reference of when they want to show to potential clients, the possibility of not only the paper but also the finishing foils, powder, embossing and debasing.