SFX 101

Wanting to do Special Effects prints?  Here's a short tip from Kieth Stevens that was recently published in Printwear Magazine: Incorporating special effects can boost your bottom line. Don’t be intimidated by these specialty inks; incorporate them into your offerings. Overcome the myth that special effects inks are hard to use—research what is available and which effects you like. Start out with ones that don’t require extra equipment (as with flock or foil effects) such as a puff agent or shimmer. Then, get a small quantity of special effects ink and test-print it to see what the printed effect looks like. To start, it may be best to incorporate only a small part of a design using the special effects ink. Keep in mind that certain inks, such as texture-retaining inks, work best with simpler designs. And, with expanding inks (those with a puff-type effect), designs must accommodate for the ink expansion. Certain effects, such as high density, may require thicker ink deposits, in which case a thicker emulsion layer may be needed (or the addition of a capillary film). It may also need special attention in regard to print sequence. High density or glitter inks may need to be printed last. Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask your screen print supplier for any help regarding special effects printing or any other questions you may have. Use them as a resource. For more on International Coatings’ Special Effects inks and products, visit our webpage at:  https://iccink.com/screenprint/specialty.htm. International Coatings manufactures a complete line of phthalate-compliant screen printing inks, including a wide variety of whites, specialty inks, special effects inks, color matching systems, additives and reducers.  For more information on our products, please visit our website at www.iccink.com.     International Coatings:     The Intelligent Choice