Printing Solutions North East

Spot UV

SPOT UV – Simply Stunning Business Cards

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Spot UV business cards are proving to be more and more popular. Printed on superb quality 450gsm Silk stock, full colour, double or single sided then matt laminated to both sides. We then add the Spot UV Varnish to any part of your design; such as logo, pattern or name. This highlights aspects of your design and gives a truly luxury feel

What is SPOT UV ?

It is an area of Ultra Violet gloss coating that creates a glossy finish to a targeted areas on top of your printed job to make your business cards , postcards and flyers stand out from your competition.

SPOT UV works well on larger or smaller areas and as a pattern on a flat background. The varnish is applied using a process similar to screen printing,. We would advise that it is not suitable for small text as it can make it difficult to read. At Millfield Media  Print & Design we can help and guide you with your artwork to create a business  card that your customers wont forget.

Our advice for designers that would like us to print their design is that when you are supplying files for print you must also supply artwork for the spot UV itself.

The SPOT UV artwork should consist of solid black shapes – 100% K only and in the exact position on the page where the spot UV is required, ideally in vector as opposed to bitmap formula.

HELPFUL TIP: The Spot UV must be on a separate page and have the same dimensions and crop marks in the same position as the printed file. To do this firstly create a blank PDF that is 85 x 55mm, then insert it in one of the two following ways. Either combine your files using Acrobat Combine PDF function, or insert the blank page into the PDF by using Acrobat Insert Page function. Please then ensure that the page order is as described above.

If you would like to discuss your options and prices please drop us an email at sales@millfieldmedia.com

Millfield Media Magazine Printing

Lithographic Printing or Digital Printing – What’s the difference ?

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Lithographic Printing explained

Lithographic Printing is a process using wet ink and printing plates.

It is more cost effective and suitable for larger print runs.

Why ? Because there is a lot of cost and time involved in making the printing plates and preparing the ‘spare’ material that is required for all the plate images to be processed and registered before the job can be run.

However, once this is done the cost per copy will be cheaper for bigger printing runs.

The turnaround time is longer with lithographic printing (usually at least 5 working days on average).

This is because time has to be allowed for the ink to completely dry before finishing. Longer run jobs have to be scheduled to run on the bigger presses.

Benefits of Lithographic Printing

📌Suitable for a wide range of surfaces including paper, card and plastics

📌The larger the order the cheaper it gets as the cost decreases as the quantity increases

📌Ability to cope with long runs with out losing quality

📌Special inks allow you to keep your brand consistency with your Pantone colours

Digital printing explained

Digital Printing  is a process that uses toners on a press and is more suitable and cost effective for shorter runs. 

This is because there is less initial set up involved making it a cheaper option for small businesses. 

Digital printing is what we call a four colour process reproduction method that uses electronic files (PDF artwork).

Dots of colour are used to produce an image using toner or ink.

(Unlike litho printing no printing plates are required)

This means there is less waste of the chemicals involved and paper because there is no need to make-ready.

Benefits of Digital Printing

📌 It is great for a quick turnaround as the job is produced in its finished format.

No additional drying time required.Its quick to set up so fast turn around of orders

📌Colours are bright, ideal for vibrant images on a vast range of materials

📌A much cheaper option for small volumes which makes it ideal for Small Business owners.

📌Personalisation is much easier as text and graphics can be changed on each item without stopping or slowing down the press

Although there are benefits for both options, it is also depending on the size of your business, your budget and your specific requirements.

Particularly if your brand colours are vibrant, and you want to keep the consistency of your Pantone colours.

Using a graphic designer will help you decide the best cost effective printing option for your business.

It will ensure that all your brand colours are consistent especially if you use business stationery so they should match specifically.

If you would like some further advice on brochures and leaflets, read our blog

If you would like any advice and guidance or a quote please contact us 

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Pantone Colour of the year 2020 is Classic Blue

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Pantone colour of the year for 2020 is Classic Blue

In their words is a “shade reminiscent of the sky at dusk” (credit to Pantone for the image).

Some designers will be absolutely delighted with this choice, and some businesses will want to ensure they include it in their mix of branding.

However, it is all down to personal choice, it will mix well with other colours so it is a good choice.

Your business card is a talking point and an important stepping stone to a potential client or collaboration.

Whether you are a business owner, an entrepreneur or starting a new job/career it’s a very important choice.

It also depends on the industry you are in and what your brand represents.

Certain colours have significance. You have to remember it’s a first impression of who you are and the brand that you represent.

Colour and texture is a good starting point to ensure you have a talking point that will catch people’s eyes, grab their attention.

Images are equally important to get you noticed, either a ;ogo, photo, or an illustration or design if that’s your line of work.

How many different types of business cards have you had since your career started ?. The question is when was the last time you changed yours and why?

If your card looks just like everyone else’s card, then chances are you have probably failed and you’re in the bin. So, in our opinion it is worth the time and effort.

What does the colours for Business Cards mean ?

White is standard, safe and used by many to fit into their business stationery and is an easy option.

This is fine but to stand out choose a logo and colour for your brand that will distinguish you from all the others in your field. 

If you want to make an amazing impression and to stand out with something really special then you need to strengthen your brand credibility ?

Red is bold, daring and exciting so the market leaders that spring to mind are Virgin, Lego, Coca-cola, Nintendo, Red Bull. 

Orange is confident, friendly and warm you think Fanta, MasterCard.

Blue is the signifies reliability, peaceful, confidence, and trust. NHS, Facebook, Twitter, Intel and Skype spring to mind as the leaders in this field also we at Millfield Media have chosen this colour too.

Pink is usually associated with feminine, symbolising sensitivity and love.. Barbie and Victoria´s secret are brands that use pink so they will be delighted at this choice

Yellow is sunshine, bright, happy and cheerful – Mcdonalds, Ikea, Post-it, Shell and Snapchat are a few that have opted for this colour.

Green presents balance, growth and nature. BP, Holiday Inn for example.

Black and White signifies importance. Nike, BMW, Apple, Disney and Harley Davison are the brand leaders in this field.

Purple cards suggest imagination, dreams and spirituality.

People from the holistic sector usually prefer this colour. Cadbury and Hallmark are brands that spring to mind for this colour choice.

Now think about the shape, everyone has a rectangle business card because it is the standard size, why? because they fit into a purse or wallet easily, but you want to be different right ?

Although Standard business card size is usually 85mmx55mm they tend to be a bit cheaper.

Have you thought about about dye cut, square business cards or mini business cards just to be different ?

These will bring a different element to your design, 

The shape of your business card should complement your brand.

Every detail from fonts/typography, which includes spacing between letters are an important factor to consider.

Then decide do you go funky, traditional or elegant?

Again, think of the message and your brand and choose wisely to compliment this.

Deciding where you put your logo is crucial

Another element to consider is the white space which is linked to sophistication .. less is more.

Make sure all your contact details are there relaying your key message.

Proof read all the time to check for spelling, phone numbers etc and then save in a format that is compatible for your printer.

Choosing the right colour and combining with a specific paper choice and feel can mean you either stand out from the crowd or your card will just be put in that drawer and forgotten about.

We suggest you go for something different, perhaps a gloss, Spot UV or a decadent Foil finish.

We are happy to take on any project, regardless of size, so whether you need 100 business cards or 10,000 business cards, we will be more than happy to help.

We dont like the phrase cheap business cards because it infers that they are inferior. 

All our cards are printed on quality paper at an affordable price so it suits all budgets. 

We offer Small Businesses a branding offer. So if you are looking for cost-effective advertising and want to make a excellent first impression with your Business Card then contact us now for a quote 

Why not order one of our business cards sample pack to help you decide.

Contact me for a discussion direct on millfieldmedia@outlook.com

To help you to decide we have an amazing FREE sample pack that could help you decide on the paper choice/quality