Printing Metallic ink

[Ear]

Okay, I have worked with at least 4, well trained sheetfed operators and now have two different stories on the order of laying ink down when using a metallic.

The first way I learned to strip/trap for a metallic job was, metallic is opaque and should be printed last since it will make the shape of the object and cover the trap of the other colors. I always trap/knock out because overprint with metallic is a nightmare.

Today, I had to replate a job because the pressman is printing metallic first and letting the black make the shape, (it's a black and silver job). I went in and reversed trap so the metallic is now trapping to the black.

What do you guys think?

[Chilbear]

You are correct and the pressman ("gasp") is wrong IMO. Ninja pussy +1 , pressman -0

[gtrev]

Metallic last in most cases - I've had a few jobs where designers like to print a greyscale pic in black over solid metallic area - looks good - you have to put the metallic down first & overprint the black - takes a while to dry however b4 you can do any finishing.

[Ear]

That does sound like a cool halftone trick, but I really mean in a traditional black to silver trapped object scenario. The halftone is basically overprinting a metallic solid where no trapping would apply. I would agree with putting black on top with the halftone trick.

[bluekivi]

I've had to do it both ways as well.  Depending on if it was black/silver background or silver/black background.

...or which pressman was running it

[frailer]

We're in the habit of supplying a "bee's dick" trap. Enough so it's barely noticeable, except through a linen tester, but still guards against White Line Fever.  Order of print in that situation I've always assumed to be not that important, but shall ask our better printer manana.

BTW. "White Line Fever" was a trucking movie from the 70's [I think]. For some odd reason I remember the sub-head on the poster: "The tale of a working man who's had enough!". Some sort of revenge theme in it. Nice, huh?. Sorry...off topic. Well, maybe.

[beermonster]

we find it to be a job by job thing - with our 5 colour presses we have a few 6 colour jobs and the tallics go down last - and help cover trps which usually works nice

you can print over metallics (without UV interdecking) - you need a high lustre metallic and run it about 60 - 70% weight. the reduction in weight causes the high lustre to look more like normal, and allows other inks to tack to it - you dont need the normal weight as the high lustre compensates for this

basically its metal fx

[kermit]

met last here

[David]

metallic goes down first here, and we do a butt load of it.

we also give them gnats ass traps, due to the fact the metallic ink tends to spread on it's own.

[30YearsandCounting]

We also put metallics down first.  But... I have met pressman who want the metallics down last.

[Ear]

Thanks guys, I guess it does depend on the job, and the pressman. Next time I will take a comp to him and ask what he wants before ripping the file.

[beermonster]

we're b1 here and packaging on board - so we have to work closely with the pressheads on stuff like this

if they have to run jobs twice thru the press and tallics are going down last they need a bigger spread usually - we just have to cover that base on jobs more than 5 colours

nothing worse than trying to fit our artwork to the first 5 colours printed...very scientific - "move that bit left a bit, that bit down, and that bit over a tad..." thats the beauty of working with board - it moves all over the bloody place

[jezza]

beer, send the job out to a flexo place. That's the beauty of flexo, the 'plates' move all over the bloody place    Just a thought 

Seriously though, at my last place I can remember one job where put the metal down first  in seven years - file was a duo tone, silver and black.  All the rest were set up as untrapped pdfs and the press guys sorted it - really. They never trapped metal, 'just let it spread' or 'make the shape' was the most informed opinion I ever heard.

[prepress_goddess]

usually the first ink, (but it really depends on who's printing LOL )

[beermonster]

i see the train of thought there jezza - between your moving flexo plate and my moving board it should be a perfect fit.

verrry clever mate - verrrrrrry clever - gonna keep my eye on you