Metallic Ink
Metallic ink in letterpress or offset printing is a special ink that contains metallic particles, such as aluminium, bronze or copper, to create a metallic effect on the paper. Metallic ink is made up of finely ground metallic pigments mixed with a binder and additives. The metallic pigments give the ink its characteristic metallic appearance. Metallic ink offers great precision in the reproduction of fine details and fine lines, which is sometimes difficult to achieve with gilding or hot stamping.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Versatility: metallic ink is compatible with almost all our references. It is also compatible with embossing.
- Precision: metallic ink offers great precision in reproducing fine details and fine lines, which is sometimes difficult to achieve with hot stamping.
- Limited visual effect: the metallic appearance of the ink may not be as brilliant or reflective as that obtained with gilding or hot stamping. Gloss may vary depending on the paper and printing technique used. Metallic ink will appear more translucent on our uncoated papers such as our cotton, cotton luxe and letterpress ranges. It will be much more opaque on our luxury offset papers.
Choose your metallic ink
You can choose your metallic ink using Pantone Metallics Solid Coated. This collection includes a wide selection of metallic shades, from silver and gold to bronze, copper and other precious metals. Pantone Metallics are formulated with special pigments to achieve a realistic and attractive metallic appearance.
As for the brightest shades in the collection, this may depend on individual perception and preference. However, in the Pantone Metallics Solid Coated collection, we recommend shades that are known for their sparkle and shine, including the lighter silver and gold tones. For example, we consider Pantone 877C (silver) and Pantone 871C (gold) or 875C (copper) to be particularly bright and reflective options.
