Printing and Finishing - The Graphic Design: Reference and Specification - page 145

Foil stamping: Paper is stamped with a hot die that presses a thin plastic film carrying
colored pigment against the paper. Plastic film comes in more than 200 colors, including
pearlized effects and metallics, as well as clear foil stamps that mimic the look of a var-
nish. Because the process can render a completely opaque image, foil stamping
is often used to apply a light-colored image against a dark-colored paper. In addition to
applications on any paper that can withstand heat, foil stamping is also suitable for pens
and pencils, cloth book covers, vinyl binders, toys, and other nonpaper applications. When
foil stamping is combined with embossing, it's called foil embossing . The process involves
applying foil first and then the emboss.
Foil stamping involves applying foil to paper with a heated die. The pigment bonds with the paper, rendering a smooth image.
Die-cutting: The process includes making cuts in a printed sheet in a configuration that
will allow it to be used or assembled into a functional piece, such as a door hanger,
pocket folder, or carton. Die-cutting also includes cuts that enhance a piece's design
appeal, such as die-cutting a holiday greeting card in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Dies are typically made from bending metal strips with a sharpened edge into the desired
shape and mounting them onto a wooden block. The metal strips, called rules , are higher
than the wooden backing, creating a cutting edge that works much like a cookie cutter.
Printers often keep a supply of standard dies for common items such as pocket fold-
ers and table tents. Cutting labels and decals from printed paper, but not its backing, is
called kiss die cutting . Sheets printed this way allow the label or decal to be peeled away
from the backing.
Shown, from left to right, are dies for cutting, scoring, and perforating.