What is spot gloss in printing?
Spot gloss is a print finishing technique that applies a clear, glossy coating to specific areas of printed material. Another name for this kind of embellishment that you may know is spot UV. It creates contrast by highlighting design elements against a matte or uncoated background, adding texture, depth, and visual impact.
What are the benefits of using spot gloss?
Spot gloss adds visual emphasis to specific areas of your design. This emphasis could highlight logos, key icons, or other significant parts of the design that you want to stand out.
As with other embellishments—it should be used sparingly to avoid overwhelming the customer visually. Remember, the primary point of label packaging is to communicate information, but it’s also important to entice customers through the aesthetics of your packaging. Spot gloss helps achieve this through a more subtle means than other forms of embellishment, such as foil printing.
Since spot gloss is raised, it adds a 3D, tactile element to your packaging. Research shows that when people interact with physical objects (such as printed packaging), the process automatically creates a sense of ownership (as opposed to merely viewing the object).
Tip #1: Use it Sparingly
As previously mentioned, spot gloss is best used as an accent rather than the main event. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. But overall, it’s best to use embellishment as just that—something added to enhance what’s already there, rather than letting it take center stage.
The main point of your packaging design should be to communicate what the product is, how to use it, and any information that is relevant to the customer’s purchasing decision, e.g., net weight, ingredients, Nutrition or Supplement Facts, brand name, etc.
Tip #2: Use it to Add Texture
Spot gloss, by its nature, creates a raised texture to any area of the artwork it’s applied to. Use this to your advantage by adding texture to a background design element. Texture adds tactile interest, enhancing the customer experience.
Tip #3: Use it to Highlight Important Areas
Since this embellishment type allows “gloss” in “spots,” it’s easy to apply this effect to areas in your artwork that you want to stand out. Try adding the effect on button callouts or key features, or even design elements (e.g., gluten-free icons, a picture/icon of fruit that shows the flavor of your product, etc.).
Examples
The images below demonstrate how spot gloss adds textural interest. It provides subtle texture and color contrast without detracting from the product title or information. Because it’s a background feature, it allows the bold yellow of the product title to stand out but also offers visual interest that keeps the consumer engaged with the packaging. And one thing we know—the longer a customer interacts with your product, the more likely they are to buy it!
Ready to add spot gloss to your labels?
Sttark will soon launch embellishment options for labels, including foil printing and spot gloss. We are still in the testing and development phase, but we are so excited to launch this new feature soon. Tune into our social channels for announcements on when embellishments will be ready to order!
