Edited by Cori Watkins, editor, PostPress
Scodix began the journey of developing its Design Inspiration Kit with creatives and brand managers in mind to provide a comprehensive collection of 21″ x 21″ cards that showcased what can be accomplished with digital embellishment technologies. The collection of cards that were printed digitally on a LANDA S10 seven color press and then digitally embellished on the Scodix Ultra 6000 showcased the spectrum of capabilities that digital inkjet embellishments can offer. This included raised and flat spot UV coatings, textured coatings, raised metallic finishes and combinations of both. Hudson Printing, Salt Lake City, Utah, was responsible for the full production of the kit.
“The Design Inspiration Kit was inspired by our “WOW” sheet that is printed and embellished on a full 28″ x 40″ sheet that we have used to demonstrate the Scodix capabilities at tradeshows and open houses,” commented Scodix Regional Marketing Manager April Lytle. “The kit includes a variety of different applications being used to display the story of how digital embellishments can become an important addition to a printed piece.”
All of the separate Inspiration Kit cards fit into a sample case that was digitally printed and included spot clear raised coating and a copper metallic raised foil. The front of the case includes a diecut window where a portion of the first card of the kit shows through, displaying paint brushes and dripping paint embellished with raised copper metallic. Both the case and the individual cards were printed and embellished on a 130# satin cover stock. The foil for the kits was supplied by KURZ.
The outer case and some of the cards were designed by Lytle, and the others were coordinated and put together by the Scodix application team. Files and the artwork for each card were built to highlight the possibilities of different applications. The artwork was carefully laid out for each pass on the Scodix press to ensure that each intended application is applied on top of one another in the correct order for the appropriate outcome.
Once the design and final artwork files were complete, they were sent to Hudson Printing to complete the printing and digital embellishment processes. Through the newest technology of its LANDA digital printing press and the Scodix Ultra 600 with smart high-definition capabilities, the completion of the project went extremely smooth.
“Scodix was under a considerable time crunch to complete the kits,” stated Steve Furlong, vice president of operations at Hudson. “The Scodix press allows for finer lines and smaller text through its intelligent software and capabilities that offer new embellishment applications in addition to economic and sustainability benefits.”
Lytle shared that the Scodix Design Inspiration Kit has been well received by those who have viewed it.
“The premier of this box hit the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards soon after the production, concluded Lytle. “A limited-edition series of the sample kits were produced. Naturally, those who received them were ‘inspired’. It really is a toolkit to help designers and brands understand what’s possible through digital embellishment and through the creative services as a whole at Hudson Printing.”