Printing Terminology: What is Blind Embossing?
![A circular emblem embossed into textured paper](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/900x633/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_254776446.png)
Embossing is a creative design technique used to elevate images
and text above the surrounding surface area. By adding a raised effect, embossing
draws attention to specific elements within the design.
The embossing process uses two metal dies. One die has a
raised section and the other die has a mating recessed section. The paper substrate is
placed between these two parts and then the dies are forced together. Using heat and pressure,
the paper is permanently formed into the raised shape.
![The words Black Friday embossed on a dark substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/cdn/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_305360597.png)
Blind Embossing
Embossed areas are often enhanced with colored inks, metallic foils, or spot clear coats. However, embossing can also be used as a standalone technique without any enhancements.
When no additional enhancements are used,
we refer to this as "Blind Embossing."
Blind Embossing is simple, yet sophisticated. It creates distinction merely from the varying elevations it forms in the paper
substrate. Though the text, images, or designs may appear more subtle than if
they had been printed with colored inks or had a metallic foil applied, areas
created by blind embossing are well-defined and exhibit a very unique look. For added contrast, Blind Embossing is most often used in conjunction with textured paper stocks.
![The words embossed and debossed pressed into a dark substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/cdn/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_241531446.png)
Blind Debossing
Blind Debossing is similar to Blind Embossing except the die
impression is made in reverse. Instead of an embossed image or text that is raised
above the surface of the surrounding paper, a debossed image or text is
recessed below the surface of the surrounding paper (see photo for comparison of blind embossed versus blind debossed).
![Floral pattern embossed on a light colored substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/cdn/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_623545704.png)
Appeals to multiple senses
Blind embossing and blind debossing add a sense of refinement
and sophistication. Not only are these techniques visually appealing, they also
provide a tactile experience by enticing the sense of touch.
Hence, embossing and debossing are
used on projects intended to stimulate immediate intrigue as well as
those designed to leave a lasting impression.
This is why you will often see embossing or debossing on book
covers, business cards, promotional brochures, presentation folders,
letterhead, certificates, thank you cards, and invitations.
![A swirly design embossed on a purple substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/cdn/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_255470738.png)
Do you need help with a Print Project?
If you have an upcoming print project, be sure get in touch with Color Vision Printing.
If you are interested in blind embossing,
foil stamping, spot UV or any other finishing technique, Color Vision offers all the
enhancements you need to make your printed pieces stand out from the crowd.
Just give us a call at 800-543-6299 to discuss your project. Or, use our simple Quote Request form to receive a quote by email.
As always,
we look forward to assisting with your printing and finishing needs!
Related Article: 5 Finishing Techniques to Elevate Your Next Print Project
Related Articles
![A male hand separating a large stack of paper sheets](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_648604842.png)
Printing Terminology: What is a Substrate?
Read This Article
![The gutter area of a book](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_768925941.png)
What is the Gutter of a Book?
Read This Article
![A man, a woman, and a child looking at a printed brochure](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_413330749.png)
The Difference between a Brochure and a Pamphlet
Read This Article
![Sheet-Fed Printing Press vs Roll-Fed Printing Press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_637188568.png)
Printing Terminology: Sheet Fed Press vs Web Press
Read This Article
![A stack of printed brochures exiting the folding machine](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_139312952.png)
What is Print Collateral?
Read This Article
![Registration Mark used in CMYK Printing](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_476337562.png)
Printing Registration: A Key Factor in High-Quality Printing
Read This Article
![A male graphic designer using computer software to lay out artwork](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_928833269.png)
Printing Terminology: What is “Artwork” in Printing?
Read This Article
![Man adding yellow ink to an offset printing press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_432652245.png)
Offset Printing: What is Make Ready?
Read This Article
![Computer icon of an Abode PDF file](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_368872050.png)
What are PDF files? Why do Printing Companies prefer them?
Read This Article
![Indicia imprint on a white direct mail piece, shown against a blue background](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_627359765.png)
Direct Mail Marketing: What are Postal Indicia?
Read This Article
![Silhouette of a graphic artist creating an artwork file](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_116158007.png)
What is a Print Ready File?
Read This Article
![A booklet with a gloss cover and pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_136055565.png)
Aqueous Coating vs UV Coating: Understanding the Differences
Read This Article
![A colorful flower bouquet seen behind examples of high and low opacity paper stocks](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_128866247.png)
What is the meaning of “Opacity” in regard to Paper?
Read This Article
![Three repair order forms with sequential ID numbers printed in red](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_340244157.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Sequential Numbering?
Read This Article
![A book's pages bound with a white Wire-O spine](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_905816922.png)
Custom Book Printing: What is Wire-O Binding?
Read This Article
![Two race horses running side by side on the track](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_520768121.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Grayscale?
Read This Article
![A thickness gauge measuring the combined caliper of two sheets of paper](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_820703628.png)
Paper Specifications: What does Caliper mean?
Read This Article
![Name tag that says Hello my name is Rich Black](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_653035354.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Rich Black?
Read This Article
![An ISBN number and barcode printed on a blue and red background](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_988097505.png)
Self-Published Books: What is an ISBN number? Do I need one?
Read This Article
![Stacks of large paper sheets lying on a blue surface](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_916885862.png)
Paper Weights explained: The meaning of Paper Basis Weight
Read This Article
![A circular emblem embossed into textured paper](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_747370773.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Blind Embossing?
Read This Article
![A variety of Saddle Stitched books arranged on a table](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_599729622.png)
What is Saddle Stitch Binding?
Read This Article
![A person reading a Perfect Bound book about food](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_829714912.png)
Custom Book Printing: What is Perfect Binding?
Read This Article
![Organic food store logo printed as a reverse in green ink on white substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_925554476.png)
What is Reverse Printing?
Read This Article
![A piece of notebook paper stating K is for Key in CMYK Printing](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_647824352.png)
Why is the color Black designated by the letter "K" in CMYK?
Read This Article
![A person wearing yellow rubber boots standing in water](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_832907646.png)
Printing and Finishing: What is a Flood Coat?
Read This Article
![An open magazine with a Crossover Image of a fisherman spanning both pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_588745725.png)
Book Printing: What are Crossover Images?
Read This Article
![Graphic Designer working with native artwork fIles](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_179896128.png)
Graphic Design and Printing: What is a Native File?
Read This Article
![A variety of softcover books aligned in a stack](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_854412213.png)
What is the Spine of a Book?
Read This Article
![A man holding a Self Cover booklet](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_239921700.png)
What is a Self Cover Booklet?
Read This Article
![An example of Gloss Spot UV on a matte substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_332163792.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Spot UV?
Read This Article
![A cutting die used for paper substrates](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_193239713.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Die Cutting?
Read This Article
![A stack of Saddle-Stitched books with Gloss UV Coating on the covers](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_159135159.png)
What is UV Coating?
Read This Article
![A full-color image shown with its four color-separated files of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_361620900.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Color Separation?
Read This Article
![Two hands holding a Pantone Color Guide](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_863861719.png)
What is a Pantone Color?
Read This Article
![A variety of print projects on pallets in front of an offset printing press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_746721441.png)
What is Commercial Printing?
Read This Article
![A stack of open magazines with Aqueous Coating applied to the pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_677507193.png)
What is Aqueous Coating?
Read This Article
![A diagram illustrating the concept of Saddle Stitch Page Creep](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_575256683.png)
Saddle Stitch Binding: What is Creep?
Read This Article
![An example of 2-Up Printing showing two hot air balloon images](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_423138822.png)
What is 2-Up Printing, 4-Up Printing, N-Up Printing, etc.?
Read This Article
![A digital printing press used for commercial production](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_199600359.png)
What is Digital Printing?
Read This Article
![A Pantone color guide book fanned open](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_225000454.png)
What is a “Spot” Color?
Read This Article
![Four ink towers of an Offset Printing Press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_873618680.png)
What is Offset Printing?
Read This Article
![A hard copy proof of a magazine cover](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_489495992.png)
Printing Proofs: Soft Proofs vs Hard Proofs
Read This Article
![The abbreviation DPI surrounded by CMYK ink dots](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_140449698.jpg)
Printing Terminology: What is DPI?
Read This Article
![An embossed logo that reads eco friendly](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_413061774.png)
Printing Terminology: Embossing vs Debossing
Read This Article
![A diagram showing 2-sided sheets printed with various ink colors](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_317665379.png)
What is 4/4 Printing, 4/1 Printing, and 4/0 Printing?
Read This Article
![The letters CMYK displayed in boxes of corresponding colors](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_253032275.png)
Printing Terminology: What is CMYK?
Read This Article
![An open book depicting the concept of verso and recto](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_759260051.png)
Printing Terminology: Recto and Verso
Read This Article
![A stack of white paper lying on a wooden surface](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_186032634.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Paper Grain?
Read This Article
![A commercial printing plant worker collating the sections of a book](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_677239129.png)
What does Collate mean in Printing?
Read This Article
![Hands holding a printed map](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_781240408.png)
What is Synthetic Paper?
Read This Article
![A hand holding a stack of printed sheets](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_708172761.png)
Printing Terminology: Simplex vs Duplex Printing
Read This Article
![Two beachfront scenes oriented in the same direction](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_833364553.png)
What is Head to Head Printing?
Read This Article
![Graphic Designer reviewing an Artwork File to be Printed](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_219147517.jpeg)
Printing Terminology: What does Preflighting mean?
Read This Article
![plastic comb book open](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_918121585.jpeg)
Plastic Comb Books: What does the "Comb" refer to?
Read This Article
![paper for a large sheet-fed press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_620568606.jpeg)
What is C1S Paper and C2S Paper?
Read This Article