Inline Foil File Setup

How to set up artwork and files for inline foil, also called "cold foil"

Julie avatar
Written by Julie
Updated over a week ago


Inline Foil jobs require mask files with your CMYK artwork. The mask shows where the foil is applied. Use 100% black (K) to show where the foil goes. All other areas should be white. 

When uploading your files, please remember to upload one file for your artwork, and a separate one for your mask.

Mask File

 
When creating your Inline Foil artwork, keep the following in mind:

• The mask and CMYK print file should match exactly in size and position. Proper alignment is critical.

• Lighter colors are best. The darker the CMYK color, the less vibrant the foil effect.

• For best results, use San Serif fonts 8pt and larger. If you plan to use a thin Serif font, we recommend going no smaller than 12pt.

• Inline Foil applied to white areas will appear as plain silver foil.

• For the best results, your mask file must be submitted as a vector file and created in a program like Illustrator or InDesign.

For plain silver Inline Foil to print, have at least 15% black (K) in the CMYK print file area for the best quality silver foil effect.

Knockouts in the Inline Foil mask or in the CMYK print file, might create a halo of white around the knockout area.  To prevent this, grow or stroke the Inline Foil area in the mask by 1 pixel. This allows it to bleed into the CMYK area, reducing the halo. Filling in the knockout with a color reduces the effect even more.

More detailed information about inline foil can be found in our blog:  

Did this answer your question?