An overview of our printing and finishing options

We offer numerous finishing options for your custom made journals. Our collection of finishing techniques such as debossing, engraving and varnishing, excellent bookbinding craftsmanship and the largest selection of cover materials offer a nearly infinite range of possibilities. Below samples are available upon request and our team is happy to make recommendations tailored to your brand.

Debossing I Color & Varnish I Special Effects I Die Cut & Laser Cut I 3D Applications I Traditional I Personalization I Laser Gravur I
Papers & Materials I Interior Pages

 Debossing

Debossing

Germany’s highbrow weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” was one of our first customers and their custom journal is a classic blind debossed logo on black. Since the newspaper's masthead contains Bremen’s delicate coat of arms, great skill is required when creating the deboss. Our bookbinders prove their craftsmanship through skillfully balancing pressure, heat and duration to achieve this beautiful result. This becomes visible through the equal distribution of depth on broad and delicate strokes.

If your logo mark contains complexities such as "Die Zeit's", we recommend investing in a "brass" stamp in order to achieve consistent and homogenous impressions for your entire journal edition.

Blind Debossing on PU-Material

The Center of Design of the former „Hochschule HfG Ulm“ is looking to lease their facilities to creatives focused on „clarity and quality.” In order to generate a sense of unity, they applied these characteristics on their custom journal design. A simple blind deboss on a smooth book cover surface bringing revealing clear delicate strokes and an emphasis on the motif's expression.

As linear and precise, as the Fraunhofer Institute conducts their research, they also treat their brand identity. A blind deboss on a smooth cover surface.

Blind Debossing on Linen

Natural, authentic, pure - call it as you like. This technique brings forth debossed shapes by applying tremendous pressure on linen notebooks. A type of understatement which is particularly interesting for companies such as the brand E15. A design firm known for timeless architecture and furniture as well as high standards for exclusive materials and manufacturing.

Hot Stamping on PU-Materials

Everyone has seen this stamping technique up close - on passports, for instance. Its main benefits are its precision and resilience. This heated technique is ideal for high-glossy prints and even works with metallic colours. The Reebok edition shown here cleverly uses the contrast between the softly textured material and the glossy stamping.

Blind Debossing with Matte Foil

Atelier Markgraph - one of the most established providers of event design and exhibition stand construction - knows how to stage a brand. The writing was debossed onto the 'Fluctuations' material using blind debossing with matte foil. Compared to regular blind debossing, the debossed sections appear a little more matte.

Full Blind Debossing

'Every wrinkle tells a story' - just like faces, smooth book covers are not necessarily the most remarkable. With full blind debossing, you can create books with character, with a palpable materiality and a diversity of reflecting light and shade that's guaranteed to attract the viewer's attention. Full blind debossing with a motif over the entire cover - back to front - is most expressive.

High gloss foil on PU-Material

Hot, hot, heat - the debossing stamp is heated and pressed on either a color or metalic foil. The heat causes the foil to transfer to the cover material and a light indentation forms a beautiful relief.

The foil is available in many glossy colors – the classics certainly remain to be gold, silver, bronze and copper in many variations.

Hot Foil Deboss on Structured Paper

If your brand consists of an intricate logo mark such as this little mermaid, great attention needs given to preserve sharp contours and avoid distracting backgrounds. Marius Fahrner, a Hamburg designer, carefully and delicately created an elaborate book design with his logo. A combination of gold hot foil deboss on structured Fedrigoni Paper. A cute little mermaid.

You can feel the pleasant haptic of the little Mermaid applied on the book wrapper with a gold foil stamp relief.

Hot Foil Stamping on Grey/Chip Board

An appealing effect can be created by hot foil stamping Grey Board surfaces. The illustrious artwork is underlined by the glossy foil and contrasts the rough Grey Board.

Colour Stamping White

In the field of style, Strellson certainly is an authority. So it's not surprising that the Strellson Edition is a prime example for underlining a brand's aesthetics by the use of the right finishing technique - in this case, white colour stamping on a black cover. Very reduced, very stylish and very Strellson. Especially for typographical cover designs, colour stamping is one of our favourites.

Colour stamping is similar to blind debossing. The only difference is the thin white foil between stamp and book cover, which is applied to the medium by pressure and heat.

Velvet Cover with Debossed Logo

Velvet reminds you of baroque, the opera and plushy bars? Very good. That's why we're using velvet in totally different contexts. After all, creative working should always aim to avoid the expected and surprise the recipient with new, unfamiliar contextualisations. Adidias, for instance, showed us just how cool velvet can be when it has a white logo debossed onto it.

'Velvet Covering Materials' takes you to the colours available.

Combination Print and Blind Deboss

Doubling up looks better and lasts longer - we tried this out ourselves. The combination of print and blind debossing results in an incredibly striking impression. First, the motif is printed in color and in the second step, a blind deboss is applied to the surface. This works especially well with typography and lends the composition more expression. Provided, of course, the craftsmanship is absolutely precise – you can rest assured that this a given with Brandbook.

Blind Embossing

A stunning result of a different dimension is relief embossing. With this finishing technique your subject is pressed upward as opposed to downward blind debossing. For best results, we recommend journal covers made of paper or thin carton. How it works: a metal counter shape pushes a three dimensional form upward from beneath the cover. As a result, a delicate relief is shaped from the impression and the subject appears convex.

This embossing technique is ideal for enhancing journal covers with delicate surface patterns and/or logos.

Blind Embossing with Foil

Relief debossing has an even more vibrant effect when combined with metallic or color embossing foils. Especially gold and silver foil effects can add amazing highlights to your custom made journal and allow any subject to prominently stand out in amazing brilliance.

The pinnacle for any embossing is the application of metallic embossing foil.

Stitch Debossing

Looks like stitching, but is, in fact, stamped. Stitch debossing is considerably less expensive than actual stitching and makes your Brandbook even more reputable.

 Color & Varnish

Gold Edges

If you think that gold edges are only suitable for hymn books and heritage tomes, you probably haven’t seen the new book of London’s cult magazine Monocle. For Monocle, we applied gold leaf gildings to the book’s edges and stamped the logo onto the cover using gold foil. It’s this combination that adds timeless class to the Monocle book – one of our favourites on the shelf.

Silver Edges

But maybe gold edges are a little too much and coloured edges to colourful - and yet you would like to go for some extravangance? If so, we recommend silver edges. Now if you add a cover designed in silver as well, you create the impression of a solid block of silver.

Coloured Edges

Your CI colour is cyan but you really don’t want to carry a cyan book with you all the time? Then how about this brand new idea – just have your CI colour on the book’s edges while the inner pages are white. This way, you can comply to CI regulations and yet have a book designed to match your taste – just like this example.

UV Varnish

Do you want to lay it on thick? UV varnish, applied by offset or screen-printing, may be the right choice for you. No other technique uses as much varnish for the book cover. The result is perky accents that are even protected from spots, scratches, and abrasion of colour. See matte-gloss effects.

UV Lacquer on Premium Paper

A book with a potential to be a style icon: Fedrigoni’s Premium Papers: Curious Metallic serve as a sophisticated essential with a light metallic sheen. We achieved a perfect look in combination with this glossy UV lacquer for Burda Pubslisher’s womens magazine masthead titles.

Matte-Gloss Effect

Timeless, subtle and fashionable. Matte-gloss effects are the Brandbook Armani. Since the cover is entirely tone on tone, it keeps its sophistication in spite of large typography - as in the McCann example. While glossy varnished areas appear as plastically highlighted, the matte areas seem to take a step back. This creates a spatial effect you immediately try to touch. Matte-gloss effects are applied by offset or screen printing - depending on the wanted intensity of the effect.

UV Varnish on Artificial Leather

A subtle design effect can be created by applying UV varnish onto an artificial leather surface. The contrasting matt leatherette and the glossy varnish surprise by both look and feel. We have created a book like this for Crytek – a book that is guaranteed to be as appealing as the company’s games and software.

Textured Varnish

Textured varnishes are your choice for the most attractive combinations of look and feel. With its high ratio of solid objects, the varnish creates a very high-grade, durable and smooth layer. This not only works for typography but widespread ornamental designs or patterns as well.

Screen Printing on the Cover

Our cover materials have a different feel than film-laminated, printed paper - a fact appreciated by many designers. For instance, go with a black cover material ('Fluctuations' is used in the example) with a screen-printed white motif on them rather than the ordinary black and white offset printing.

Relief Varnish on 4c

The classic use of relief varnish - drops of water that look so real you feel refreshed just by looking at them. Which is exactly the effect aimed for by marketing experts in the field of soft drinks or beauty products. But the relief varnish has more potential than just creating the illusion of water. You can also use it for any design you want to really leap off the page.

Offset on Linen

You’d like to have the noble feel of linen but want to have a printed image in colours nevertheless? Well, just go with white linen then. Inks can be applied onto it by offset printing. This allows for four-coloured pictures on linen covers, too.

Are you searching for a very particular color? We can print every Pantone color to match your corporate identity.

Do a Little Magic - Thermo Colours

Show us your magic touch - without any tricks. Imagine the following: a book cover with an image of a Polaroid picture. It is only when warmth is applied - by laying on hands, for example - that the motif is made visible. Thermo colours are the ultimate storytelling tool for surprises.

Thermo colours are applied by screen-printing. The motif beneath can be printed in regular offset.

Glow-in-the-Light and Glow-in-the-Dark Colours

Special sulphur varnishes light up parts of the cover or the entire cover in the dark. The perfect way to spotlight your product - and not just for producers of lamps, fireflies or lighthouses. The term 'Enlightenment' also applies to the glow-in-the-light colours distinguished by their incredible intensity - or, to put it bluntly, their gaudy look.

Glow-in-the-dark colours are applied by screen-printing, glow-in-the-light colours by double screen or offset printing.

Chalkboard Colour

Welcome to the Brandbook laboratory! With restaurants using them for the debonair display of today's specials, chalkboards have gone beyond school memories. And since we have always had a crush on the matte anthracite look, we are more than happy to apply it to your book by screen-printing. So give it a try - even if your message may be a little less revolutionary than our example by a certain Mr. Einstein.

Available as well: A coarse layer of colour as it is used for matchbooks. Wouldn't it be cool to strike a match on your Brandbook?

 Special Effects

Flocking

Flocking? Yes, of course. This technique not only creates a unique feel but it also adds depth to the motif. The tangible flocking substance makes the underlying motif seem like under glass and far away. For maximum irritation, apply the flocking technique on a mirror foil.

Flocking works with almost any material: imprinted paper as well as most of our other cover materials. Flocking looks best on typography or simple, single-colour motifs.

Imprinted Mirror Foil

Mirror foils laminated onto the cover - a pretty cool look. But if you want to cool it down a notch, use mirror foil imprinted in offset printing. You may have seen this if you are an adherent of the fruity IT company whose products tend to start with a lowercase i - said company has recently begun using this technique for its packaging. A new, original effect for fans of pop art, op art, and other sophisticated and avant-garde styles.

Pioneers wanted! Black and white or four colours, transparent or opaque - dare to experiment! As far as we know, this effect has never been used on a book before.

Motion Images (Lenticular Printing)

A technique that is experiencing a renaissance right now. Good for you - because lenticular printing sets your communication in motion. Visualising question and answer, small and large, before and after, problem and solution, lenticular printing is one of the most exciting ways to tell stories on the cover. Lenticular printing is a technology in which a lenticular lens is applied on raster print.

If a moving photography is too time-consuming for you, simply go with a graphic or typographic cover.

3D Cover (Deep Drawing Effects)

Seventies-style bubbles on the cover, three-dimensional typography or a first feel of a new product? We're putting your product on the front page. Just provide us with a three dimensional master and we'll take care of the rest. We cannot tell you how we do it, but we can tell you why you should choose it. Presenting new products in this unorthodox way, for example, is the perfect opportunity to make a deep impression.

Cold Foil Stamping

In cold foil stamping, a foil is applied to the cover during the printing process. The advantage is that the foil can thus be coloured in the most different shades, enabling effects of high quality and impressive brilliance. And since the technique requires little time and work, it is also quite affordable.

Effect Foils

Although holographic surfaces have enjoyed a peak in the 80s, we have found that this effect hasn't lost its lustre in contemporary applications. Delicate accents can be quite attractive when this effect is applied on smaller motifs and surfaces such as type or parts of images.

More examples

 Die Cut & Laser Cut

X-treme Press-Cut (Shape Press-Cut)

A book is a book is a book is a revolver – and the perfect gift for those attending the premiere of a new action movie. Shape Press-Cutting may not really increase a journal’s usability, but it is guaranteed to draw attention.

Laser Cutting

An alternative solution to the well known Press-Cutting might be the Laser Cutting which can even realise quite filigree motives. Furthermore Lasers can be used for complex, extensive images. A sturdy cover (hardcover) is recommended to ensure the book’s stability. This makes for great effects when used in combination with a laser-processed book jacket and a background image on the end paper within.

Index Cutting

“Lost and found” – that would be the adequate headline for this rubric as an index is the best way to structure the content of a book without to lose the track. And well adopted it might not only serve as an orientation guide but become a stylish and creative element as well.

Punched Out and Pasted In

An amazing three-dimensional effect can be achieved by punching out an element and then pasting it back in. With a paper used to cover the back, the reverse side looks just as neat.

 3D Applications

3D Applications (3D Stickers/Doming)

Up to now, most of the 3D applications requested were logos in classical button style. Too bad, actually, because the really extraordinary and unique finishing would be exceptional organic shapes - reminding of Antonio Gaudí. Combined with blind debossing beneath it, this technique can be marvellously futuristic.

3D Applications (Rhinestone)

Don't leave all the glitter to ears, wrists and retro parties. Our first sparkling books were produced for the leading producer of rhinestones. The motif's outline is applied to a transfer foil, which is then applied to the book manually. Experienced nitpickers have confirmed that the special glue used for the rhinestones is incredibly efficient.

Rhinestone applications are available in a variety of colours. The only limitation: The motif shouldn't be more complex than the skull and crossbones flag above.

 Traditional

Singer Book Stiching

If you like it traditional and resilient, you may like Singer Book Stitching. An alternative to staples when it comes to binding booklets, this makes your writing booklet a real ‚must have’. In order to offer this noble book stitching, we took the trouble to find a historic Singer sewing machine.

Welt-Sewing

Welted shoes are known to be exclusive, so how about a welted book? With precise stitching along the book’s edge, your book automatically becomes a special deluxe edition. This not only amazes because of hand-sewn, stylish stitching but also by the subtle contrast it creates on the cover material.

Combined Stitching

You like the idea of having valuable stitching but are interested in combining surface as well? Combined Stitching may be the right choice for you. The different materials you have selected will be sewn together manually, allowing you to artistically combine two different surface materials on one cover.

Screwed Books

ou probably know book screws if you’ve seen colour sample fans. If you aim to achieve an industrial look for your book, you can’t go wrong with book screws that are visible on the outside. Book screws are available with a gold (brass-plated) or silver (nickel-plated) look an in lengths ranging from 10 to 80 millimetres.

 Personalization

Personalized Laser Engravings

Forget your everyday individual name debossing with its clumsy block letters. This is no kid's potato print workshop, after all, but the age of laser engravings: This technique can apply vectorised signatures just as easily as crests or logos. Your customer is guaranteed to look twice when finding his or her very own name as an actual signature on the cover - and not in Times New Roman.

Unfortunately, Brandbook laser engravings don't work on all cover materials. Select a material with the Configurator and we'll check for its availability.

Personalized Digital Silk Screen Print

Some combinations really make sense. In particular, when you can take advantage of both digital printing and silk screen printing. The digital aspect of the book is that every custom journal is personalized with individual names. The silk screen aspect, strictly seen, is not really silk screen. The appearance is achieved by a slightly raised effect allowing the typography to stand out.

 Laser Gravur

Laser Engraved Logo on Covermaterial

A logo laser engraving is truly an expression of depth. A laser beam removes a micro layer of the surface material and applies a crisp and sharp logo on the cover. The engraving appears in an unobtrusive shade and brings forth even the most delicate and intrinsic strokes of a motif.

Laser Engraved Stainless Steel Clip

If you appreciate the advantages of a book clip (as fastener or pen holder), you should definitely consider laser engraving. Especially with discreet cover designs, the customer's name or a logo engraved on the clip works well. Base logo shapes may also be punched out of the clip, offering an attractive view of the cover.

Laser Engraved Motifs on Entire Surfaces

Regardless whether your motif consists of typography, silhouettes, emblems, patterns or ornaments – a laser engraving allows you to reproduce a motif with great precision. Please note that the engraving appears lighter on dark materials and dark on light materials. An interesting tone which is truly skin deep.

 Papers & Materials

Pre-Stamped Paper

In order to use the full potential of the fine pre-stamped papers created by paper manufacturer Gmund, we have devised new book types especially for them. The example shown here sports wood grains stamped onto the paper. Naturally, these fine papers also make excellent covers for booklets.

Example: wood grain blind debossed on paper.

The World of Papers

The English paper manufacturer GF Smith provides us with extraordinary and innovative papers. Since over 100 years GF Smith source, develop and manufacture some of the most unusual papers for Graphics and Printing Industries, promoting new papers for a wide range of applications. These range from simple business cards to iridescent, structured, pre-stamped or translucent papers. There is almost no paper which GF Smith cannot provide.

Velvet Covering Fabric

For a very special touch, select a velvet covering fabric for your Brandbook. But while velvet is known for its pleasant feel, its deep colour intensity can indulge the eye just as much as the hand - just like Yves Klein's famous 'International Klein Blue'. And if that isn't noble enough, velvet also is an ideal medium for stamping techniques.

If you have a specific colour in mind, just give us a call - we are equipped with sample books of all producers of velvet covers.

Baroque Rocks

Quench your desire for baroque splendour with these pre-stamped papers. But even if you like the feel but prefer a little less pomp and circumstances, you will surely find something for your taste. Our variety of pre-stamped papers covers all epochs and styles. Ask us – we would love to find your paper on a voyage through time.

 Interior Pages

Journal Grids

Beside blank pages such as in sketchbooks, we offer just about any possible grid for your custom journal. We have grids for creative tools, lab books, idea books, architects, designers and project managers - you will find just about any type. All of these can be customized to match your color preferences or your corporate identity. Our customer support is happy to assist you with the production.

Overview Grids

A great trend: grids tailored to any profession and method.

Calendar 2012

Calendar pages provide a convenient addendum to your journal pages. We have various templates such as year planners, week on two pages, two months per page and many more. These can be placed either at the beginning or end of your book block - whichever you prefer.

Overview Calendar

All of our templates can be customized to accommodate your choice of typography, color and branding.

Printed Spreads

Integrated pages with information about product, image or corporate communication provide a great way to address an audience. Four color spreads can be printed on specialty papers and offer a beautiful way to section your paper notebook. These pages can be placed in the book block in any order and we can certainly apply any finishing technique such as matt and glossy varnishes to add special accents to graphic elements and photography.

Free choice regarding cover & inside pages

Plain- or uni-colored notebooks quickly appear dull and boring. Why not create a surprise-effect by colored end papers? At our partner pattern design Shop you can choose from a multitude of patterns. Whether you are looking for floral ornaments, wild animal prints or trendy retro-motifs - you will find the right pattern for each theme. Of course you can use those patterns for a printed cover (even printed on textile materials) or for a pattern inside your book.