What is Spot UV?
Spot UV is a technique that adds a shiny, clear coating to parts of your design, making logos, text, or images stand out against a matte background. It creates contrast and gives your print a high-end, professional look.
Blind Spot UV vs. standard Spot UV
Blind Spot UV
- Spot UV is applied to areas without any underlying print—just over solid backgrounds.
Purpose: Creates subtle, elegant designs through texture and shine without adding extra colors. This technique is often used for patterns, logos, or design accents that are visible only when viewed at certain angles.
Blind Spot UV
- Spot UV is applied to areas without any underlying print—just over solid backgrounds.
Purpose: Creates subtle, elegant designs through texture and shine without adding extra colors. This technique is often used for patterns, logos, or design accents that are visible only when viewed at certain angles.
How to Prepare Artwork for Spot UV
1. Design the Base Artwork
- Create your design as usual in CYMK, adding all colors, images, and text.
2. Create the Spot UV Layer
- Duplicate your base design.
- In the duplicate, remove everything except the elements you want highlighted with Spot UV.
- Convert the desired UV areas to 100% black (#000000).
Please supply as 1 print-ready PDF file, containing 2 pages of artwork:
- Page 1 should feature the CMYK artwork
- Page 2 should be the Spot UV artwork (vector file)
Key Tips for Spot UV:
- Avoid Thin Lines or Small Text – Spot UV works best on bold, large design elements.
- Registration Tolerance – Expect a ±0.5 mm shift, so avoid intricate or tightly spaced details.
- Double check the size – Ensure both artworks are the same size and perfectly aligned.
Spot UV is a simple but powerful way to give your print materials a luxurious finish. Whether you choose blind or regular Spot UV, it’s a great tool to elevate your brand's image.