HOW'D THEY PRINT THAT?: Printing You Can Touch & Feel

Color experts at Toyo have seen their fair share of prime printing over the ink manufacturer’s 100 years. But perhaps none is as dynamic as the high-end promotional calendar commemorating its centennial this year. Four Japanese printing companies collaborated to execute it.

PIA/GATF Premier Print Award judges have recognized the piece with two Bennies (Calendars and Specialty Inks), as well as a merit certificate for Environmentally Sound Materials and an honorable mention for Special Innovation. The 20.5×23.6´´ calendar demonstrates eco-friendly products, including UV-curable varnishes and King Hy-Unity Soy inks.

The job was a special-effects showcase for Toyo’s Fukuju Sangyo printing subsidiary. For example, the texture of April’s Chijimi crepe method literally feels different. Resin ink is partly cured with low-power UV light. A wet-dry chemical reaction ensues, shrinking the UV layer while cracking the ink layer.

A kimono for January features Kaleido CMYK inks and Randot 20µ FM screening printed by Toppan Printing, which, incidentally, owns 23% of Toyo stock. The soy-based Kaleido line expands to nearly the full RGB gamut—equivalent to 6- or 7-color process printing, says Toyo.

Randot, developed by Dainippon Screen, is based on Harlequin HDS screening. It uses optical dot gain to lower granularity and eliminate moiré patterns and broken lines—while reducing ink usage by 20%.

The February wintry scene features a fuzzy, tactile snow effect popularized in children’s books. Electrostatic attraction affixed nylon pile fibers on a resin layer during this flock silk-screening process.

March’s cherry blossom-themed container image is spot-coated with a wet gloss varnish and pearl reflection-printed.

The reproduction of a lacquer writing box for May and an iron teapot for November both feature Liotone and multi-layered UV screen printing, 100µ and 200µ, respectively. The Liotone method employs an optic effect to prevent ink-layer leveling, yielding textures akin to sandpaper and etchings. (The 200-micron coating is used in braille printing.) The kettle image printed with FD Karton ACE inks, which are solvent-free and UV-curable.

In June, a landscape scene is textured with matte, green phosphorescent printing.

August’s ornately painted tortoise-shell hairpins use Kaleido ink and clear-coat varnish. Sheets were UV-foil printed inline, using 175-line AM screening, at Chuo Printing on a 40´´ MAN Roland 700 press. (Also see p.46.)

A glazed jar image dominates the September page, which is imitation-embossed by Liotone printing and spot coating with Toyo medium and clear-coat emboss varnishes. The year rounds out with December’s “Famous Views” theme, which was high-line, FM-screened by Seieido Printing using waterless FD HB Aqualess Soy ink.

The Premier Print Awards are held annually in conjunction with Graph Expo. Toyo’s entry was one of more than 5,100 received from 18 countries. www.gain.net