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Mask Files for Spot UV & Foil
Spot UV, Raised Spot UV, Foil, Raised Foil and Akuafoil products need one extra file per decorated side that tells the press exactly where the shine goes.
What it is
A mask is a black-and-white map of where the gloss or foil goes
The press prints your artwork first, then applies the clear gloss (Spot UV) or the foil only where the mask is black. Anything white in the mask stays plain. Because it is a separate layer, you upload it as a separate file next to your front/back artwork.
Your artwork
Its mask (gloss on the logo + name only)
How to set it up
- Same size as your artwork, including bleed (e.g. 3.75" x 2.25" for a 3.5" x 2" business card).
- Black and white only. Black (100% K) = where the gloss or foil goes. White = no gloss / no foil.
- No grays, no gradients, no colors, no shadows. Every edge is either black or white.
- One mask per decorated side: a Front mask for the front, a Back mask for the back.
- Vector (PDF, AI, EPS) is best; a 300 dpi PNG/TIFF is fine.
- Line the mask up exactly with your artwork — the press prints one on top of the other.
Common mistakes
- Sending the full-color artwork again instead of a black-and-white mask.
- Putting the mask on a separate page of the same PDF (upload it as its own file).
- Very thin lines or tiny text — anything under about 1 pt / 6 pt text may not hold gloss or foil.
- Gloss over a QR code or barcode: it can make scanning unreliable. Leave those white in the mask.
Don't have a mask file?
No problem. Upload your artwork, leave the mask slot empty, and our prepress team will create the mask from your design and email you a proof to approve before we print. There is no extra charge for this.
General artwork guidelines