A finishing process that applies a liquid varnish to targeted sections of a printed piece, leaving the rest of the surface uncoated or matte. The sheet immediately passes under ultraviolet lamps, which cure the varnish into a hard, high-gloss shine. Printers use it to make logos, text, or specific design elements pop out against a contrasting background texture.
Heard on the job
Check the registration on the spot UV. The gloss is shifting about a millimeter off the logo on these last fifty sheets.
Insider tip
Spot UV looks best when paired with a soft-touch or matte aqueous coating on the rest of the sheet to maximize the contrast in texture.