Types of Embossing and How You Can Use Them to DIY Wedding Invites

Embossing is a great way to add a touch of pizzazz to a simple design. What this design technique is a way of creating a raise or 3D image out of a piece of paper. This can be done using a myriad of options and shapes, and though it can be professionally done, a DIY bride can have a go at it too, as long as you have the right utensils or know what to use. With a little bit of know-how, you too can embossing to make your very own DIY wedding invites with a beautiful finish.

There are many types of embossing, and we will look into each item so that you can be informed of what type you should opt for when making your very own DIY wedding invitation and putting embossing to use.

  • Combo Emboss: The combination of embossing with a foil printing is known as combo embossing, and it gives of a glamorous effect to your cards.
  • Debossing: Debossing is the indentation into the paper as opposed to the raised effect see in embossing.
  • Dry Emboss: Dry embossing is where you use a stencil and stylus and press the paper down not the stencil to create outlines and then the embossed shapes, so that when you flip the paper, you have a beautiful embossed finish.
  • Multi-Level Emboss: This type of embossing is similar to the single-level emboss, but done at varying levels or tires, giving it a further 3D look. For example, if you want to a three tiered heart design embossed onto your DIY wedding card, then this would be ideal.
  • Printed Emboss: A printed emboss is where you have a specific image printed onto your DIY wedding invite, and this particular shape or image is where the embossing will be carried out, giving it a raised effect to the entire image. For example, let us take a red heart design on a white background. The red heart would be embossed to make it ‘pop’.
  • Sculptured Emboss: This is considered the DIY form of embossing, as it involves a handmade process, using tools, and the likes of stylus to give it depth of field. It is always best to use it with the likes of a photographic element printed on the paper to give it a realistic look.
  • Self-Emboss: Using a piece of paper, with the same colour on the entire surface, you can use an emboss stamp on the underside to create a definition and shape on the paper to give it a special look. For example, if you want to use a starry night DIY wedding invite theme, then you can opt to use star shaped stamps on a midnight blue coloured paper and have yourself raised stars to give it that finish and texture.
  • Single-Level Emboss: This type of embossing involved the DIY wedding invite and the element or design being embossed, being raised to the same level, creating a unilateral finish.

Sculptured embossing, self-embossing, single level embossing, printed embossing, multi-level embossing, dry embossing and debossing can be easily done using a few simple utensils, such as a light box (when debossing and dry embossing), stencils, stylus, card stock, rolling pins and stamps, and stamped templates for a patterned effect when creating your very own wedding invites.