About
A print studio for foil, deboss and emboss, in your browser.
FoilEffect turns flat artwork into a realistic finished print. It shows how foil, relief and paper will look under a moving light, so you can judge a finish before it goes to press, or use the render as the final piece.
What it does
- Layers found for youFlat artwork splits into its unique colours; artwork with gradients splits into its hard-edged shapes. Layers start off and print with the base until you switch them on.
- Print finishesDeboss, emboss, foil, holographic foil, pigment foil, spot gloss and ink, on any layer.
- Base printPrint the whole artwork as ink, a four-ink riso in round halftone dots, or translucent overprint, then switch on only the layers you want to foil, press or coat.
- Paper and clothCardstocks in whites, naturals, colours and darks, plus linen, bookcloth, ribbed and pulp papers, matte or gloss, with a clean or torn edge.
- Moving lightA diffused strip light sweeps across the artwork, so foil flashes and relief catches the light the way it does in your hand.
- Shadow and lightThe artwork lies on a cutting mat with a soft shadow you can lift and turn, and an optional global light that dims the scene or shapes it into an edge, shaft or pool.
- ExportsPNG stills, a looping MP4, and HTML files that play the effect live on the web.
It's built on ordinary image processing and a WebGL shader. There's no AI involved and no server: everything happens on your own computer.
Limits
FoilEffect is deliberately simple. Know these before you put time into a piece.
Nothing is saved.
Your artwork, layers and settings live only in the open browser tab. Refreshing, closing the tab or opening another image clears them, and there's no undo history or project file to reopen. Export anything you want to keep before you leave.
- Exports can't be reopenedPNG, MP4 and HTML exports are finished results. They can't be loaded back into the app for editing.
- Flat artwork works bestThe app separates up to 10 solid colours. Photos, gradients, soft shadows and textured scans won't split cleanly into layers.
- Working sizeImages are processed at up to 1200 px on the long side. Larger files are scaled down, and PNG exports go up to 3× that size.
- Riso is a simulationThe riso separation uses four fixed inks (fluorescent pink, blue, yellow, black) and an on-screen model of how they mix. It doesn't produce separation files for a riso printer, and its colours won't match a real print exactly.
- Shared relief depthDeboss and emboss depths apply to the whole artwork. Two debossed layers can't have different depths.
- VideoMP4 export needs a browser with WebCodecs (current Chrome, Edge or Safari). Other browsers record in real time and may save WebM. Videos are 3 to 5 seconds and can't be transparent.
- Lightweight HTMLThe HTML/CSS export animates the sheen only; its relief shading doesn't move with the light.
- HardwareWebGL is required. Speed depends on your graphics hardware, and large exports can be slow on older machines.
- Desktop firstThe app is designed for a desktop browser with a mouse or trackpad. It isn't set up for phones.
- Not a print proofColours, foils and papers are simulated on screen. They aren't matched to any foil, ink or paper supplier. Confirm finishes, colours and tolerances with your printer.
Privacy
FoilEffect doesn't collect, upload or store your artwork. Images you open are read and processed inside your browser, on your device, and never leave it. The app has no server, no accounts, no cookies and no analytics, and it makes no network requests while you work. Exports are created on your device and saved straight to it. When you close the tab, the artwork is gone from the app.
Your responsibility
You're responsible for the artwork you open in FoilEffect and for what you do with any modified version of it. Only use artwork you own or have the right to use and alter, including logos, trademarks and other people's work.
FoilEffect is provided as is, without warranty of any kind. Renders are visual simulations, not production files or print proofs, and the author isn't liable for decisions, print runs or costs based on them.