Foiling method used by MinaLima

[Marcotl]

Hello, I'm working on some Harry Potter props and the foiling always seems to be somewhat difficult, hot stamping is sometimes too expensive and reactive foil is not always an option depending on the surface you're trying to foil.

MinaLima, the original designers for the Harry Potter films use a hand foiling method that I do not know of. Does any of you know this method? It's explicitly said in their website that they handfoil their prints (they actually do this on demand when a premium print order is placed). There was also a video of their team foiling a premium print and it seemed like the foil was cut according to the design and then placed over the paper, they seem to press the foil and then it was apparently done.

Thanks for any information.

 

[Marcotl]

I attach a super big image of a premium print of the Fantastic Beasts book where you can see the texture of the foil.

 

[Krats]

I’ve wondered how Minalima have done this as well. I figured they were using a standard gold leafing technique but having seen their website it looks more like a dry-rub transfer. It’s relatively straight forward to have transfers custom made but looks expensive.

 

[PB Props]

Have you seen this video?

3m28s is the point at which the hand gold leafing starts. I'd guess the prop makers did something quite similar.

 

[Marcotl]

Actually I just found a comment where MinaLima themselves say they use rub-down foil, at least we now know what system they use. However I cannot seem to find any rub-down foil or dry transfer (as it is also called) in my area, I found one or two in a differente country and is very expensive.

 

[moviebuff5]

You can see a good image of the foil still on the clear transfer backing here:

How is a MinaLima Print Made? - MinaLima Chronicle

Find out how MinaLima's limited edition art prints are created, step by step, in our latest blog post.

minalima.com

There are several videos on using transfer foil with the Cricut on youtube, but they all apply directly to the finished surface, not to a surface that can be lifted and then applied to a print.