PrintAction

Headlines News
Konica Minolta and Print Panther celebrate FSEA award wins

September 15, 2021  By PrintAction Staff



As part of its 28th Annual Gold Leaf Awards, the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) recognized a project produced by Ontario-based Print Panther on Konica Minolta production equipment.

The annual Gold Leaf Awards competition comprises an exciting assembly of colour, dimension and eye-catching effects representing the most exquisite works throughout the graphic arts industry. Entries are judged on design, execution and level of difficulty in over 35 different categories with a gold, silver and bronze award presented in each category. A Best of Show award is selected from among all of the gold award winners. The program has grown, with entries submitted from around the world by finishers and binders that want to compete against the best in the industry. New technologies have also fuelled growth, with expanded award categories in areas such as digital foil and other specialty UV coatings. This year, FSEA received 237 entries from all over the world.

In the Category of Best Foil/Coatings Selection Guide, Print Panther was awarded the Gold Award for the Konica Minolta Extreme Digital Guide – Capturing the Feel of Creativity, a labour of love for Christine Yardley, president, Print Panther, and her production team. The project also earned a Best in Show Honorable Mention.

Advertisement

The guide was produced using a variety of Konica Minolta equipment. In addition to the Konica Minolta MGI Jet Varnish 3DS with iFoil S, Print Panther used the AccurioJet KM-1e LED UV Inkjet Press. The project also utilized an AccurioPress digital colour press and the AccurioWide 160 hybrid UV LED wide-format inkjet printer.

“The world is going to be looking for new ideas when we emerge from this, and print can tell a story like nothing else can,” said Yardley. “Konica Minolta handed us the reigns for creative licence on the guide, and wholeheartedly embraced the concept and design. The guide became my saviour during the pandemic, giving me a much-needed creative outlet with my designer.”

“It is extremely gratifying to see our clients and partners make great strides in the industry and receive the recognition they deserve,” said Mario Mottillo, president, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada). “We are truly proud of the creative work done on the Extreme Digital Guide by our fantastic partner, Print Panther.”

PostPress Magazine, the official publication of FSEA, also featured Yardley on its September cover, where she donned a gold holographic foil dress with boa she made herself with the used rolls off her MGI.

“The boa was quite a complex undertaking,” added Yardley. “It took 10 hours to thread the foil through.”

Print Panther took home two other awards, a silver award for Best Use of Foil Embossing – Softback Book Cover or Jacket (Most Creative) for Cal Poly’s Compilation of Student Work, Spring 2020, and a bronze award for Best Use of Foil Embossing – Greeting Card (Difficult) for the Kennedy Sisters Real Estate Team Christmas Card.


Print this page

Advertisement

Stories continue below