Understanding Can
Print Finishes
A plain-English guide to finish and varnish selections on digitally printed cans.
When you place a digital print order with ECC, you’ll be asked to select a finish type and a varnish option. For a lot of customers this is where things get confusing fast.
This article walks through every option available, what it actually does, and what it means for your artwork. No design degree required.
How ECC Prints Your Can
All ECC digital printing is direct to the surface of a bare aluminium can using Hinterkopf inkjet technology. There are no labels involved. The printer lays down CMYK colour ink, white ink, and varnish directly onto the silver aluminium.
The silver base of the can is always the starting point. Every finish type works with or around that silver base in a different way. Understanding that is the key to understanding your finish options.
Select Finish
When ordering, you will be asked to select a finish type. There are two options in the portal: Standard Finish and Metallic/Spot Silver Finish.
The most common finish. The can is flood-coated with white ink first, and your full CMYK artwork prints over the top of that white base. The silver aluminium underneath is completely covered.
Vivid, opaque colour from edge to edge. Think of it like printing on white paper. Whatever you design is what you get.
- No white spot colour or white layer required
- Treat the artboard as a white background
- White flood coat is applied automatically during production
This finish category covers two distinct design effects — Spot Silver and Metallic. Both require a white ink layer in your artwork. Here is how they differ.
Parts of the raw aluminium are intentionally left exposed. White ink is placed only in specific areas of the design, and where white ink is absent the silver base shows through. CMYK then overprints the white areas as usual.
The silver is not ink — it is the actual can reflecting light. Areas with silver will shift slightly depending on the light around them.
Colour ink is printed directly over the silver can base with no white ink underneath. The silver reflects back through the ink, creating colours that shift and glow.
Rich, dark shades work particularly well. Lighter shades can look washed out because there is not enough pigment density to hold against the reflective base.
- A spot white colour and dedicated white ink layer are required
- Use the colour named Spot_White — included in all ECC can templates
- The printer uses this layer to map where white ink is and is not applied
- Where Spot_White is absent, the silver base will be exposed
Select Varnish Type
After selecting your finish, you will select a varnish type. There are three options. All Over Gloss and All Over Matte require no changes to your artwork. Spot Gloss Varnish does.
A high-shine coat applied across the entire printed surface of the can. It deepens colour slightly and gives the can a polished feel.
A reflective, glossy surface. Colours look richer. The can feels premium in hand.
- Nothing — applied automatically during printing
- No special layer or swatch needed in your artwork file
A flat, non-reflective coat applied across the entire printed surface. The finish is smooth and tactile rather than shiny.
A soft, understated surface. Colours appear slightly more muted than gloss. Quietly premium.
- Nothing — applied automatically during printing
- No special layer or swatch needed in your artwork file
Gloss varnish applied to specific, nominated elements of your design while the rest of the can stays matte. The contrast between the gloss and matte areas is the effect.
Certain parts of your design catching the light — a logo, a pattern, a key word — while the rest stays flat. The contrast is more noticeable in certain lighting conditions.
- Create a separate spot colour named Spot Gloss Varnish
- Apply it only to the elements you want varnished
- Keep it on a separate layer named Spot Varnish
- The prepress team will use this layer to map where varnish is applied
Quick Reference
Standard Finish
Full colour on white base. No special artwork required. Vivid and opaque from edge to edge.
Metallic/Spot Silver — Spot Silver
Raw aluminium exposed as a design element. Requires Spot_White layer. Silver shows through where white ink is absent.
Metallic/Spot Silver — Metallic
Colour over silver base creates metallic glow. Requires Spot_White layer. Dark, rich colours work best.
All Over Gloss Varnish
High-shine coat across the whole can. Applied automatically. No artwork changes needed.
All Over Matte Varnish
Soft, flat coat across the whole can. Applied automatically. No artwork changes needed.
Spot Gloss Varnish
Gloss on specific elements only. Rest stays matte. Requires Spot Gloss Varnish layer in artwork.
Still not sure?
Talk to the prepress team before you submit. It’s easier to plan a finish from the start than rework artwork after the fact.
