What is gunmetal foil?

A dark metallic foil that shifts between charcoal and silver depending on the light.

Does fine linework hold in foil?

Yes. Very fine lines can fill in, so we check the thinnest strokes at proof.

Why charcoal rather than black?

It lets dark foil read as a separate surface.

Case study · Business cards · THO Agency

Dark until it catches the light

Portrait card on charcoal grey stock with an ornate architectural skeleton key and monogram in gunmetal foil that reads dark straight on and flashes mirror silver when tilted.

Business-cards for THO Agency with gunmetal foil stamping, portrait, charcoal + cotton and letterpress.

TechniquesHot Foil, Letterpress

The idea

THO Agency, short for The House Of, is a Dallas marketing company founded by Nicholas J. Valenta.

Two rules

01Gunmetal, not silver. Gunmetal foil, dark at rest and silver at an angle.
02Letterpress for the person. Black letterpress on soft white cotton, set as a centred column under the HØUSE wordmark.

Why it works

It looks almost blank until light catches it, and then the key appears.

Start from these materials

Same paper, foil and finish, locked in — nothing of THO Agency's artwork comes with it.

Open in Studio Ask about this

Questions

What is gunmetal foil?: A dark metallic foil that shifts between charcoal and silver depending on the light.
Does fine linework hold in foil?: Yes. Very fine lines can fill in, so we check the thinnest strokes at proof.
Why charcoal rather than black?: It lets dark foil read as a separate surface.

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