With the new foil guestbooks, this is the first time I've seriously toyed around with a design idea using this type print, and I have questions ...
1) If I upload an image to the foil layer, I get the pop-up to choose a "filter". The "Etched" and "Dots" both say 'recommended for photographs' and the ? info is the same except one says dots and one says lines. Then each filter has a scroll for different contrast levels. When I select one of those tiny thumbs, there's a lag time for the change to register in the larger main thumb. Then I have to click Apply to be back in the Design Tool view, then Done from there to view the previews where it is really hard to tell what the difference is. It's a lot of back & forth trying to see if this is a better option than that. So, is there any particular option you use as your standard "default" so you don't have to keep going back and forth trying to visually determine a difference in the product previews?
2) If the image added to the foil layer is a .svg file, you don't get this filter option pop-up, and the .svg doesn't function normally either. You only get the options for Fill color and Border color and they can only be black or white, with different resulting effects. So, is there any particular benefit (or drawback) to using an .svg file rather than a .png?
3) If you add text to the foil layer using the Design Tool's Add Text option, you can set the text color to black or white. When I set it to white the text disappears from the design regardless of which foil color (gold, silver, or rose gold) I choose so I'm not understanding why white is an option?
4) Given #2 & #3, if I want to add a simple .png image file of an object, shape, or pre-formatted text (on trans background of course) - does it matter if that image is solid black, white or other color or mixed colors? So in otherwords, if I want to create something in PS specifically to use on a foil layer, should I make it solid black, solid white, or other?
Great points, @ColsCreations
Add to that that the foil does not extent to the entire area margins. You can't use an image on the foil layer that goes through to the spine. (unlike on the regular layer or the background)
imho you want to keep the foil layer as simple as possible - eg -just for fonts and simple graphics but at the end of the day - the choice is yours.
My tips for your questions:
1. Always scroll through all the options and select the best one for your particular graphic if you are uploading a busy graphic/photograph/image to put on the foil layer.
It's worth getting the best one - I normally try solid for simple graphics but you need to play around for and it really does depends on the image you upload
2. Have never used an SVG only png so can't say. As long as you get the desired foil-y results that you're after. I'd say go for it
3. Black reveals and white conceals. Always use black on the foil layer for it to show and if you want particular areas not to be foiled - use white (eg - white font on top of a black shape - the shape will be foil - the text won't)
solid type fonts looks better that grunge-y but that's just my personal opinion
4. If you want anything to show up as foil on the foil layer - use solid black. But you can use to the filters to invert it to make it white if you need
When foil cards came out, there was a really handy tips in the old forum that explained the weight of lines/fonts and not to use a light weight font (med/bold fonts are better) or thin lines.
Found this video from 7 years ago which may help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpcNOwGh9Jk
and from the Help center
https://help.zazzle.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001364234-What-is-Sleek-Foil
Best way is have a play and see what works for you
Black reveals and white conceals
Ahh, that should be a tool-tip in the Design panel. It seems so obvious now but I couldn't think why white would be an option if it just makes things disappear. But that was just looking at single elements and text. Now I can see the potential in using white to make borders or cut-outs when used on top of a black layer. I've played around with it a bit now with the view that white = transparent (even though you can see the white in the Design tool) so that helps much.
