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Painted Edges, Gilding, and Patterned Edge Book Printing
These edge treatments are popular for everything from limited edition art books to branded marketing materials, high-end publishing projects, and collectors’ items. Whether you’re printing a literary novel, a full-color comic, or a series of tarot cards, we’ll help you create a beautiful and distinctive finished product that makes a lasting impression.
Custom Edge Options for Books
We offer three main categories of edge customization. Each option is compatible with a wide range of book types and bindings. You can also mix and match designs across the same print run.
Option 1: Gilded Metallic Edges
This is our most popular edge-color book printing service. Our luxury book gilding printing uses metallic foil to apply a brilliant, highly reflective finish to the trimmed page edges. Often seen on antique and high-end books, gold edge book printing and silver edge book printing offer timeless elegance and added durability.
● Choose from gold, silver, rose gold, copper, or holographic rainbow foil
● Suitable for keepsakes, art collections, and special editions
● A classic option for upscale presentation and longevity
Option 2: Painted Edges with Custom Colors
Choose a solid edge color or a gradient using either the CMYK or Pantone system. You can coordinate with your cover artwork or choose a contrasting color for extra visual punch. These colored page edges book printing treatments are ideal for fiction and nonfiction books, art books, and brand-focused publishing projects.
● Choose any Pantone or CMYK color
● Apply to hardcover and paperback books
● Available in standard or custom trim sizes
● Change edge colors mid-run for mixed editions
Option 3: Sprayed-Edge Patterns and Images
For a more elaborate and artistic effect, opt for decorative book edges printing with custom sprayed images or designs. These can be abstract patterns, illustrations, logos, or even continuous edge images that span across multiple volumes in a series.
● Upload your own artwork or work with our team to create a custom design
● Apply branding elements such as logos or slogans to the edge
● Use a seamless panoramic image across a trilogy or multi-volume set
● Ideal for collectible books, box sets, and promotional editions
Why Choose QinPrinting for Decorative Edge Treatments?
Unlike many printers that restrict these features to hardcovers only, we can apply painted, sprayed, or gilded edges to both hardcover and paperback books. We also welcome variable edge designs within a single run—so, for example, you could print 1,000 books with 500 in red and 500 in blue.
We're also one of the few companies with the experience and capability to apply a continuous pattern or image across multiple books. This is ideal for series and multi-volume sets such as box sets, special editions, and brand promotions.
We support edge decoration across the full size range—from pocket notebooks to oversized landscape books—offering more creative control and better pricing than most competitors in the field of book printing and finishing.
Tips for Preparing Artwork for Edge Effects
Quality edge printing depends on thoughtful file setup. Below are the most important considerations for preparing your project:
For gilded or solid-color painted edges, no special artwork is needed. Simply choose your color or foil option and we’ll handle the rest.
For sprayed patterns or images, you’ll need to provide edge artwork with a proper bleed.
Edge bleed formula:
● Edge length = 0.125″ bleed + book width + book length + book width + 0.125″ bleed
● Edge width = 0.125″ bleed + book thickness + 0.125″ bleed
If you’re working with a professional designer, they’ll understand how to set up files for edge color book printing. But even if you’re designing your book yourself, our team will check every file manually before production and let you know if anything needs to be adjusted.
Can't find what you want? Contact us!
We’re always happy to discuss new formats or unusual specifications. If you don’t see what you’re looking for above, get in touch. Our team will be glad to help.
FAQs
What is the difference between painted and gilding edges?
- Painted Edges: Colored ink is applied to the edges of the book, which can be solid, gradient, or patterned.
- Gilded Edges: A thin layer of metallic foil (such as gold or silver) is applied to the edges, creating a shiny, luxurious finish.
Can you add gilded edges to paperback books?
Yes, while many printers limit gilded edge book printing to hardcover books, we apply gilding to paperback editions as well. This allows greater design flexibility and cost savings.
Do you support variable edge colors in a single print run?
Yes. For example, if you print 1,000 books, you could request 500 copies with red edges and 500 with black. This is particularly useful for multi-volume sets, collectors’ editions, or A/B testing in marketing.
Why Print Your Book with Intuan?
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Let's talk!
If you’re thinking about printing a book and want it to look and feel just right, we’d love to help. At QinPrinting, we work closely with you from start to finish—whether you need help preparing your files or choosing the finishing touches that will make your book stand out. Big print run or small, we’re here to make sure it turns out beautifully. Get in touch—we’re ready when you are!
