Fathom Effects use no special inks, foils, lenses, or equipment. The process:
Drop your design files for packaging, product labels, and shrink sleeves into Fathom Designer, our free online tool, and assign motion and depth effects.
When you go to press, we produce files for two additional plates that use standard inks to create the effects without any additional materials.
Software-based embellishments
Fathom Designer is our online tool that makes it easy to add shimmer, motion and depth to your designs at a fixed cost. Try a preview:
Overprint
Effects
What customers say
“We love giving customers new ways to stand out and make their designs come alive. Fathom’s special effects open up new dimensions and are an exciting new look for our customers, particularly in the food and beverage segments.”
“The software is really easy to use. It only took me 10 minutes to add motion embellishments. Thank you!”
“We really liked the multi-depth aspect of the design, as well as the movement....I’m confident the enhanced design and branding will result in increased visibility and hence, increased sales of this product.”
“Have to say it looks so f-ing cool! You guys are very clever!”
Case study: Confluence Brewing
No new substrates
Why Fathom Effects? Our software-based embellishments allow your printer to use the same equipment and processes they typically use, and because the effects are just ink, they don’t impact recyclability and do integrate well with overprinting and varnishes.
| Fathom | Lenticular | Hologram | Foil | |
| Design tools | free | expensive | - | medium |
| Design process | easy | difficult | difficult | average |
| Recyclability | good | medium | poor | poor |
| Hue accuracy | good | good | poor | - |
| Production speed | fastest | medium | slow | fast |
| Unit cost on press | low | high | high | medium |
How it works
Fathom Effects are made by printing special patterns on two sides of anything clear, using the same press, inks and process you already use. Assign effects to spot colors in your design using our tools, and we generate the additional plates to produce your enhanced design.
A free web-based tool to enhance and preview your print files
Fathom Effects enhance your existing designs. We give designers the tools to easily add our embellishments to PDF/AI files and send production files to converters. It’s drag and drop.
Fathom Designer, our online tool, lets you integrate and preview motion and depth effects on 3D models and share with stakeholders online. Includes an ever-expanding effect library, and if that isn't enough, we have a consulting service to design custom motion graphics with you.
Shareable 3D previews
Fathom Designer makes it easy to proof printed motion with an in-browser 3D preview on your packaging. Click and drag the container here with your mouse or finger.
Click and drag the can.
A materials library you can print, and overprint
Use your existing color management workflow, and hit the hue angles demanded by your brand. The Fathom Standard Effects are designed to support your brand goals, and are as easy to add to your design as assigning a spot color. Here’s a sample.
