Mohawk Superfine Eggshell
White Ink Primer HP White 1 (Primer)
Metallic Ink HP Metallic Ink
CMYK CMYK

Feather

Mohawk Superfine 120# Ultrawhite Eggshell Cover

White Ink + Metallic Ink + CMYK

Feather Sample 7

HP Metallic ink combined with HP White 1 creates maximum shimmer on uncoated stock. The white ink acts as a primer layer, sealing the paper fibers so the metallic particles lay flat for optimal reflectivity instead of absorbing into the paper.

Credit: Black Birch Design Studio

About Metallic Ink on Uncoated Stock

Uncoated paper stocks like Mohawk Superfine have an absorbent surface that can dull metallic inks. The paper fibers act like tiny sponges, pulling the metallic particles down into the surface rather than allowing them to lay flat for maximum reflectivity.

The solution is a white ink primer layer. HP White 1 prints first, creating a smooth, sealed surface on top of the paper fibers. The metallic ink then prints onto this primed surface, achieving the same brilliant shimmer you'd expect on coated stock while maintaining the tactile appeal of uncoated paper.

Best Practices

File Setup

Gallery

Download Sample Files (PDF)
Adobe Illustrator

Dual Spot Color Setup

HP White 1 (primer) + HP Metallic in Adobe Illustrator

Step 1 of 12
Illustrator Swatches Panel

Open the Swatches Panel

In Adobe Illustrator, go to Window > Swatches to open the Swatches panel. You'll create two spot colors here: HP White 1 (primer) and HP Metallic.

💡

You can also use the keyboard shortcut F5 to toggle the Swatches panel.

Select White Ink Artwork

Select White Ink Artwork

Select all artwork elements that should print with white ink primer. This layer seals the paper fibers before the metallic ink is applied.

💡

The white ink primer should cover the same area as the metallic artwork, or slightly larger.

HP White 1 Swatch Dialog

Create HP White 1 Spot Color

Click the Swatches panel menu and select New Swatch. In the dialog:

  • Swatch Name: HP White 1
  • Color Type: Spot Color
  • Color Mode: CMYK
  • Set Magenta to 100% (for visibility)
⚠️

Critical: The name must be exactly HP White 1 with correct capitalization and spacing.

Apply HP White 1

Apply HP White 1 to Selection

With your white ink artwork selected, click the HP White 1 swatch to apply it as the fill color. The artwork will appear magenta but will print as opaque white ink.

💡

The magenta preview color is just for visibility - actual output is opaque white ink that seals the paper surface.

Select Metallic Artwork

Select Metallic Artwork

Now select all artwork elements that should print with metallic ink. This layer prints on top of the white ink primer for maximum shimmer.

HP Metallic Swatch Dialog

Create HP Metallic Spot Color

Create another new swatch for the metallic ink:

  • Swatch Name: HP Metallic
  • Color Type: Spot Color
  • Color Mode: CMYK
  • Set a preview color (e.g., 50% Black)
⚠️

Critical: The name must be exactly HP Metallic with correct capitalization.

Apply HP Metallic

Apply HP Metallic to Selection

With your metallic artwork selected, click the HP Metallic swatch to apply it. The artwork will appear in the preview color but will print as shimmering metallic ink.

Open Attributes Panel

Open the Attributes Panel

Go to Window > Attributes to open the Attributes panel. This panel controls overprint settings which are critical for both spot colors.

⚠️

Important: The next step is critical for BOTH spot colors!

Enable Overprint Fill

Enable Overprint Fill for Both

Select ALL artwork using HP White 1 or HP Metallic spot colors. In the Attributes panel, check the Overprint Fill checkbox.

⚠️

Critical: BOTH HP White 1 AND HP Metallic must have Overprint Fill enabled. Without this, spot color areas will knock out underlying artwork, causing gaps.

Illustrator Layers Panel

Verify Layer Order

Open the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and verify your layer order. All spot color layers must be above CMYK:

  • Top: Spot color layers (HP White 1, HP Metallic)
  • Bottom: CMYK artwork
💡

The order of spot colors relative to each other doesn't matter, but all spot colors must be above CMYK.

Overprint Preview

View Overprint Preview

Go to View > Overprint Preview to see how the final print will look. You should see the combined effect of all layers working together.

💡

Overprint Preview shows the actual appearance with transparency and overprint effects applied.

PDF Output Preview

Verify in PDF Output Preview

Export your file as PDF and open in Adobe Acrobat. Go to Print Production > Output Preview. In the Separations list, verify you see:

  • Process Plates: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
  • Spot Plates: HP White 1, HP Metallic
💡

If either spot color is missing from the list, go back and verify the swatch was created correctly with exact naming.