QR code
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- alnove
Does anyone know if you foil blocked a QR code onto say a bottle label, whether it would still be readable by smart phones etc. Cheers
- detritus0
If I were you, I'd print a QR Code onto a transparent (projection) sheet, place over tinfoil, then try out yourself.
If the cam is flashed, and the black ink thick and matt, I imagine it'd work no problems — if the pic is taken in low light conditions with shiny ink, I'd not be so confident.
just pulling that out of my ass, mind.
- er.. sorry — 'shiny ink' being ink which lets the foil shine throughdetritus
- Boz0
QR Code contains its own error correction data, internal orientation calibration and self-alignment markers. In this way it doesn't matter whether the QR code is upside down or wrapped around a curved surface, the message will still get through.
- whatthefunk0
It really depends on the app used to read the QR code. I can't say whether or not it would work but the amount of errors that are due to inferior code reader apps is such a nuisance that I can only imagine issues.
- Boz0
also this will be useful to you:
http://qrarts.com/2010/06/qr-cor…
- Boz0
also this will be useful to you:
http://qrarts.com/2010/06/qr-cor…
- detritus0
OH, 'foil blocked', as you say, not 'printed on foil' as I stupidly read?
I'd be much more confident about that!
- alnove0
It was more the reflective qualities of the foil that i was worried about
- monospaced0
The foil might give you problems. We printed QR codes on a field of a tangerine orange and, while they worked, were not nearly as efficient as black/white. I can only imagine the foil being difficult.
- jimzy0
A qr code will work printed in any colour so i think it probably just depends a little on the type of foil you are going with.
If there is enough contrast between the foil and your paper stock i think it should be fine.- contrast and size really help because phone cameras have a hard time focusing on close subjects sometimesmonospaced
- Centigrade0
Mock it up, make it greyscale and check the contrast. If it's distinguishable enough you should be fine.
- ian0
Or get a foil rub down. We do that for showing foils to clients, you can order them through some stationery places and it comes like a letraset rub-down, except its the actual finished foil you can expect.
If you're doing a large run of packaging, it would be worth investing in this to check it out. Even ask the printer to get a sample from their foil blocker. A small cost now would minimise a large cost for reprinting.
- ian0
^
The reason I say this is beacuse with foil, especially silver foil, the colour changes drastically depending on the light. It could look gray, white or almost black under different lights and whats around it being reflected in it.
- hellrod0
I did a foiled bar code last year and it worked most of the time. It depended on the angle of the light reflecting from it whether it worked or not. It was also a sparkle foil which didn't help I think a QR code would have higher tolerances if it was produced in foil. Also, if the size if big enough.